The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-04

her attention to the flock, proud Oh
their broad backs and full breasts
on his part, he observed her crii-
caiIy. for he was more than curious
now. he was Interested. She was not
tall. but her 1.-THE sleuderness gave
her the appearance of tallness. Her
hands, rough~nailed and sunburnt'
were small, and shapely; the bare foot
in the wooden shoe might have worn
without trouble Cinderella's magic
slipper. Her clothes, coarse and
homespun, were clean and Nariously
mended Her hair, in a thick braid
was the tone OF the heart of a chest
nut bur, and her eyes were of that
mystifying hazel, sometimes brown,
sometimes gray according -tt.-af neither
the sky was clear or overcast Ana
there was something apove and be-
yond all these things, a modesty,
gentleness and a purity; none of the
bold. rollicking, knowing manner so
common in handsome peasant girls.
He contemplated her through half
closed eyes and gave her in fancy
the trifing furbelows of woman OF
fashion; she would have been beau
tiful.
How old are you, Gretchen"
Il do not know" she answer per
T
Again they went forward in silence.
BY the time they reached the gates
the sun was no longer visible on the
| horizon, but 1t had gone down rudy
and uncvrowned by any cloud, giving
promise of fair day on the morrow.
/ The afterglow on the mountains
across the valley was now in its prime
glory; and once the two wayfarers
paused and commented upon 1t. Once
more the mountaineer was agreeably
surprised; the average peasant ia i'm
/ pervious to atmospheric splendor
beauty carries no message.
/ Arriving at length in the city. they
passed through the crooked streets,
sometimes so narrow that the geese
were packed from wall to wall OFT
some joviaI soldier sent jest or a
query TO them across the now gray
backs of the geese. But Gretchen
looked on ahead, purely and serenely
Gretchen, where shall l find the
Aaiergiasse ga
I'VE pass through it shortly.
will show you. You are also a stran
ger in preiberg?"
Yes"
They took the next turn. and the
weather beaten sign Zum Schwartzen
]
house of many gables, caused the
mountaineer to breathe gratefully.
Here my journey ends. Gretchen.
The Black Eagle" he added in an
undertone. ut Is unchanged these
twenty years. Heaven send that the
beds are softer than aforetime!"
They were passing clock members
shop. The man from Jugendheit
peered in the window. which had not
been cleaned in an age but there was
no clock in sight to give him warn
ing of the time. and he dared not now
look at his watch He had a glimpse
of the ancient clock mender himself
however. huddled over a table upon
! which sputtered a candle. 1t touched
/ up his face with grotesque lights
/ Here was age, unused the man outside
the window: nothing less than four
score years rested upon those rounded
shoulders, The face was corrugated
with wrinkles, like, a frosted road
eyes heavily specialized. a ragged
thatch of hair on the head, a ragged
/ beard on the chin. Aware of a shad-
ow between him and the fading day
/ light, the ciock-mender looked up
( from his work. The eyes of the two
men met, but only for a moment.
| The mountaineer, who felt rejuye-
mated by this contrast. Strengthened
his shoulders and started to cross the
street to the tavern.
/ Good night, Gretchen. Good luck
I to you and your geese tomorrow"
/ Thanks, Herr Ludwig. And Will
! you be long in the city?'
! THAT depends; perhaps" adding a
/ grim smile in answer to a grim
! thought.
| lie offered his hand. which she ac-
4 F..T
old man, but she liked him. When
she withdrew her hand. something
cold and hard remained In her palm.
Wonders of all the world 1t was a
piece of gold. Her eyes went up
| quickly, but the giver smiled reas-
suringly and put finger against his
lips
But, Herr" she demonstrated.
Keep 1t; / give 1t to you. 10 not
question providence, and / am her
handmaiden just now, TO along with
you"
So Gretchen in a mild state of stupe-
faction turned away Clat-clati sang
the little wooden shoes. A plaintive
gonk rose as she prodded lagyard
from the dank gutter. A piece OF
gold Clat-clat! Clat-clat Surely
this had been a day of marvels. two
crowns from the grand duke and a
piece of gold from this old man In
peasant clothes. Instinctively she
knew that he was not peasant. But
what could he be? Comparison
would have made him a king. She
was too tired and hungry to make
further deductions.
She was regarded with kinliy-r5'es
till the dark jaws of the krnmerweg
swallowed up both her and her geese.
Poor little goose-girl!" he thought.
III she but knew. she could make q
bonfire of thousand hearts 4 fine
day" He eyed again the battered
sign. 1t was then that he discerned
another. leaning from the ledge VI the
first story of the house adjoining the
tavern. 1t was the furnished shield
If the United States.
What penurious government IT
must be. Two weeks. tramping about
the country in this unholy gnrh, fol-
fp.ifg false trails half the time, Nv
ing on crusts and cold meats All,
you have led me 81 merry dance, ne
phew, but I shah not forget"
He entered the tavern and applied
for room, haggling over the price.
Ito Be.Gontinued-)
4aaincoats of lightweight woofent
rubberize1 and made on mannsh lines
isre exceedingly popular In Paris. Lon
don and on this side of the ocean Jus
now, and nodels such as are shown
above are particularly stylish for young