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

coming; coming quicker than you I'M
agine.
"She remained a grave silent WIFE,
as she had been a grave, silent
maiden; no sign OF merry bride In
her honeymoon; and yet | was the
happiest man, Johann! | Thought IL
was grief tor heI father and brother
which made her SO quiet and serious,
and from day to day, I hoped 10 see
a smile on her ltps,-ln vain! WIN
a womanly gentleness, which Vexed
me deeply, she submitted to me, SO
that [ would like TO have fallen DOWN
before her and kissed her hands, II IL
had not seemed to me foolish and boy
tsh. | can sta see her slender form
coming along the forest path, when,
as was her custom, she came TO meet
me, on my return from the fCrest; she
seemed to float over the ground, until
| thought even the blades OF grass did
not bow under her tread. Around her
head she wore a loosely tied black
kerchief OF lace, and sue Usually car
rico a bunch of forest flowers in her
hand, which she had gathered now
here, now there as she came along,
and Juno, my old pointer, stalKed Sc
dately at her side. Later on she would
sit beside me in our coy room, pa
tiently listening while | talked of the
occurrences of the day. -Four weeks
had gone by thus; then | came back
as usual. at cue fall Of evening, and
looked In vain along the path for her;
I had shot q heron, and thought the
gray and white pIumage would please
her But today sic did not come al
though il Was a lovely september eve
ming, ana IN greatest anxiety lest
something should nave happened to
her. hurried along.
When | got nearer and was just
about TO run up the steps, a sound
reached my eal, which made me pause
and listen. IL came from among the
young fir trees, behind which the fall
COnry lay. My heart began to throb
for it was the sound of woman,s
laugh, so sweet and silvery, and then
came caressing words:
Pick away my little bird, pick
away!'
Quickly l stepped over the grass
and hid among the frs; there in the
crimson glow Of the setting sun, was
my wife. She hDld ner arm raised and
my gentle falcon stood on her hand,
while with the other she offered him
food, and again her silVery laugh rang
out.
All, you spiteful fellow! Pick
away my pretty bird, pick away
Il knew not if a miracle had been
wrought, and that my grave, proud
wife had become u merry laughing
child. Her lovely face gloWed rosy
red,-I wondered, did it come from
the reflected sunset? But she was SO
new and sweet to me, that 1 remain
ed standing, to look at her, and was
tiercely jealous of the favored bird.
Only when l passed close by him. to
go to her, did l see the man, who not
far from me, leaned against the stem
of tree.
II was lost in gazing upon the
lovely womanly picture, but now he
turned his head, and the next moment
l held in my arms the friend Of my
youth, who had returned home, and q
great joy sprang up IN my heart
But he quickly freed himself from
my embrace, and pointing to Frieder
ika said:
Heinz, Heinz! Who is that?'
My eyes followed his glance, and
saw the slender form slowly vanish
ing behind the trees. The bird sat
alone on his perch, offensive in it's
humility.
Who is that, Christel? Well now,
she Is my wife, my dearly loved.
young wife and 1 felt the blood rise
to my face in joyous pride.
Heinz! My good Hein7! cried
Prince Christian i'll his kind old way;
so / have found you again! Was it
too lonely for you in the old house
that you captured the most beautifuI
elf OF the forest, who viii sometime
fly away in the moonlight? l say, old
fellow, now did you manage to win
the proudest and most beautiful
maiden, this Friederika Won Baben-
bergT
How did l win her. Christel?' l
replied and cast a glance over 10
where my wife stood. HOW did win
her? l repeated again and looked
proudly at MIN. I did not win her;
our hearts found each other, and
And she came Willingly to this
soIituue? interrupted Prince Christ,
ian, and turned towards the gray
walls of the house, whose gable win
dows looked IKE glowing eyes, in the
light of the setting sun.
" Willingly, Christel? My wife
loves me-.
HIM said he and walked beside
me, through the fir plantation to-
wards the house. SO lovely, so young
and so alone, do you think your fal-
for long?'
She is not like Others l returned
quickly. her earnest mind fits in well
with solitude And then, we walked
silently into the house and for a mo-
ment 1t seemed to me as if the friend
of my youth had become less dear to
me than formerly.
But when we sat at supper, and
looked into each others eyes, l took
my goblet and touching his said:
Welcome home, Christian! Let the
red house, now as ever, offer you its