Evening journal., 1908-01-13
IOrirlnal.1

tDOuBn OF an enurely 0luercnL cnarAc-
ter, his father lived with him on fair
ly good terms. When the son. Herman
Olbers, was twenty-five he went TO his
father one day and told him that he
had fallen In love and wished to marry. |
II very much approve Of your deci-
sion," replied the father. Il only hope |
the lady is young and beautiful"
Both" And the son gave his father
a glowing description Of her beauty.
"Very well, you may write her that
l approve OF your marriage with her.
Indeed, / win go and bring her here to
you, and the wedding shall take place
in this house instead OF hers. Her fam
lily shall be at no expense"
Young Herman was delighted with
his fathers complaisance In the mat
ter, attributing 1t TO the fact that his
father, who was a widower and was
getting old, wished TO have the house
lightened up by a woman's presence.
The baron a few days later ordered
out his handsomest equipage and, ar
raging himself In his finest apparel,
drove away for the bride.
Herman passed a week impatiently,
during which he heard nothing from
his father or his fiancee. Then one
day the two drove up to the house,
and when the lady stepped out Of the
carriage the baron presented her as
his wife. He had dazzled her with
his great wealth, thus obtaining her
consent to marry him instead Of his
son, who had nothing In his owIrlght
Herman Oilers went to llvsein
neighborlng city. No one knew what
effect the loss Of his bride had upon
him. Whatever It was, he bore 1t
with outward equanimity. The young
baroness lived two years and then
died, as the baron's other wives had
died, Of III treatment Her stepson
did not attend her funeral, but about
the time of her death he shut himself
up from his friends, who OWNED the
cause. Great was the surprise, how
ever, soon after this seclusion when
he announced that he was to be mar
rled. He gave out TO few cronies
that he would not make public the
name Of his betrothed until immedi-
ately before the wedding for fear his
father would again supplant him.
That he was engaged soon reached
the ears Of his father, and one Of Her
mans friends let out the secret as to
why the name Of the lady was not TO
be made known at once. This made
Manteufel furious. BY bribery Of
those making preparations for the we'd
ding he learned the day and the place
at which It was to take place. One
morning a spy Of his rode up 10 his
house at a gallop TO inform him that
his son, having heard that his secret
was out, was resolved to be married at
once, and II the baron wished to an
tlcipate him he had only time to reach
the church.
Mounting his feetest horse, Manteu-
fel spurred over the country furiously.
He relied on his personal magnetism,
towering win power and vast wealth
to turn the bride In his favor even at
the last moment All he feared was
that he would not get there In time.
! On the way he met one Of his servants,
whom he had sent out TO spy, telling
! him to make haste, as there was yet
time. when he reached point few
leagues from the church he was met
by another, who told him that the
bridal party was driving 20 the church.
Manteufel spurred on, TO find when he
reached the church steps that the brid-
al couple had entered.
Flinging himself from his horse,
booted and spurred as he was, he
rushed down the aisle to the altar.
where the ceremony was just begin
ming.
MADAM" he said TO the bride. whose
face was concealed by her yeil, Il have
come to save you from a marriage
which can only prove your ruin. My
son has no means except what / give
him, and he is so worthless that
shall decline to support him. If you
win consent to marry the wealthy
Baron Olbers, 1 viii give you every
luxury"
without waiting the brides consent,
taking her and the clergyman by
storm, he ordered the latter to go on
with the service, taking himself the
place Of groom. The order was obeyed,
the bride mechanically repeated the re-
\ sponses, and the couple were pro
nounced man and wife.
Then the bride threw of her veil.
If the word manteufel applied to the
baron, frauteufel was equally applica-
bic to the bride. She was a veitable
hag. The FIRST words she spoke to her
husband were:
"I've got you, baron, with all your
wealth, and III make good use OF 1t as
long as you live though I've signed a
contract to relinquish it to your son
when you die"
Baron Olbers from that moment lived
a life Of horror. In vain he strove to
master his wife aud drive her away
from him. His efforts were furious
bursts Of passion; hers were persistent
bedevilment. Curiously enough, the
baron lived the exact term Of the mar
ried life Of Hersnan's mother.
Baron Herman Olbers never married
w. LEROY WISE.