The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-09
CHSpTErs ~.


The Black Eagle tZum Schwartzen
Adler in the Adiergasse was a pros
porous tavern of the second rate. The
house was two hundred years old and
had been In the Bauer family ali that
time.
Had Frau Bauer. or Frau Wirtin.
rs she WAS Familiarity called, been mas
culine. she would have been lightly
dubbed Bauer VII. She was IA widow,
therefore uncrowned. She had been
a widow for many a day. for the nov
city of being her own manager had
not yet worn off. She was thirty
eight, plump, pretty In a free-haud
manner. and wise. 1T was useless to
Toll about the English bar where she
kept the cash drawer; II was useless
to whisper sweet nethinRs inte-he
ear; 1t was more than useless, II was
foolish
60 along with you. Herr; u
wouldn't marry the" best man iiytrsg.
I eHH add the accounts, 1 can hna.t~4
age. Why should / marry?
But marriage Is the material state"
Herr. / crossed the frontier long
ago, but having recrorsed IT, never
again shall | go b2Gk one crown
forty, if you please Thank you"
This retort had become almost a
habit with the Frau Wirtin; and when
a day Went by without a proposal
she wSnt to bed with the sense that
ths*day had not been wholly success
ia.
Tonight the main room OF the tav~
ern swan in a blue haze of smoke,
which rose to the blackened rafters.
hung with many and various sausages,
cheeses and dried vegetables. Dishes
clattered, there was "A huzzing OF
voices. a scraping of feet and chairs
a banging OF taukards, altogether
/ noisy and cheerful. The Frau Wirtin
preferred mattresses. and this prefer
ence was shared by her patrons They
were quicker. cleaner; they remem-
bered an order better: they were not
always surreptitiously emptying the
dregs Of tankards on the way 10 the
bar. as men invariably did Besides.
the barmaid Was IN English institu
ton, and the Frau Wtrtin greatly adj
Tntred that race, though no one knew
why. The girls were fully able tn de-
fend themselves, and were not at all
difhdent In boxing "A smart fellows
ears. They had rough vii and
could give and take. If man thought
this an invitation and tried to<take a
kiss, he generally had his face slapped
for his pains. and the Frau Wirtin was
always on the side Of her girls
The smoke was SO thick one could
scarcely see two tables away, and If
any foreigned CHANGED 10 open a win
dow there was n hubbub; windows
were made for light not air. There
were soldiers. nom commissioned OFF,
cers---for the fan Inaneuvers brought
many 10 DraIherg--farmera and their
families, and the men OF the locality
who made the BLACK Eagle "A kind of
socialit club. Socialism was Just TAX
ing hold In those days, and the men
were tremendously serious and secre-
tive regarding II, as ii wasn't strong
Glaai42h --to--ssa~ ssoysa( sF%s itItsse.s+-Ftf--
tnents which ruled ny hereditary
might and right
Gretchen came in. little better
dressed than in the daytime. the
change consisting of coarse stockings
and shoes Of leather, OF which she was
eorrespondingly proud,
'Will YOU want me, Frau Wirtin.
for little while tonight" she ask
ed.
It'll nine. Half a crown az usual.
Gretchen sought the kitchen and
found an apron and cap. These half
crowns were fine things to pick up
occasionally, for 1T WAS only upon oc-
casions that SHE worked at the Black
Eagle.
In an obscure corner sat the young
vintner. He had finished his supper
and was watching and scrutinizing all II
who came in, His face frightened as
he saw the goose girl; he would have
known that head anywhere. whether
he saw the face or not He wanted TO
GO 10 her at once. but knew this ac-
ton would not he wise
To bH pDJaItrHGI /