The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-30
Recollections of a Long Life
By Col D. A. Dickert
No. 9. All for Love.
By Col. D. A. Dickert

\ Some twenty-five or thirty years ago,
a welI-to-do peasant living in Austria,
four leagues out from Vienna, was
having a family outing in the country
with his wife and three daughters.
Two of the eldest daughters had just
returned from America where they
had been attending special school.
The youngest, Freda, a girl Of eighteen
or so, had remained on the old farm
to assist the aged parents. So on the
day of the coming Of the daughters
from New York, they had arranged for
a picnic, all by themselves, on the es-
tate of Arch Duke Charles, the nephew
of the old emperor. 1t was pleasant
day in early autumn, when the leaves
began to put on their suit of yellow,
the stubble and hills in the distant
dull brownish red.
The returning daughters were re-
counting to their parents the wonders
of the new world, while Freda was
busying herself preparing the midday
feast. She was exceptionally pretty,
vivacious, vibrant with emotions Of the
happy day, her deep blue eyes spark
ling like gems while her auburn curls
foated over her shoulders covering
that shade of tan so common to the
peasants of the lower Danube.
Just as they were preparing to en-
Joy their meal a stranger pushed his
wav through the bushes with his gun,
dog ard the dress of a hunter He ac-
costed the party of peasants. He told
them in the most polite and pleasant
manner, that he hoped he was not in
truding, but that he had been out gun
ming and wished to be directed back
to the city. This was readily given,
then the old gentleman, with the hos
pitality of his country, invited the
stranger to stay and partake with them
of their dinner, of which they had an
abundance. The stranger accepted the
invitation. When we read this ac"
count it really does seem that some di-
yinity, some unforeseen power, or sub
consciousness lead US to our fare,
"roueh hew it how we will
The meal passed off very pleasantly,
the young ladies regaling the young
huntsman with their experiences in
America, while the stranger told of
his travels in foreign lands. But
while all this was going on Freda sat
quietly, not engaging in the brilliant
conversation, yet the stranger showed
from the first, his interest in the
youngest sister. He sat by her In the
afternoon and talked to her Of things
she knew, and in language she un-
derstood. The day ended With per-
mission to this young stranger to call
next day. He was remarkably hand
some young man, broad shouldered,
erect, with all the characteristics Of a
full blooded Teuton.
He called the next day to see the
Franklins, but it was soon discovered
it was not all the sisters, but only
one, Freda. he had given his name
as John Ortl, and lived in a little
city some miles away, he told them,
bv the name of Missellon. Matters
had gone so far the cautious old peas
ant concluded to look up his antece-
dents. He had a friend living in Mis-
sillon, who would know every one
there. To him he wrote all the facts
of John Orth and of his love for his
Youngest daughter and requested to
be fully informed of who, what and all
about this strager whom fate seem to
make a factor in their lives. The
friend answered very fully. There
was no man living in the city now OF
that name, nor had been, within for
tv wears of his residence there. That
the stranger must be an imposter.
There was no property registered in
the name of Orth nor did the city reg
ister contain any such name. How
ever, at the bottom of the letter, the
friend said, ''Missillon is on the is
land of Orth, in the Danube, and the
estates on this island belong to Arch
Duke Charles.
When Orth again visited the home
of the peasants he was met with grim
and savage faces, They upbraided
him for his perfdy in imposing upon
their innocent home under a false
name, giving him all the abuse, the