Year: 1874

Onc november eNenlng-lt was Sleets
ing bitterly-I sat alone by my crate,
piling stick after stick of wood upon the
fire and watching the glowing, whistling
spirit forms into which the wood became
transformed, when suddenly / was
aroused by loud shout, which was quick
ly followed by shot.


To spring up, snatch my revolver and
rush into the hall was the work of an in
stant. In the opposite door appeared
two masked figures. ! received them
with two shots. One of them returned
my fire without effect, the other fell, ap-
parently badly wounded, and was dragged
out by his comrade, who again shot at me
through the half-open door. / partly
covered myself with my own door and
stood ready to meet another attack. At
the moment l became aware that others
were endeavoring to force an entrance
at the opposite door of my room. l was
attacked on both sides. In this emer-
gency thought how fortunate it would
have been if the fire were burning less
brightly. AS it was, presented a dis
tinct mark for the robbers aim.


Scarcely had this thought passed
through my mind when the room became
dark, and as l looked in astonishment
toward the chimney l was startled to
see that the CRATE and the fire had van
ished, and in their place stood pale,
whiterobed figure, with a lamp in one
trembling hand, and shading its flame
with the other. She was the embodied
picture of my dreams!


After seconds hesitation my fairy
ran to me, seized my hand, and drew me
toward the open space in the chimney,
when the enchanted floor instantly began
tn 1ncnnnA l,o l. &c,
the mystery. The whole foundation of
the chimney, with the fire CRATE, assembled
into The fiue, leaving beneath it an open
ing which took us half a story lower
Between the ground floor and that above
it was space high enough for a grown
person to stand upright, and which was
yet not discoverable either from without
or within.


When we reached corner wall my
strange rescuer again drew me to her,
and pushed back bar in the wall, when
the square on which we stood quickly
assembled. Here, also, as in my room,
was the secret opening to the chimney,
through which was now so magically led.


felt as if walked from dream. A
moment before in mor0l danger, and
now safe in this quiet spot with my fairy.


Here was the apparition of my dream!
This was the being who had kissed me
under the pomegranate tree! The same
countenance, the same eyes, the same
silent lips-and now also again the same
sudden disappearance On looking
around / could see her nowhere. But
this time what ! had seen was no dream !;
for in few moments heard the alarm
bell sound from the castle tower The
entrance to this tower also ! had never
been able to find. 1t, too, then, was only
to be reached from Viola's room. Poor
child as soon as she had imagined from
the shooting that my life was in danger
she herself disclosed the protecting secret
in order to rescue me, and afterward
fastened to signal the danger to the in
habitants.


In short time heard the people nois-
lily approaching my residence. This was
followed by a sharp skirmish on the
veranda, ending with a shout of victory
from my good people.


The robbers had fed, taking with them
the dangerously wounded man who had
been hit by my bullet Another lay dead
in the courtyard. The gamekeeper had
stabbed him with his butcher-knife. The
robber had ventured to oppose the King
of Lapland, who had hurried up to the
support of his mighty friend the Car.
Inc remainder OF the Dand were taken
together within the year.


But the faithful porter had been killed
AS the servants brought lamps, and by
their light we raised from the ground the
bleeding body of the man who had so de
votedly offered himself, Viola began to
lament like a young bird stolen from it's
nest. She threw herself on the ground,
and went into such paroXysms of grief
that | began to fear for her reason.


Raising her tenderly, assured her /
would now take the place of the pro-
tector she had lost At this she cast her
eyes down tremulously, but the tears
rolled from under the long, half-closed
lashes. She had, then, understood my
words. Whoever can understand words
can certainly learn to speak them


A month has passed since this occur
renee, and during this time Ihave tasked
myself with teaching our mortal Ian
guage to fairy. My instructions have
not been without result. am now teach
ing her that short sentence of our mar
riage service which ends with the words,
GAS God is my help-Amen." When
she can say this sentence correctly Viola
and will stand side by side at the altar
and repeat it in turn.