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?--? OUR SHORT STORY v.r'^-vzrZXZu.…

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? ? OUR SHORT STORY v.r'vzrZXZu. -jscvV'H ,„, [A COMEDY OF EREOES Thie golden raya of the July sun were beating idbwn mercilessly upon the dusty pavement of the little hamlet of M-; but the oppresive heat was somewhat relieved by a balmy breath of air stirring the leaves of the old chestnut trees which lined the principal thoroughfare, ^'fanning them with a delieiously cool breeze, and enabling the portly host of the inn of the Blue Linn to take his after-dinner nap in com- fort. But he was fated to euffer an unlocked for interruption, for just as the big town bell struck the hour of two, the letter carrier made his appearance, holding a letter in his out- stretohed hand, which he delivered to mine host's wife, uttering the wards, "From America." Mother and daughter shook their ibeacta incredulously. Mine host rubbed hw •sleepy eyes. "Is it really from America ?" he queried,. "Who could ihava written to us from that far away country ? Go, some of you, and find my glasses!" The surprise was now general. It was in the days when everybody was talking about Cali- fornia. For two years previous to the occurrence here narrated, people from all parts of Europe had emigrated to the gold! mines in the Far West, where—so ran the story—gold viSki actually laying about everywhere, and to be had for the picking up. At last the spectacles wer.3 found, and the old man read in a loud voice, while all present iield their breath in suspense:— '"Dear Cousins "Well I declare," i 3*e interrupted himself, "this letter is from Oousin Berner, who emigrated 30 ve;i:s iz Cousin Berner was immensely wealthy. Like all emigrants, he had to work very feted at first, and had learned the lesson which sterna njc-essity teaches all newcomers in that country. He had been a. street sweeper, a -y bootblack, a lamplighter, in fact, he had been: coaape'-led to do almost, anything and every- thing ito earn. a scant livelihood. Finally, he had succeeded in saving a tew dollars and started a small store. Fortune had favoured him, and he amassed a vast fortune, which he intended to leave to his only son. It was now ■ 'his dearest wish to see his only son happily married, and, having accidentally gathered from some Germans, who had arrived in San iFrancisco, that his oousin had a daughter, he had decided to send his boy on a visit to 31 hoping the young people would like each other. His 'boy, Charles, was diligent and industrious, and he saw no reason why his -the writer's—plans should not be carried out. The old mail cast radiant looks around him. ■"A marriage of the two youngsters ? Well, I should think so! Could there be greater luck in store for our Marie? Just to think of it, my son-in-law an American! Won't the neighbours be jealous! But where is Marie ? I do not ses her?" "I daresay she is busy .in the garden," re- sponded has wife, hesitatingly. "Call her at once!" •Marie, a beautiful vivacious girl, aoon made •iier appearance »She slowly perused tils con- tents of the letter. 'Well, girl, what do you think of this piece of good fortunethe fatherl queried after she had finished. "Would ycu like your rioh coustin from America fee your husband?" "Why not?" .she replied in thoughtful and measured tones, "provided I like him." Charles Berner, of San Francisco, and Henry I Decker, of Hamburg, two young msn who had become acquainted the day previous, upon i leaving the Thames, stood on the desk of the I Hamburg packet. The former v.'as relating the object of his trip, adding frankly that he would have much preferred remaining in. Cali- fomia, having as yet no desire to marry, but had been urged by his father to bring home European wife. "And here I am," he con- cluded, "en route for a little out-of-the-way place called -VI to have a look at my prospective bmde." "This is a strange coincidence, said' Decker. "I have also to go to iM- shortly." "To M- ? Are you also looking for a Wif'6' "No, indeed, smilingly. "My father has ,an. interest in some neighbouring mines, and 'business alone takes me there. Likely we may meet at the home of the future Mrs. B. ? "Hardly, as I intend remaining some weeks an Hamburg and Berlin. To tell the truth, I am not very anxious to make my cousin s "Hardly, as I intend remaining some weeks an Hamburg and Berlin. To tell the truth, 1 am not very anxious to make my cousin s acquaintance." Oh&rles xnosds inost of -iiis stay *in the ^beautiful Han«a town on the Elbe, and then proceeded to Berlin. One day, while ipromeaiading Unter deni Linden, he picked up a pocketbook laying before him on the side walk. It was made of tortoise shell, witn silver filigree work and mother-of-pearl fasten- ings, no doubt the property of sorue woman. iEnterin-go a cafe, he exanuned his find. Besides goaw money, it contained a note, which he opened. It was a letter signed "Clara,' and addressed) to her dear Amalie, asking to excuse the delay in her reply on account of the change of residence of the writer's parents to 124- B street, first floor, and also telling the news that her father intended her to marry the son of his old friend, the merchant Decker, of Ham- burg, a charming young fellow, rejoicing 1D. the swset name of Henry. Here was poser for our young Laliiorman; for no doubt this paragon and his acquaintance on board the packet were one and the same. Suddenly — idea struck him. He would return the pocketbook in person. 7 Getting into a drosoh'ke, he soon founa himself in the B. Strafe. Arriving at 124, be read above the bell for toe first floor the naire L. Foster. He knew now the young woman's name, and resolutely rang the bell. Stating the nature of his errand to the servant who admitted him, he soon found himoolf in the presence of the object of his visit, whose beauty and majestic bearing made such an m- pressed upon him that he remained rivetted to the spot, gating at her forgetting the formality of introduc.i ng himself, forgot all but the vision before him. After ivn awkward (pauee of a few momenta the girl (her face turning crimson unefcr hw admiring glances) said in a somewhat displeased tone: W~.ll you kindly infolm me of the nature of this call?" The ycung n«n ?„pclogi3cd for his seeming ./jdeness, audi handed her the pock«*t-book, ■which she at Qnr- recognised as belonging to her friend, An alir. Explaining all. the two were soon 611^1?* J in id animated conver- sation, thogh u;J not first seem dis- posed to —wlinV "t indiscretion of read- ing the nts of the letter to her friend. But the JONTHT man pleaded so earnestly and looked so crestfallen that she smilingly held out her hand, which Charles gratefully I grasped and carried to his lips, perhaps a "And the okl no read in » loud voice." I 'trifle impulsively, for she quickly withdrew It To tell the truth, Miss Clara seemed to -like the young foreigner, and before he left the had en passane mentioned the fact, that she and her friend Amalie would meet that evening at the Court, Theater, which would give he" a chance to return the pocket hooli to its owner. More than that, Charles, by a few adroitly put questions, knew the exact location of the seats to be occupied by the party. Of course he was there- a good deal too early, too. The doors had hardly been opened, and he was for quite a while alone in the vast auditoriun, whiling away the slowly creeping time hy a study of the curtain, the chandelier, the carvings on boxes and galleries, and by inspecting everything within the reach of his eyes. When the two young women arrived, after having sorely tried Charlies patience, they, or at least Clara. -fQund to her surprise (?) the younji fellow seated in the stall next to hers, and introduced him to her companion as Mr. Berner, of San Francisco," who had found her pocket book. The phlegm which usually characters il every movement of the worthy landlord of the Bh:e Lion at M had all at once dis- appeared. Since the receipt of the letter from America he knew no rest. The best room was put in readiness for the expected guest, he inspected the house from top to bottom, he scolded the servants incessantly, and never before had his good wife known him to be such a tyrant and so hard to please. More than that, he would go to the parson and school teacher and make them point out to him the map of America and tell him I "Charles Berner and Henry Decker stood on the deck of the Hamburg packet." ¡ about California, and in the evening he would impart this knowledge to his guests in the I taproom, showing for the hundredth time the letter and talking about the rich young rela- tive front the Far West. I His daughter Marie took things much more quietly. She was raised, as all German girls are, especially in the quaint old-fashioned places of the interior. She was a home body, thoroughly domestic by habit and in- clination, and besides the usual elementary training, her parents had -sent her to a board- ing school for girls, a neighbouring academy. In short, her pious and busy mother had i spared no pains to form her character and to make her a God-fearing, obedient child. She possessed that depth of feeling, coupled with a love of nature, and serene, unruffled temper, which is the traditional attdibute of a true Teutonic maiden, and, therefore, the brilliant future in store for her had but little attrac- tions for her unmercenarv disposition. She did not bother her head much about Charles' coming. Time enough to consider the matter after his arrival. If she liked him she would be his wife, if not, she was firmly resolved not to marry him, riches or no riches. In find one who loved her and whom she loved in return. due time, she said to herself, she would {To be continued.)

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