LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1274, 18 April 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

FRANZ WERNER. A Christmas Tale, Founded on Fact. By Lois Selbon. {.Continued.) ‘ An excellent bed and good, most gracious Herr/ answered the smiling host 1 And, indeed, we have some wine, too, that even the most gracious Herr might not despise pure old Madeira. Only,’ he continued, scratching his head in some confusion. ‘ I sent over the last bottle yesterday to widow Klein’s, Well, she won’t have begun ite perhaps—only Fsaulein Lisa will have th, best for her mother. Here, Lotte,’ calling to his little daughter, 'run over with my com diments to Fraulein Lisa, and she will send me back the wine for ’

‘ Lotte shall do no such thing,’ in'errupted the stranger. ‘lf the beer is good, it will do for me perfectly well ’ And the traveller, with temper much improved by the warmth and comfort of the great green stove, began to divest himself of his furs. ‘ And pray, mine host,’ said he, affably, ‘ who is this widow Klein who drinks old Madeira in this om-of the way place?’ ‘ 5 o tell the truth, gracious Herr, I can not rightly tell who she is. She is just widow Klein to us here, always ill, and seldom out of bed. Sometimes she lies on Frau'ein Lisa’s little sofa, poor soul ’ ‘ And who is Fraulein Lisa ?’ enquired the stranger.

* Oh, gracious Herr, our Fraulein Lisa is wi-iow Klen’a daughter. It is a good nine months ago since they came to live at Treburg. There w r as an opening for a respectable young woman to take the sewing class in our school, and to make the women’s caps—a deal of work in those great cat's, gracious Herr—and but few can make them; the only woman who could died last year. How Fraulein Lisa of this I know !not, nor where she came from, for they never talk about themsehvs. But we all liked the y ung woman when she applied for the situation, she was so sweet and modest like. She had not been in i reburg a week before all the children loved her; and as for the women, they cannot prize her enough.’ The stranger got up and began to get into his furs again. ‘I will take a stroll whilst you prepare dinner,’he said, and stepped out into the village street. Tinre was still some daylight left; the cold winter sun had just sunk behind the old church tower, and the little cottage windows glowed in its last lingering rays. A few minutes brought the stranger to a small white house, standing somewhat back from the road, from whence proceeded children’s voices singing a well know Christmas hymn in parts. The traveller’s curiosity was aroused ; he walked up the little gardeu path, and under cover of some shrubs, lookeil iu at the window. He discovered a number of little people, seated on low forms, suited to the length of their short limbs ; and whilst their busy fingers plyed the needle they practised the pretty hymn they were to sing round the < hrist mas tree. The tea her sat with her back to the window. All tint our traveller could see of her was a slight grey figure, bent a little forward, as if the wealth of gulden hair, coiled up tightly at the back of the small head, were too heavy a burden. The room was a corner one, with windows on two sides, so the watcher went round the cottage, and Hied again to get a glimpse of what he had guessed at once to be the sewing school. By the teacher’s aide stood a bed, in which lay a pale, gentle, emaciatedlooking woman, listening eagerly to the children’s voices. The teacher heise’.f seemed to be letting her thoughts wander a little ; her hands had fallen into her lap upon the work she bad been setting for her little fingers to do. and her [deep blue eyes were fixed f absently on the distant hills, visible from the window by which the watcher stood. ‘ What a wonderful face to be in a peasant’s cottage!’ mused the traveller. Suddenly the girl started and colored violently. In his eagerness to see more of her, the watcher had leant forward too far, and she had caught sight of him, that was clear. There was nothing now for it but to go round and knock at the door. A very sweet voice said, * Come in,’ and to the inquiry as to whether widow Klein lived there, the same voice answered ‘Yes, this is my mother,’ motioning the stranger to the bed. Th« sick woman tried to raise herself to welcome her visitor. * Lisa, get the gentleman a chair by me, my child,’ which Lisa did, moving as if in a dream, but looking so graceful and at'raotive that the stranger, whom my reader has long since guessed to be Herr Rudolph ’Werner, found it difficult to reply to the widow’s questions. W’hilst he was wondering whether she knew him or not, the clock struck four. Immediately the children began to put up their things, and filed out one by one. W’hen Hie last child had gone, Herr Werner spoke. ‘I have long known your name, Fraulein Lisa, and now I am g:ad—nay I am thankful, to have made your acquaintance. Will you shake hands with me ?’

Once more the color mounted to the girl’s temples, even dying her fair throat crims >n ; but she put out her hand and said simply ‘Thank you, Herr Werner.’ ‘ You know me, then ?’ ‘ I knew you the moment I saw you out there,’ pointing to the window. ‘ 1 have often s en you in i) . ’

The widow broke in with feverish ha c te ‘Lisa, i« this Hi-rr Rudolph erner ? and —you knew it and never told me ! and yon let him come in!’ Then turning to the intruder, S' e went on in a bfseeching voice ‘ Why do you come in here, sir 7 Your brother has not been near us tince we left Hilgendoif ; we have never even of him; 1 assure you most solemnly we have not. And we tried s o hard to leav •no trace bemud ; Lisa arranged it all; and then I thought we were going to bo quiet ami happy once more ! Oa Lisa -’ and here the poor invalid br ke into a wail— ‘ must we go again ? can we never rest 7’ * Hush, hush, mother !’ said the girl soothingly, though trembhng herself in every limb ; ‘ you are nervous to-day. I wiil give you some of your wine ; it will calm you ’ ‘ I assure you Klen, upon my word of honor, I am the only member of my family that has an idea of your present abode. You were very clever, Frau Lin Lisa, but yon ►ee I luve found you out for all that ; but ! own I had work to d> it,’ he added, smiling kindly, and the girl felt a little re-assured and trembled less. ‘ And now it will depend entirely up n a on whether the secret remain between ourselves, or be made known to my brother Franz.’

At this unexpected turn in his little speech —most unexpected indeed to Herr Werner himself, but he was already completely conquered—Lisa began to tremble again. He led her to a seat; and then when her colour returned and she appeared able to listen, he spoke very gently, taking her hand.

* Don’t be afraid of me, Lisa ; I want to make up for a great mistake I made ; the mistake, my dear, of not having known you a year ago. I see how you have buffered, and so has he, poor fellow. Ah ! 1 know all about it, you see,’ he added cheerfully, as he saw the painful blush come aud go at the mention of his brother. ‘ 1 have found you out on purpose to talk it all over with you, for everything now is in your hands but I see your mother now needs rest, so I will go. Frau Klein,’ he added, turning to the bi d, ‘ may I come aud sit with you for an hour later? I am anxious to have a little more talk with this daughter of yours, and with you too. I think we shall be friends, in spite of the ogre you once thought me, Fraulein Lisa.’

HerrWernerwalked back to meditate upon how nearly his pride had been death to his brother, aud ruin to the life’s happiness of this young creature, for whom he had already conceived a strange liking. ‘lf only it is not too late for Franz,’ he mused sadly ; ‘he is ill, very ill; I cannot doubt it now —be is but the wreck of his former self. Will she consent? God grant she may J Poor child, poor child 1*

Oddly enough when he walked back to the white cottage that evening he did not feel half as sure of being able to secure hia brother’s happiness as he had been in the morning. Tfle greater value the prize was assuming in his eyes, the greater became the fear of losing it. He felt all his future peace of mind as well as his brother’s happiness depending now upon the decision of this girl! What if she should not consent to help them after all ? ' 'hristmas hive that year ushered itself in with much shovelling and scraping away of snow. Every corner of the town had to be swept and garnished before nightfall for the coming festival. But the shovelling and the scraping had a cheery ring about them. They told of work and wages, and consequent food and warmth in lowly houses for that one night at least ‘ Peace on earth and g odwill towards men,’ is the motto of the day, and he must be a waifaud stray indeed who does not fiud someone to welcome him under the Christmas tree, on Christmas Eve in Germany. The Oscar Werners had no tree, for they always spent their Christmas at the elder brother’s house, where all connected with the fi--ra. from the part ners down to the youngest errand boy, were won t to assemble under the Christinas tree to receive presents and spend }a joyous vening. (To ho continued.)