The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-04-25

tanned than the other meIIio5lo -
company we except fhillha.
arttul Young woman 50 lnSfatlateu
herself in3o the favor OF the Countess
maj she became a constant attendant
uDon her ladyship. As q matter o.
tact. the Countess fell n love with
Wilhelm. But she was a Elrtuou5
lady. and for the wealth OF ali the
Indies would forget not her marriage
vows. still. she liked to hear Phi
lima speak Of the excellent qualities 81
the young merchant, ana !hlilna
quickly rehendlng. spoke often OF
them. The Baroness was OF 4 less
austere disposition. and II ana PM
lima understood ach other perfectly.
one day the Count and his guests
were out hunting. and the Baroness
and the actress Planned q little prac-
teal Joke. they lurcd Wilhelm to
the apartment OF the Count, cajoled
HIM int putting on the Counts dress
ng gown and seating himself in The
Counts armchair. Then they ran to
the ountes and told her TO so to
bel husbands ROOM: he had uneA
D. ctedly returned and wanted to see
her. Il know that he has returned
replied the Countess. 4 Just saw
HIM ride into the courtyard" In
alarm the conspirators ran to warn
Wilhelm. But they were too late.
The Court, feeling i'll, had indeed un-
eNpectedly returned from the hunt. He
went at once. to his own apartments.
W hen he opened the door Wilhelm
stared at him tixedIy. speeches. from
surprise-and shame. The Count stood
stock still. gazing upon w helm. He
thought he saw his and that
this was a ~premonition of death.
The two men were not unlike in
counrenance and form, and the dim
light OF the room, aided by Wilhelm's
disguise of the Counts dressing gown,
made the resemblance greater. For
al minute the two stared at each
other aghaSt. Their the Count turned
". TIL a sigh and left the room. The
next day he greeted as usual,
and the young merchant and the con
spirators saw that he did not suspect.
But q settled melancholy from hat
hour fixed upon the Count.
The ~festivit. es over, the Prince, with
his army. marched on; the actors and
actresses were dismissed from the
castle and given an abundant re1nun-
Grafton for their part in the hosp tall
take his last farewell of the Countess.
Philina was with her. Wilhelm. rs
he gaZed upon the Countess, was
speechless. Quick, sir" cried Phi
lima, 'if you can do moth 'ng else, at
| least express your gratitude by way
of pantomime! And if today you can
invent nothing, then be my imitator.'
She grabbed the left hand Of the
Countess and covered it with kisses.
| Wilhelm sank upon his knee and, tax
ing the right hand of the lovely wo-
man, pressed it passionately to his
lips. Hanging by a chain around her
neck the Countess wore an ivory mini
allure Of her lord. painted in his BRIDE
groom dress. SIS this his lordship? 2"
cried Philina. TT s." replied tn.
Countess. He Is a handsome man,
but there are others as handsome
retorted the actress. Visibly agitated,
the Countess babe Philna be silent,
and, handing to Wilhelm a ring, ex-
pressed her qualification for the read
ings he had gwen her and for the
services Of his troupe Of actors. A
lock of her hair was In the ring
which h gave him.
Wilhelm was still on his knees.
Moved by a sudden impulse, he sprans
to his feet and said: Forget me not;
your. Image is engraven on my heart
and VII never be faced Farewell
i must be gone" Then, as in
dreams, some strange thing fades and
changes into something stranger, so,
without knowing how it happened
Wilhelm found the Countess N his
arms; her lips were resting upon his
and their warm, mutual kisses seemed
Ike the foam which the immOrtals
sip from the freshly poured cup OF
love. pressed her to his
bosom, when, with a shrek the
Countess started back and placed he,
hand against her heart. Away!
Away she cried. Leave me, leave
me, # you love me-" Wilhelm was
out of the chamber and in his ow1
room before he knew what was do.
ing.
The incident Of the Princes enter
tainment and of the castle and the
I ountess, Wilhelm thought was finish.
ed. But there was to be a sad seaue
to It and the coming event cast its
shadow before. There was an aged
wandering harper who managed
Gas most OF the fiotsam and jetsan
Of nonadic artistic LIE did to at.
tach himself to Wilhelm's train. As
Wilhelm was preparing to deparr