Year: 1877

/ uHQ cCOA y noi0 oD4l


The forest girl had been out aud
away for hours, and as he saw her
with the fresh morning color on her
face. and holding out to him q bunch
of wild flowers, which she had gath
cred, be decided that pretty girl
looked better ct sunrise even than
than by sunset.


That was the beginning Of it.


The prim housekeeper wondered
what became of her master, until ell
capacity of astonishment was lost,
while good Yeri and his wife, though
they were wonderfully benefited and
honored by the old judges friendship,
were marvelously puzzled to find an
answer to the riddle why Maitre
Seller came to their hut four or FIVE
times in The week


One day barrel of rikvif capi-
tai wine in those parts, would be
sent with Maitre Sellers compli-
ments, and, within a week, an ad-
mirable present of sausage would be
received.


The greatest condemnation of the
poor old Judge, and the best proof of
the honesty of the old couple, Yeri
and Kristine, were to be found in the
fact that the latter never suspected
the real basis of all these civilities on
the part OF the old gentleman.


As for trout, the good woman
Kristine, was weary of cooking it, so
much of the fish did the good old
Judge bring to the chalet.


He never said much to Lotte, spoke
like father to her, and certainly
never enabled the pretty girl to guess
what was in his heart.


This life went to the end of June,
when the tall mountain grass was
ready for the scythe.
The old Judge, however, had never
slept at Yeri's except upon that one
particular night when irst he visited
the forester.


lie did not know that be had been
put in Lotte's room-he supposed it
the guests cnnmber.


But upon that particular night in
June he made up his mind to speak
to Yeri, and then It was found, that
Judge and orator as he was, be could
not plead for himself.


"What ails the old Judge, to-
night Z" thought the forester, "he
does not seem himself.n


The time went on, and when at
last the judge decided that be wonld
defer it until morning, the forester
made the discovery that it was dark
and the moon would not be up for
two hours; so the judge was invited
to stop for the night


He had no idea that his remaining
put the primitive family to any in
convenience, no more than at the mo-
ment he learned be took Lotte's room
from her.


But in fact the young goat-herdess
was carried off to her mothers room
for the night, while the forester made
himself up bed of furs, etc, on the
ground OF the living room.


He thought the girl looked pale
and anxious, but be could not detect
that she was in deep tribulation.
A little while and the forest hut
was quite quiet; not a light to be seen.


Now they have a habit in parts of
Switzerland of cutting the high grass
by moonlight, the belief being com-
mon that the grass so cut makes bat
ter hay than that which falls beneath
the scythe in sunlight.


The old Judge, unable to sleep, was
turning over in his mind what he
would say on the following day to
the forester, when he heard the tin
kle OF a cow-beIl, the numbering of
heavy wagons, aud the rattle of talk
ing and singing voices, all of which
gradually approached.


Not ignorant of the custom Of
moonlight hay-making, the old judge
found the rustic sounds rather soo,h-
ing than not, when he thought he
heard tapping at the window.


He listened, and the sound was re-
peated.


He knew that the window was ten
or twelve feet from the ground, and
that it could only bo reached either
by @ ladder or by climbing the vine
which grew upon the wall about the
lattice.


A theft What thief would tap at
window What could a thief
hope to steal in that poor place, un-
less


The poor Judges heart began to
beat high. And as though in reply
10 his thongh;s, q soft, pleasant voice
called as the tapping was heard
again, ''Lottein


He moved off the bed (for he had
laid down in his clothes, too weary
with thinking over the grand Ques-
tion egea TO undress), and drawing
near the window, he saw by the light
of the moon, which had now jus. top
ped the trees, that black haired and
extremely handsome youth was cling
ing TO the vine, his bright eyes eager
ly fixed upon the window.


The old Judge silently opened the
lattice; there was q low, bright laugh,
and the young man leaped lightly
and blithely into the room.


"And whom have We hereg' sud-
denly cried the judge, pouncing upon
the intruder.


The youth uttered low cry, but
). offered no resistance.


What thief in the night ere you?"


SO please your worship" said a
clear, pleasant voice, Il am no thief,
but WILHELM, only son Of the wood
ranger at Kusanch, and ! am come
to see my Lotte


Thy Lotte?"


$50 please you, she is my wife"


"Your wife !"


! "Ay, messire; twas un Inter
walden wedding. 'Tis our custom
here 10 this canton, and am but
waiting tor my appointment asranger,
which l hope TO get by the interest ol
one Messire Seller, an ex,judge, who
has been second father to my Lot