Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-10-03

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dried flowers, which I have stolen,
and which are now decayed and
/ crumbDpg.
| Now | knew she was the daughter
of old General Babenberg, Of Mans.
{ dorf, scarcely an hours ride from
here, and / learned from Joyce that
she had been returning from the
funeral of her brother, who had lost
his life in some foolish fencing match
The large estate would now go, after
her aged, almost childish fathers
death, to distant branch Of the fam
lily, and then she would be obliged to
leave Mansdorf. The coachman who
gave this information had added, he
would like to know what would be
come Of her then, for suitors do not
run in crowds after poor, noble ladies.
From that time on, I had no more
! rest. Everywhere 1 saw before me the
image Of a slender woman in dark
mourning garments; wherever I
went, she walked beside me, and look
J ed at me with those blue eyes, and at
| night her pale face bent over my
! couch. Love had come to my heart
with the power of enchantment; |
was twenty-four years of age, Johann,
and had never before gazed into a
woman's eyes. Finally it came to
pass; what seemed incredible, and
scarcely to be hoped for; Friederika
Won Babenberg became my betrothed.
We'll, ali went on quietly and regu-
lar; no deVilment, no Witchs mis-
chief, and to me, the most heavenly
| moment in all the world, was when I
held her in my arms beside the sick
bed Of her faLAer.
s. 'Triederika, my life, I will bless
you foreVer.'-I could not utter an
other word; all other things were
poor and small in such a solemn hour.
And she must indeed have felt that I
would have laid down my life for
her. So l thought
Now again l was at rest; l knew
she was nine, and all Gay long while
l was busy III the forest, the blessed
thought was with me, that need but
go fiUtle way on the road to look IN
10 her tatnOmless eyes. She sat at
home by her sick fathers side and
when l entered the darkly shaded
room, her eyes lighted up, ana her
two little white hands were stretched
out towards me.
T. 1T is past, Old friend! 1t is past!
have never had any inclination for
sentiment, although it is the fashion;
a life out in Gods free nature allows
no indulgence OF such things; my
thoughts grew straight up from my
heart, like the shining white stems of
our own beech forests, and l said
what | wished to say as clearly as the
fresh mountain air, without hesitation
or clrcumlOcutiOn. 1t is true the air
here blows around many a ones face
sharp and keen, but never notice it;
| am accustomed to It; it refreshes
my head and heart.
Finally old General Babenberg
died, and eight days later | took Erie
derika home as my wife. Why hest
tate about it! The old mans death
was but a release from fearful suffer
ing, and Friederika needed a home
she could NO longer remain in the
house of her ancestors.
The priest performed the cere-
mony which joined us together, in the
castie-chapel OF Mausdorf. HIM! A
strange wedding. Towards evening
the rite was to be gone through, and
the day seemed endiessIy long. TAX
ing my gun, STROBE through the for
est, thinking 70 pass the time better
IN this way, and missed the right mo-
ment WIN wildcat which had long
been making a fool of me. l had only
time left, at the last, to jump on my
horse, and hasten to my bride who
had been waiting some little time for
me.
She fingered, in the large state
apartment, where a few days before,
the bier Of her father had stood; the
black crepe was still hung around the
walls, and I could still perceive the
odor Of the smoke from the wax tap
ers, and the flowers. Behind her /
saw the two unmarried sisters of the
lately deceased, who lived in the free
monastery Lor the nobility; looking
severe, fOrbidding, ana absolutely
hostile in their dusly garments. Truly
an uncanny wedding! But only for a
moment did such thoughts trouble
me; then my eyes gazed as if spell
bound on Friedeyika. She looked even
paler than usual; her slender form
robed in black and the myrtle wreath
woven in her golden hair; such .
lovely woman surely no man had ever
won for his wife before. ! forgot that
l had been an awkward, clumsy fe3-
low; no word passed my lips to ex-
cuse my tardy coming, although her
eyes were raised 20 mine full of I'M
inquiry and reprOach. Hesitatingly at
first, then with trembling haste, she
gave me her hand, and with hurried
steps We passed on, to the chapel Be
hind US whispered the tongues Of the
severe old lauieS. | think 1t vas about
my dusty hunting clothes, but my
bride turned towards them with a re-
proving glance, and they were silent
After the ceremony it appeared that /
had forgotten to order a conveyance,
but FriedeTika refused to ride in a
carriage. which until now had oe
lOnged to her home, and so much the
more now. as everything there be-
TO 1Dy