Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-03-28
Continued.


though their existence were imper-
ishable
AS Elizabeth entered the wide-open
main portal Of the castle, a huge
green hill near the fountain struck
her attention. There were thistles,
ferns, and black berry bushes which,
uprooted from their old familiar
dwelling place il the garden, We're
here giving up their once merry
ghosts. The way through the Vaulted
door of the second court TO the grated
gate was strewn with green things,
as though in preparation for we'd
ding procession. And even on the
sill Of high window that revealed,
in its pointed arch, a superb perforat-
ed stone rosette, with remnants OF
stained glass, some sprays had at
tached themselves, laying their living
green lovingly against the stone ire
Ioil. the holy emblem which pro-
claimed Enthusiastically that the dark,
ruinous space within had once been
the castle chape'.
The garden, into which no one
could have gone two steps on the
preceding day seemed to the young
girl perfectly transformed. A con
siderable part Of it had been cleared,
and showed the remnants Of tasteful
arrangement. Elizabeth could walk
along a comparatively clean main
path, across which terrified squirrels
I1Y TO thn tInl-
Used wall which they had discovered
from a distance the day before At
both ends Of the wall, which proved
to be a mound Of earth, broad stones
steps led upward to a low parapet,
whence one coul' look into the forest
and, where the trees parted a little,
down into the valley where the lodge
stood in the midst of its meadow, it's
blue-gray path ended, there was a
small basin, into which a moss grown
gnome sent a strong stream of crys
tal-clear water. Two Iindens bent
over the noisy fountain, throwing
their beneficent shadow over the del
icate for-get-menot that sprang in
great luXuriance from the moist soil.
and framed the basin in a dark blue
RIM.
Opposite these earthworks stretch
ed the connecting building. 1t looked
so bright and hospitabIe today with
its open shutters and the great open
portals OF the ground floor, that
Elizabeth joytully abandoned herself
To tho iCfartin,, of hCiy,a in, hn,
own nome.
She surveyed the garden, and re-
menbered her Childhood and those
moments of uncOnquerabIe longing in
Walch she had fingered behind her
parents in their walks to press her
Lace against some grating and look
into a strange garden There happy
children were tumbling about the
grass, We're permitted to take the
opening roseOuas into their little
hands and refresh themselves with
the perfume as they pleased. And
how she longed to bend her short
back beneath a heavy spray of the
tallest bush and sit in the green as
grown people sit among the shrub
berry. In those days she got no
further than wishing and longing.
Never did the closed doors open to
the child with the pleading eyes, that
would lave laughed in sweet content
ment If someone had but given her a
bunch of blossoms through the graf
ing
While Elizabeth was standing be-
side of the wall the forester appeared
an upper window of the connecting
building. Seeing the young girl, her
slender figure resting against the par
apet, her dainty head half turned
toward the garden from the great hall
and, musingly looking straight before
hise face.
her an unmistakeable expression of
satisfaction and quiet joy spread over
Elsie saw her uncle nodded merriIy
to him and ran down the steps to
ward the uouse. Little Ernst bounded
toward her from the great hall and
she laughingly seized him in her
arms.
According to his enthusiastic des-
>ripuions. the small boy had already
accomplished wonders. He had car
RED bricks for the mason who built
the oven, had been employed by mann
ma In beating the beds, and thought.
with great pride, that the ladies and
gentlemen on the wooden hangings
were much handsomer and more
friendly to look upon than before he
had brushed their dusty faces. He
threw his arms around his sisters
neck in delight as she carried him up
the stairs and did not pause in his
assurances that it is much pleasanter
and pretter here than in B.
The forester received Elizabeth N
the ante-room. He scarcely gave
her time TO greet nel parents, and led
her, without word, into the room
with the gobelins What a change!
The green OarriCade had vanished
from the windows; beyond the outer
wall the woods reiterated at each side
like side scenes, affording a full view
into Gle valley that seemed to Eliza
beth a piece of Paradise.
That is Lindhof," said the forest.
err, pointing TO an immense buildfng,
in the Italian style that rose at the
foot Of the mountain Of which Gnad
eek stood
4 have something here that will
bring every tree on yonder mountain