Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-02-13

VI 70 busting about the kitchen
~ II making great preparations.
NJ Prof. Max was coming to
| % J tea, and, In Freda's opin.
ion, this teacher of astron.
omy was the greatest of men. The
emperor himself was not half so wise
or handsome, the foolish maiden
thought. Her father, who was an
enthusiastic student Of astronomy,
was great friend of Herr Max, and
the latter often came to his house,
where there was fine observatory.
When the two men went up to the
house-top observatory to study the
heavenly bodies Freda, eager to learn,
went with them; but somehow the
consultations, comets. meteors and
asteroids she heard them speak of
so fiuently were all so confusing that
she could understand nothing, try
hard as she might.
But she learned one thing, which
was not down In the books, all un-
consciously. During those long, de-
licious nights spent upon the house
top watching the glowing heavens,
she had learned the lesson of love
and all the affection of her pure,
young heart was layished upon the
professor.
The soft summer nights passed and
they met no more upon the roof, but
the two astronomers spent many an
evening in the Trainers coy little
parlor, with their books and charts
sr-oad on the table beside them. Then
the young hausfrau sat by quietly
knitting, feasting her eyes upon the
beloved countenance, but II by chance
Herr Max glanced in her direction,
she dropped her blue eyes, blushing
deeply. And as she always dropped
her eyes she never saw the tender
smile that played upon his lips when
ever she repeated this harmless ma
ueuver.
When st. Valentines day came the
bright flower of hope blossomed in
Freda's heart, for this was surely the
opportunity she sought and she hoped
the good saint would lend her his
aid. With loudly beating heart she
entered the stationers shop and
asked the young clerk to show her
The valentines. She pressed her hand
against her heart to still it's beating,
making, as she did so, far prettier
picture than any of the painted graces
IN the valentines before her.
Some one, passing by, caught a
glimpse of her and thought so, too;
but Freda was so engrossed in trying
TO find a valentine to suit her, that she
did not know the professor had seen
her and had passed on with that rare
" tender smile upon his lips.
At last she found what she wanted.
but it told an eloquent story. On the
top Of the white embossed page
blazed glorious star, with beams of
light radiating from every point, and
beneath it, as if basking In its rays,
lay tiny heart pierced by an arrow
shot from the bow of a roguish cupid.
"Ach!" thought Freda, the star is
Herr Max and mine is the heart But
/ fear he can never stoop low enough
to reach it." With this humble
thought she tremblingly addressed the
envelope and then ran to drop it in
the nearest postbox. A score of times
she wished it back and reproached
herself for her boldness, but now he
was coming to tea and if he under
stood he would reveal it in his conduct
and she would soon know her fate.
At last the preparations for supper
were completed, and, with tired sigh,
she sat down by the bright fire to rest.
Pleasant visions filled her mind, and
she did not hear the footsteps which
softly drew near, and only knew she
was not alone when something
dropped into her lap.
1t was the valentine she had sent
that morning-he had brought or sent
1t back to her, she knew not which, for
grief and shame so overcame her she
dared not turn her head to see.
Thinking he thus refused her love,
she was about to cast the now hateful
valentine into the fire and then rush
away and never look at the professor
again, when something stopped her.
Her eyes fell upon the valentine. It
was the same, and yet not the same,
for, although the great star still blazed
at the top of the card, the little heart
was no longer far beneath it, but, in
stead, rested within the heart of the
star.
A deep Joy filled little Freda's
breast! When, at last, she took
courage and looked around she saw
the professor standing behind her, and
saw for the first time the tender,
loving smile as he gently drew her to
him and folded her in his arms.