The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-30


 met with do not know what! By heaven, she is an apgel" Werther had met Charlotte Buff. Her father was bailiff for the duke who reigned over the little state, and the bailiff lived in & little hunting lodge near wahlheim. Some of the better class people of the neighborhood, hearing that Werther could read Greek and draw. two unusual ac- complishmeAts among people of their class. had called upon him and so he had a considerable acquaintance among the people of the region other than the peasantry. He had met the bailifr and had heard much of Charlotte. When he had inquired concerning her with his usual minute curiosity several ladies had heart as Charlotte was engaged to marry a young man in the government service named Albert Kestner.
 small party of young people arranged for a fete champetre, and Werther very readily consented to be one Of them. He engaged very pretty, but very insipid. girl of the neishborhood as his partner, and it was agreed that he should call in coach to take her to the appointed place, and that on the way they should stop at the bsilirf's and take up Charlotte Buff. When werther entered the hunting lodge and saw Charlotte it was all up with him. That beautiful and excellent young woman had eight little brothers and sisters to whom she endeavored to fill the place of their dead mother, and when Werther entered Charlotte was cut ting bread and butter for the hungry little mouths. The sweet simplicity of the scene, the manner in which the little ones held up their hands to signify that they wanted another slice and said Thank you when it was handed to them. the exact manner in which Charlotte apportioned the slices to the age and appetite of the different members of the brood; the supreme grace with which she cut the bread and spread the butter, added to the indescribable charm of her person captivated at once the sentimental heart Of werther and be- gan for him those 'Sorrows" which have become because touched by the magic of genius, immortal
 T am sorry to keep you waiting" said Charlotte, but in the hurry Of dressing | and making the necessary arrangements for the management Of the family during my absence I had forgotten to give my little ones their supper-and they will have 1t cut for them by no other hand than mine" Other hands than hers in- 1 deed,
 I When the coach started some of the 1 little brothers were discovered "hanging on behind" Charlotte pulled the string for the coachman to stop and in the mild 1 est accents requested the urchins to get down. Who" exclaimed Werther in his letter to William recounting this first meeting, 'who could refuse anything to such an angel? The dear boys obeyed and begged to kiss her hand, which the eldest 16 could express and the youngest with a great deal of carelessness and ease" The conversation turned upon books and when Werther heard Charlotte express her opin- lon of the "vicar of Wakef1eld' he was 1 quite beside himself and expressed his CO., incidence with her in literary matters with a warmth of feeling which did not escape I notice. Though the passion for dancing is by some considered fault" said Char 1 lotte later, ''I know of nothing which | gives me so much pleasure. When any, l thing has agitated me I sit down at the l piano and strum a country dance and the music never fails to restore the har- mony of my mind"
 l Werther found himself in the dancing hall before he realized 1t, for he seemed to be moving in some delicious dream. He danced with his partner, the young lady he had taken to the party. just as little as politeness requred-the rest of the l time he danced with Charlotte. And when l they waltzed together-one of the old 1 fashioned. complicated German waltzes. not the modern French affair-he felt transported and said to himself that the girl he married should never waltz except with him. As they passed one of the wall flowers" the lady held up her finger warningly and said with laugh to Char lotte: Albert! Albertw An, Albert, Chariotte's betrot,4edl
 The name shot like knife through the heart of Werther But was 1t pos sible that this fair being, who evidently had been intended for him and him alone by nature, could or would allow herself to become the wife of anotherf The very thought seemed a wild absur- I dity to werther. ''Who is Albert?" he asked suddenly. He knew, of course. but felt that he must ask the question that he might torture himself by receiving his sentence from her own lips. Why" replied the girl with a bewitching smile. Albert is the worthy man to whom I am bstrothed." The way she said 1t, the realization that she might be another's so afflicted Werther that he became con- fused in the figures of the dance and put everybody else out. But Charlotte. with beaming good nature, strove to cor rect his blunders and succeeded in lead ing him safely to the end of the dance.
 Then, fortunately for werthsr, for otherwise he might have maos some faux pas, a violent thunderstorm broke over the place. The ladies were much terri lied and Charlotte though secretly she was frightened as the others, brought all her fortitude to bear in devising ways to reassure them. in which laudable ..ffort she 30 we'll succeeded as to still further add to the admiration which Wevther felt for her.
 When the storm had passed and the thunder. though still heavy, was heard