Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-23
CHAPTER L
Some in Rags.

An old man. clothed in picturesque
patches and tatters, paused and leaned
on his stout oak staff. He was tired He
drew off his rusty felt hat. swept sleeve
across his forehead and sighed. He had
walked many miles that day, and even
now the journeys end, near as it really
was, seemed far away. All, but he would
sleep soundly that night, whether the
bed were of earth or of straw. His
peasant garb rather enhanced his fine
head. His eyes were blue and clear and
far-seeing, the eyes Of a hunter or a
woodsman, of a man who watches the
shadows in the forest at night or the
dim, wavering lines on the horizon at
daytime: things near or far or round
about. His brow was high. his nose large
and brdged face of more angles than
contours, bristling with gray spikes. like
one who has gone unshaven several days.
His hands, folded over the round, pol
ished knuckle of his staff, were tanned
and soiled. but they were long and
slender, and the callouses were pink, a
certain indication that they were fresh.
The afternoon glow of the September
sun burned along the dusty white high
way. From where he stood the road
trailed off miles behind and wound up
five hundred feet or more above him to
the ancient city of Dreiberg. 1t was not
a steep road, but long and weary one,
steady. enervating. unbroken climb. To
the left the mighty cliff reared it's granite
side to the hanging city. broke in a wide
plain, and then went on up several thou
sand feet to the lodges of dragon-green
ice and snow. To the right sparkled and
flashed a wild mountain stream on it's
way to the broad. fertile valley, which.
mistily green and brown and yellow with
vineyards and hops and corn. spread out
and on to the north. stopping abruptly
at the base of the more formidable chain
of mountains.
Across this lofty tumble of barren rock
and glacial cleft. now purpling and dark
ening as the sun mellowed in it's decline,
lay the kingdom of Jugendheit; and to-
ward this the wayfarer gaZed meditative-
| ~ absorbing little or nothing of the ex-
quisite panorama. BY and by his gaze
wavered, and that particular patch in the
| valley. brown from the beating of many
iron-shod horses, caught and chained his
interest for a space. 1t was the military
| field. and it glittered and scintilated as
squadron after squadron of cavalry dash
ed from side to side or wheeled in be-
wildering circles
The philosophy of war is to prepare
for it," unused the old man. with a jerk
of his shoulders. France. So the NUT
ter runs. There is Napoleon in France,
but no Bonaparte. Clatter-clatter. Bang
bang. He laughed ironically and eau
tiously glanced at his watch. an article
which must have cost him many and
many potato patch. He pulled his hat
| over his eyes, scratched the irritating
| stubble on his chin and stepped forward.
He had followed yonder goose girl ever
since the incline began. Oft the little
wooden shoes had Jagged. but here they
were. still a hundred yards or more ahead
of him. He had never been close enough
to distinguish her features. The galiop-
ing of soldiers up and down the road
from time to time disturbed her flock
relied valiantly upon her stick of willow.
Once or twice he had been inclined TO
hasten his steps. to join her. to talk. to
| hear the grateful sound of his own voice.
which he had not heard since he passed
| the frontier customs. yet each time he
| had subdued the desire and continued to
lessen none of the distance between them
The little goose girl indeed tired.
| and the little wooden shoes grew heavier
| and heavier. and the little bare feet ached
duly, but her heart was light and her