The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-29
The EVENING STORY
The Green Uniform.
(By Julia Ranney WELSH

capital there is an ancient little city
| bearing the name of Eberswalde
(Boar's woods. It has two claims to
present day distinction, one being that
| the kaiser's favorite shooting box is
only two miles distant. SO that he must
| come by train to Eberswalde in order
| to reach it, and the other that the IA
nous School of Forestry is establish
ed here.
army and navy for the German of gem
| tie birth, and indeed. it has one ad-
vantage over the two latter, for it does
not require an Independent fortune to
| maintain position in its ranks.
| For the dreamer and lover of nature,
as we'll as for the sportsmen, it is an
| ideal profession. Tie forester gives
/ certain number of hours to the ques-
| ton of scientific preservation of the
woods, and the rest of the day is his, to
wander at will through the woods.
| One of the greatest favorites among
the students was young Graf Won We
dell. His joyousnesS OF nature, COM
| bined with \ high standard of honor,
/ made him a popular figure in the So
cial circle of the town as well.
His poverty, for he had inherited
almost nothing with his title, did not
| hamper him professionally or socially.
In fact, by assuming the matrimonial
yoke 1t could have been exchanged for
! fixed and g''odly income, but, while
Won Wedell wild not underestimate the
value Of one of thu noblest titles in
Germany, famous as far back as the
Gays OF the TODD6T DaTOnS, he was hot
| minded to purchase luxury at the ex-
pense of his 11fe's happiness, and this,
he firmly believed. depended entirely
upon the winning of a girl who might
be as poor as he, and minus the title.
She was very lovely, however, with
eyes of wonderful candor and i'm
measurable depths, and great masses
of curls, arranged with an artistic care
lessneSs in great contrast to the smooth
braids of the daughters of the father
land. Best OF all, she was neither shy
nor bold. Simply unconscious of the adj
miration she evoked.
In reality, she was too deep in ap-
probation Of the little city, the won
derful surrour ding forest, the beauti-
full uniforms and the splendid speci-
mems of manhood who wore them, to
note the impression she, herself, had
made.
When she had come to the quaint
old town two years before to enter
the boarding school which had Justly
acquired an international reputation.
1t seemed to the enraptured girl that
she had been CARRIED back to the mid
ole ages.
The quaint1ess of The houses, with
their easement windows, curious
structure and pointed. red-tiled roofs:
tbe crcoked, morrow streets, the an
cient, paved market-place. with booths
and shops on ill four sides; the old
stone church built in the twelfth CEN
fury and never altered since: the lit
tie chapel in which the body Of Gus
tavuS AdolDhuS had lain for a night,
during the long journey back to Swed-
en-; all these were a matter of rever-
ence and love to the American girl,
unaccustomed to surroundings that
stirred the imagination or recalled the
age OF chivalry and romance.
But here it was like a waking
dream. The uniforms of the foresters
were g. source of unending delight and
added the crowa1ing touch to the PIC
turesque apepara nee Of town and forest
alike.
These uniforms were of an exquisite
shade Of light green, with a Lincoln
green collar of velvet and double array
of Lincoln green buttons on the tight
fitting coat. Tan leather boots, reach
ing to the knee and a soft green felt
hat. with plumes that touched the
ground when it's owner DOTTED it, were
added when full hunting costume was
in order; otherwise a Lincoln green
military cap ard the usual boots of
civilization replaced them
At first she loved them all-these
tell, slim waisted creatures with the
aristocratic features and the superb
bearing She never passed one on the
street without little thrill, notwfth-
standing the frequency with which this
occurred.
1t was not until her second year
that she began to make distinctions
as, to the wearer of the uniform. Then
as she was IS, she was permitted to
accept Invitations to kaffee klatches,
supper parties and musical evenings.
showered on her by the day pupils. and
F'raulein Won Norbert, the principal OF
the school, cf1aperoned her to the dances
at the c1sino, where the foresters' green
uniforms struck the dominant tone.
At the first of these balls she met
Graf Won WedeH and danced as many
times with him as etiquette permitted.
After that she met him everywhere, or,
If he was prevented from being present
at some festivity. the keenness of her
enjoyment was gone
For his part he loved her more every |
time he saw her, and he soon decided |
that he must end the suspense in which |
he lived. AS she did not glitter with |
the rings and chains and bracelets
with which the Americans of his |
Imagination adorned themselves, he be- |
1ieved her as poor as himself The
question was: Could he describe the |
life in the forest in such a way that |
she would realize its beauty and be |
tempted to share his poverty with him? |
He pictured himself wandering hand in |
hand with the girl he loved down the |
Ieafy byways, deep into the greenness, |
and the world shut Quit Then the |
lodge with latticed windows, deep |
fireplaces, trophies of the hunt on walls |
and floors, and again they twol
Putting on his .sn1artest uniform, in |
truth, he only had two, he hurried 10 |
the school one afternoon and asked for |
Fraulein V Norbert. kissing the hand |
she extended, he hurried through the 1
formal words he had prepared.
LAS you stand in the place of the par |
ents of Miss Leigh. I do myself the |
honor to ask you for her hand
NV dear Carl said Fraulein Y. |
Norbert, with twinkling eyes, 81 can |
do nothing in such a matter
AT least you will send this letter to
Herr Leigh, viii you not?" he asked.
handing her large envelope, sealed /
and crested.
Fraulein V Norbert smiled. But it |
will be utterly useless
'.TJe would say my poverty bars me-"
said Carl but we will have enough in /