Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-09-09
l. | X

-" cur geese tolHoTrG;-
4iiinl:s. Herr i.nuwIs. And will
you be long in the city?'
THAT depends; perhaps" adding a
grim smile in answer to u grim
thought.
He offered his hand. which she ac-
cepted trustfully. lie was strange
old man. but she liked him. When she
withdrew her hand something cold
and hard remained in her palm. Won
ders of all the world, it was piece of
gold. Her eyes went up quickly. but
tile giver smiled reassuring!y and put
finger against his lips.
But. herr" she demonstrated.
Keep it. l give it to you. Do not
question Providence, and l am her
handmaiden just now. Go along with
You"
So Gretchen in Il mild state Of stupe-
faction turned away. Clat-clat. sang
the little wooden shoes. A plaintive
gonk rose as she prodded laggard
from the dank gutter A piece of gold.
Clat-clat. Clat-clat! Surely this had
been day Of marvels.
She was regarded with kindly eyes
till the dark jaws Of the Krumerweg
swallowed up both her and her geese.
Poor little goose girl" he thought.
IF she but knew she could make a
bonfire Of thousand hearts. A fine
day." He eyed again the battered
sign. 1t was then that he discerned
another leaning from the ledge Of the
first story of the house adjoining the
tavern 1t was the furnished shield Of
the United States.
1.-TWO weeks tramping about the
country in this unholy garb. following
false trails half the time, living on
crusts and cold meats! All. you have
led me merry dance, nephew, but I
shall not forget"
lie entered the tavern and applied
| for Il room. hagglins over the price.
The nights were chilly. Carmichael
| in order to finish his cigar on the little
| balcony fronting his window found It
necessary to put on his light overcoat
though he perfectly knew that he was
In no manner forced to smoke on the
balcony. But the truth was he wanted
a clear vision Of the palace and the
lighted windows thereof and of one in
particular. He had no more sense
than Tom Fool. the abetter Of fOllies.
She was as far removed from him as
the most alien Of the planets, but the
magnet shall ever draw the needle,
| oh Il
He knew that it was impossible, that
it grew more impossible day by day,
and lie rallied ut himself bitterly and
satirically.
He sighed and teetered his legs.
Carmichael sighed for the Princess
Hildegarde. understanding. 1t was
sigh or curse. and the latter mode Of
expression wastes more vitality.
Arthur Carmichael was Irish. He
was born In America, educated there
and elsewhere-a little while in Paris.
q little while mt Bonn-and. like all
Irlshmen. he was baned with the wan
dering foot. for the man who IL home
less by choice has a subtle poison In
his blood. He was at Bonn when the
civil war came. lie went back to
America and threw himself into the
fight with all the urdor that hid made
his forbearS. famous In the service OF
the worthless Siuarts. 1t wasn't q
question with him Of the mere love of
fighting. of tossing the penny. He
knew with which side he wished to
fight. He joined the cavalry Of the
north and hammered and fought his
way to captaincy. He was wounded
five times and imprisoned twice. Al
The end of the conflict he returned to
Washington.
Without any influence whatever save
his pleasing address aud his wide edu-
cation he blarneyed the state depart
ment out Of u consulate. They sent
him to Ehrenstein at a salary not
worth mentioning. with the diplomatic
halo Of dignity rs tail to the kite.
Two years In any one place was not
In reckoning as regarded Carmichael.
yet here he was. caring neither for
promotion nor exchange. So. then. all
IO&lCul ucUUCtlOuS SkulueTeO uOWu u
one-cherchez In femme.
The dreamer is invariably tripping
over his illusions, and Carmichael was
rather bOyish In his dreams What
absurd rOmances he was always weav-
ing round her! What exploits on her
behalf. But never anything happened
and never was the grand duke called
upon to offer his benediction.
1t was all very foolish and romantic
and impossible, and no one recognized
this more readily than he. No Ameri
can ever married a princess Of reign
ing house, and no American ever will
This law Is as immovable as the law
Of gravitation. Still, man Is master OF
his dreams. and he may do as be
pleases IN the confines Of this small
circle
How the deuce will 1t end?" mus
ing half aloud. "I'll forget myself
some day and trip SO hard that they'll
be asking Washington for my recall
I'll 50 over to the gardens and listen
to the band"
He was standing In front Of the no
tel when he noticed a closed carriage
hard by the fountain In the Platz.
"Ha, fare!'
woman In black, thoroughly yelled
and cloaked. came round from the op
posite side Of the fountain. She spoke
to the driver. The lady stepped into
the carriage. the driver woke up his
ancient Bucephalus aud went clickety.
clack down. the Konigstrasse toward
the town. To Carmichael 1t was less
than an incident. He twirled his cane
and walked toward the public gardens
The band struck up again. and he
drifted with the crowd toward the
pavilion.
Within a dozen feet Of him, her
arms folded across her breast, heI
eyes half shut in the luxury Of the
senses. stood the goose girl. He smiled
rs he recalled the encounter Of that
afternoon. 1t was his habit to ride to
the maneuvers every day, and several