Year: 1878

to another word You may have had your own reasons for breaking off with Lenz, but surely, Blasl, you cannot think of giving Ma ria to Steffl-Steff1, the scandal of the neigh borhood? You must know that Stefn is an un- principled man, good-for- nothing, spend thrift t----"

 4'Stefi is no spendthrift! he is-he has-no

 matter what lyon wouldn't understand my motives; and I really don't see that I need ac count for my actions to any one in this world, Frau Barbara"

 ssNot in this world, Blasl no, not in Mss but, mind you, this world is coming to grief, they say. Blasl, Blasl think of this If it bt true, is really in few days this world, with all our trumpery goods and treasures is going to destruction, how shall we appear there, be- fore the judgnent-seat, divested of all our earthly riches ?''

 For moment the old man stared at her with hightened glazed eyes he staggered, and turning away, tottered down the slope Her words had startled him to the heart.

 Old Blasl had not always been the hard, in flexible miSer he was now. He used in his younger years beof jolly, easy disposition, and rather extravagant habits. When quite unex- pectedly inheriting considerable sum of mon- ey, lie was suddenly seized with love for those shining, sparkling coins-the passionate, jealous love of miseF. He loved the coins for them selvet, not for the comfort they might have brought into his house; therefore he would not put them out to interest He could not make up his mind to loose his grasp upon them for one minute would not trust any one with the sight of them. He dug a deep hole under the boards upon which his bed rested, and therein he hid his treasure, and there from henceforward lay his heart, buried with it. He saved and stinted and scraped together in order to hoard up one piece of gold or silver after another with the rest. But his life was a troubled one, and grew more and more so as his treasure increased. Night and day he could not rest from anxiety lest any one should discover its hiding place, or lest any kind of danger should befall his cottage, which enclos- ed the cherished idol

 Besides his money, Blasl cherished daugh- ter, the last remaining one of numerous fam fly. He loved her in his way as the future possessor of his wealth, who would, in her turn-so he hoped-worship it with her whole heart. He held her in high respect, but not without keen bangs of jealousy, raised by the thought that he must some day, whether he liked it or not, leave everything to her. These fits of jealousy grew more frequent as he ad- vanced in age, and poor Maria felt surprised and shocked at the dislike to her he evinced at moments without any visible cause. She never guessed the truth she did not know the secret of her fathers room He had not been a hard father to her-far from it, for he had not been 8 father at all he never noticed her or cared for her, neither missed her when she was away, nor seemed glad to see her return to him.

 Still, in spite of that, in spite of the utter want of parental affectiOn-peor Maria had lost her mother when she was an infant she had not been an unhappy child. She had grown up amongst her kind neighbors. They loved the lonely little girl, who would come to them in search of all the comforts and joys she missed at home.

 A lovely, bright-eyed child was Maria, with an active, helpful spirit; always eager to learn, and immediately turning to account what she had learned, either in her own home or for others. She was sure obe on the spot where ever there was anything going on; and help ing her neighbors about the house and garden, in the field and woods, she learned to under stand all kinds of work. At ffteen when the old servant of the houSe-a stern, taciturn, uncongenial woman died, she was able and willing to turn to, and managed to keep her fathers house in the accustomed ordor, so that the old man scarcely noticed any change.

 Amongst all those wholoved Maria, she had two particular friends. Of one we will speak later; the other was Herr Schmitt, the school master, who certainly was her very best friend

 

 The childs brightness, her eagerness to learn, soon struck hermaster; he found in this little girl a mind far superior to that of the usual run of children. He gave her private lessons, walked with her about the woods and ields and in talking to her found ways and means to impart great deal of knowledge no one else in the village aspired to. He seldom failed to bring her something to read when coming from town, and every Christmas-eve there was sure to be story book for Maria under the Christmas tree at the schoolmaster's Thus the very loneliness of her life was bright ened by joys that few other children knew, and which helped her to bear the dulness of her fathers house.

 A few weeks before our story begins we might have beheld Maria grown up into 8 wealth of golden hair, bright smile, and with her appearance of youthful grace, strength health, and freshness. But now smile and song have died away, and sighs and tears have taken their place.

 Blasl, Blasl how could you hove the heart of! but his heart lies in an old iron pot many feet under ground.

 When Maria was five years old she and a neighbours son, few years older than herself, pledged their .troth to each other-just as chil- dren soiB do. But in this case the attachment, instead of being lessoncd or forgotten in the course of years, grew with them, and every year added to its strength. This contributed greatly to Maria's happiness, and accounts for the brightness of her disposition.

 Lorenz was boy of high and buoyant spirits and the course of their true love seem- ed to run quite smoothly for when he talked to Maria's father, the latter found no objection fho fo1, trOthed. They were both rather young to be married at once, and Blasl had a reason of his own for putting the marriage off. He was 10th to give to his daughter her portion, the two thousand forins she had from her mother which had naturally remained in his keep ing-not to speak of any dowry on his part, which he never dreamt of being asked for in hlS lifetime

 So far all went well. But Blasl had given his consent on the ground of an inheritance Lenz expected from his great uncle. who had promised to make him his heir. When the latter died, however, no will could be found. People said it had been done away with, which was very likely. So the money was divided between nnmber of relations, and Lenzs share became a small one. Blaa broke off the engagement at once; no tears, no suppl cations could prevail against his decision. Nay not satisfied with this, he wanted to force an- other husband upon his daughter. which, to the dismay of the whole village, was no other than Stef1-the very last man people would have thought he would fix upon. It was shocking! They talked of witchcraft, and were not far from the point. Stefh had be- witched the old man by magic power old Blasl could not withstand.

 Stefan had been soldier, and had only re- turned to the village about 8 year ago. He was soon considered the plague of the village running the boys by inducing them to spend their nights in the public houses, running af ter every girl, working when he pleased, and scattering his small earnings was a reg ular rake, there was no mistake about it.

 Amongst the girls he made love to there was one, quiet, rather weak-minded lassie who lived with an old aunt of hers in little hut in the woods. Consequently she did not hear much of the talk in the village. And even if she had heard about Steff1's loose life, would she have believed it ? No, for love is equally deaf and blind, and Lisbeth loved the hand some, dashing visitor who condescended to seek her ln her poor home.

 Poor Lisbeth! she believed every word Ste- fan said, and thought herself solemnly engag-