Year: 1871

i he felt at the nearness of his departure, how reluctant he was to leave the girl, he would hardly have confessed even to him. self One thing he was determined to do ito urge Frederika forward to an artistic career, and to help her to success in it if he could. So he did talk to her and to her people on the subject but he found the elder Gruns little inclined to encourage what they regarded as mere dreams He therefore ceased to urge his counsel.

 "Some day, Frederika," he said to her when his parting drew near. "your people of this letter which give you. The artist to whom it is addressed can judge of your capacity as we'll. and give you as good ad- vice as any man living and he will do so for my sake."

 | Frederika looked up at him, amazed, when she read the name inscribed on the letter. It was that of one of the most cele- brated pianists in Germany-in the world a man who was a sort of idol and distant deity in Frederika's eyes. Lathrop knew him we'll and intimately, and in his letter besought him to give Frederika the benefit of his advice. and if he really found that she had artistic capacity, 10 give her a helping hand. -...--,. --

 "Then you know him-that great man you know him, Herr Franz ?" It was thus she rendered Lathrop's first name, Frank lin.

 "I know him, Frederika, and love him. You will love him too when you come to know him." l

 Frederika blushed with kind of wonder and awe at the thought of her ever coming to know the great artist.

 But the parting with Lathrop soon ban ished every thought of art or artist from Frederikas mind. The young American bought some costly and handsome presents for every one of the family. To her he gave beautiful necklace. Her eyes spar kled with delight when she saw it, but the next moment her eyelids dropped, and her face was clouded.

 "Ah, Herr Franz. I fear-I fear that you have been only deceiving us all this time."

 "Deceiving you, Frederika ?"

 Yes, indeed. You are no poor BurSch at all you are rich and a great man in your own country, and you can not be our friend, and always thought you would be my friend and brother, even though should never see you any more.'

 "Dear Frederika, I am certainly not a great man in my own country, although l have money enough; and in my country one man is as good as another. We have no Edelschofi there. no nobility; your fa- ther and I would be equals and friends there-he no better than I; I no better than he ?"

 Frederika opened the eyes of astonish- nIent. Let us hope the patriotic Ameri- can did in no wise exagg crate the indiffer- ence to social distinction to be found among his conntrymen and country women. Let us hope that if Herr Grun, worthy working jeweler, had ever been permitted to visit the United States, Franklin La throp would have had him to dine at his club and to drive in Central Park. The parting moment is coming-is come. Lathrop kept his farewell of Frederika to | the last. Her face was pale her beautiful eyes were swimming in tears she made no secret of her sorrow at losing him. "Ah, my friend and my brother l" and she held up her lips to be kissed. Franklin Lathrop kissed the red lips of the innocent, ne.hearted girl, and felt a quite unwonted choking in the throat as he pressed her hand, bade her farewell. and left her. Yet few moments, and he was straining his eyes as he gazed out of the window of the railway carriage for a last glimpse of the little town where he had been so happy yet few days and he was standing on the deck of tossing steamer, and gazing back for last sight of the re- ceding German shore.

 Lathrop remained for some six months, or whereabouts, quietly in New York. He wrote to Frederika, and asked her to write l to him but no answer came. After while restless fit seized him, and he went | to South America Returning, he went from Panama to San Francisco. and there l felt tempted to make voyage to China and Japan, and yielded to the temptation. More than another year passed away before he returned to New York. will not say that in all this time.the memory of Frederika did not begin to fade. Lathrop was hardly at any time clearly conscious of any feeling deeper than friendship and afectionate interest for the girl, and undoubtedly the passing of months, tbe waves of the Pacific, and the strange, new scenes of Chinese and Japan csc life did tend to efface the clearness of her image in his recollection. But will say that he had not forgotten her that he often looked back with feeling of tender ness and regret to the short. happy time when he knew her; that on many night when he paced the deck and looked up at the stars, or down at the dark turbulence of the plunging waters, the beautiful face of Frederika came up, clear and sad, be. tween him and the material objects on which he rested his eyes. aT l So, between travelling and resting, the days went on for our American, and the anniversary of the battle of Sadowa had twice been celebrated, and three years had passed away since Lathrop took leave of Frederika. He was spending few days in one of the great Atlantic cities, where he had many friends, and he received a pressing invitation from lady to come to one of her parties. Be sure you come, :" said the closing lines of the letter of invi- tation "for we are to have the charming young pianist who is setting your New York folks so wild, and specially want your opinion of her."

 Lathrop had not been much in his native New York for some time. and in any case had been paying little attention to the ris- ing and falling of artists, had quite s' lest the run" of musical novelties, and so had never heard of any excitement created by any new pianist. Nevertheless, he re- solved that he would accept the invitation, and half melancholy smile came over his face as he read again the words, "charm- ing young pianist" and he thought of his