Year: 1879

What long and lonesome days those
were that came after Franz went away !!
1t seemed as if waiting for a year of such
ones would make an old woman of her
And they might have to wait so many
years-but she would be true forever.
Brave, noble little Gretchen!


The years came anu went. No more
lovers came to WOO. They knew that her
heart was over the sea with Franz. Once
in while she heard from him. He was
waiting, like hersilf.


By and by her father died, and then
Gretchen was free to go and come as she
pleased. She was free to marry the man
she loved, and she would find him in that
wide new world and make her promise
true.


But where to go she did not know.
When last she heard from him he was
travelling about the country with some
German singers, and he might be east or
west, or north or south. Perhaps-and
when she thought of that her heart SEEM
ed to stop beating, perhaps he might be
dead. Who knew2 Stranger things
happened every day in this world of
ours.


v But she would seek for him. She left
her home and crossed the sea to the
shores Franz had sought before her. He
had come to New York. She would be-
gin her search there. And she began it
and ended fru;tlessly. If he had ever
been there they had forgotten him.


Then she went to other cities. Where.
ever she heard of any German singers,
there Gretchen sought for her lover. But
he was not among the rowing minstrels.
BE seemed to have dropped out of ex-
istence. He had gone down in the great
whirlpool called life, and she was alone,
she feared.


But she was not the woman to give up
her search and sit down hopelessly. "No
news is good news" they say. So long
as she heard nothing of him she could
hope. And while hope lasted she would
search for him.


So she went hither and thither-east
and west, and north and south. She lis
tened to the violins in many an orchestra,
hoping to hear his among them. She
did not care to see the players. That
was not necessary. She would recognize
the voice of his instrument when she
heard it. But she listened in vain.
So year went by and at the end of it
she found herself in great inland city,
with money almost gone and courage
sinking low. How was her quest to be
kept up longer? She could work, but
when she worked her search could not 90
on,


"Oh, my Franz" she said sorrowfullv,
as she leaned upon the window-sill that
night and listened to the roar of life as
it surged to and fro in the streets below
her. 1t may be we have been near each
other, and yet are never to meet again.
1t may be thou art dead. But thou hast
not forgotten me, wherever thou art"


So beautiful and strong is loving wo-
mans faith!


By and by the babel of life grew still.
AS she leaned out in the moonlit air, the
impulse came to her to sing. All, it had
been long since she cared to do that! {!
And she sang-sang the little song Franz
had made for her. Soft and low, at first,
with quiver in it., as if her sorrow
haunted its notes and could not be shaken
Oft; then, as the momory Of the old times
came back, and she thought OF Franz,
playing under the shadows of the pines,
and seemed to hear his violin again,
speaking to her like voice from Heaven
and falling like balm upon the unrest
of her life, her song grew clearer and
sweeter, and the night was like a great
soul that listens in its stiffness.


The song ended. Then from window
high up in the great tenement-house op
posite, came the sound of violin. It
was like voice that cries out in glad
ness that is almost unutterable- -gladness
so deep that it is half pain. The long,
tremulous tones came floating to her on
the wind, and voice in each chord
seemed calling, while over and above the
voice of melody wound itself like
vine that IS full of beautiful flowers.


"Oh,sm FranzV' cried Gretchen, while
her face was pale with sudden Joy! "Oh,
my Franz l have found thee! That is thy
voice speaking to me. Thou hast not
forgotten thy song, and now thou art
answering it,


Down the long stairs and across the
street she flew like bird that hears it's
mate. Up the stairs Of the house in
which Franz dwelt her feet climbed
swiftly. Love lent her wings, and her
body seemed light as her heart. Her
soul kept crying, "Frauz, I have found
thee at last"


"Gretchen, is it thou?' It was Franz's
voice, in the language of the fatherland.
that spoke when her feet were at the
door.


"lt is thy Gretchen she cried, and
then of fh1
the light of womau's love shining in her
face, and he dropped the violin, stretched
out his hands toward her with rapture
too deep for words in his poor pale face.
"Oh, my Franz!' and then her arms
were about his neck, her tears and kisses
mingled on his face


chad thought that must die without
seeing thee again. he said. "But it
seemed as if 1 could not. It will not be
so hard now since thou art here to hold
my hand"


"Thou must not say that, nav Franz"
she said, and her eyes were 80 full of
teals that she could no longer see his
face. "Thou must live for me-"


"If I could" he whispered. "But I
fear it cannot be. Even love like thine
IS not strong enough to conquer DEATH"
"Bring me my violin," he said. And
she brought it and raised him up in bed,
so that he could play. He touched the
strings softly and lovingly, in low, uncer-
tain chords. Presently they fashioned
themselves into the melody of the song
he had made for Gretchen. Oh, it was
SO sweet, so sad. She felt the tears fall
ing down her cheeks like rain.
All at once the violin fell from his
hands to the floor, and string snapped
apart with sound that was like sharp
cru of nain