LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue XXXXV, 27 November 1903, Page 4

LITERATURE.

TWO PROMOTIONS. Kurt von Bergewitz stood before his mirror as if enchanted by his own image. Only an hour had passed since he hud been, made a lieutenant and assigned to a crack artillery regiment, and he could sewedtp recognise his good fortune. The great day for which he had longed ever since he entered the cadet corps ten years ago had comet and with it the right to wear the brilliant uniform which had hung in liia wardrobe for months, except ior an hour every Sunday, when he had worn it in the privacy of his apartments, with no other witness than his mirror. At such times he had been conscious of a feeling of guilt, but now he not only could but must wear the uniform in public, and for tiie first time he looked upon a command as a favour granted of Heaven.

He gazpdj fascinated, at the imposing figure in the glass—the high, po.'ished boots, glittering spurs,trousers, jacket, and dolman embroidered with silver, and silver sword hilt and scabbard, which harmonised so well with the slender but athletic figure and the handsome face. It was a beautiful picture* but not more beautiful than the prospect of his life.

An officer at twenty-one, with six hundred marks monthly pay, and two fine, horses in his stable—he was truly a man to be envied ! He vowed that he would prove himself worthy of the distinction that had come to him—that he would be an exemplary officer and would contract no debts—at least, none which his rich father codld not pay conveniently. What would Rita say - if she could see hiai now ?

Overcome by joy and love he extended his arms as if to embrace the lovely girl who in & few short hdurs would be clasped to his breast as his affianced bride, for the day of his pioniotion was also to be the day of his betrothal. He and his fair cousin had agreed, with much iteratioh.that his first act as a lieutenant should be to make a formal demand for her hand, and that they should be married within three months of his promotion. And now the great day had come.

Kurt had long loved and wooed his black-eyed cousin. She lived in Berlin, and during his residence at the Lichterfelde School hard by he had spent almost eveiy Sunday at her house. Her father was a retired oflicer, and the gloomy memory of his own eadetsh'ip impelled him to extend a cordial welcome to the boy, to whom the freedom of a refined and hospitable house would mean so much. Kurt well remembered his first meeting with Rita. Before the day was over he had made his first declaration of love, or rather, he had calmly announced to his cousin his intention to man-y her when he had become a lieutenant.

Rita laughed at him, but had not seemed displeased.

At that time he was eleven and she a year older.

Alter that he saw her nearly every Sunday. The year of detention in barracks and the consequent loss of his weekly Visit to her house made him an exemplary cadet. If he had another engagement that could not be evaded he wrote her a passionate letter, imploring her to forgive his absence. In the summer, when he lived with his parents, he wrote very often to Rita, telling her how he longed for the day that would bring them together again, though it may be doubled if he would really have wished to shorten his vacation even for Rita's sake. So for the years past. The little cadet became a tall ensign, the little girl developed into a strikingly pretty young woman, feted, flattered, boewged by admirers. Siiice> Kurt's fi»st boyish appropriation of her she had not again laughed at his suit, but had returned his love and apparently taken their future union for granted. Now, however, she laughed at his insane jealousy. He asked her to decline all invitations, or, at least, to confine, her conversation with young men to the barest civilities. She laughed at him, and then she took his rueful, almost tearful face in her soft little hands and whispered, "1 love you, Kurt, only you. You know that, dear." And she did not strive to escape when he joyful y clasped her in his arms and sho.wf-

Ed kisse3 on her lips. How .:oi.i.] she help loving her handsome anj chivalrous young cousin, who thought only of her, who treated her like a queen, who never came without bringing flowers or some other token of affection, who seemed to read in her eyes her every Wish and gratified it if possible ? Yet a time came when she learned that what she had taken for love was only a mixture of sisterly affection and good fellowship. Three months before Kurt's promotion she had met, at a ball, a young officer of dragoons. She had never seen him before, or even heard of him, but when she saw tois clear blue eyes fixed on her face in undisguised admiration aind heard his low and musical voice, as he almost submissively begged her for a dance, a feeling of happiness hitherto unknown suddenly possessed her. Half conscious, as in a blissful dream, she floated away on his arm. From that hour she knew what real love is, ahd when Kurt came, radiant from his successful examination, and asked, "Kita, do you love me as much as ever '! ' she stood before him over, whelmed with a feeling of guilt, but too timid to make confession. To avoid the necessity of replying she laid her head on Kurt's shoulder and did not shrink from his caresses. J;nc comedy was repeated at each of Jvurts visits, but through all her acting and despite her great happi-ness-lot- she knew that the yolm „ dragoon loved her-Kita's prepossessing thought was, "What will Kurt say ? What will he do ? Oh, If he should kill himself !"

+l , ,V urt had known that in that hour in which he stood, attired jn his lieutenant's uniform, before lus mirror, Rita had plighted her troth to the tall blonde officer of dragoons !

The lovers were still togethe. when Kurt was announced. Ri ta sprang to her feet in consternation, q / recoverin g her self-com-Z i ;«r? cnlmly - " Plcase 8° in ftn.l talk to papa and mamma a while I have told you how it stands between Kurt and me • 1 must now tell him how it stands between you and me."

1 ale and trembling, with the new lover s parting kiss on her lips, Rita advanced to meet the old one. But i s face was whiter than hers and the familiar joyous, self-confid-ent look was gone from it '•For Heaven's sake, Kurt, what has happened ?" H ita exclaimed He pressed her band in silence and with! out raising his eyes to hers. Then 111 t,,e h f av -V. uncertain step of an old 11) an, he walked slowly to a k ,! ,rt 2 it ' his lace m ins hands.

wlvf' I'nt !° "*' Kurt ' Tell mo "el ;,' T^ 0 ' C '" ied the torri-"i-rt giil. Kurt raised his head a little «nd stared vacantly at the carpet for several seconds. P * '.'"'*"> x had intended to break U"s to you gently. I hml m , ~ ZdTh ' T* l k,,ew !t . «% for -ellyso. 110S O wU, ll, w.U^ "Kurt !'!

It was a cry of joy. She sprang, toward her cousin-and-.--in- another moment would have been hugging and kissing him in delirious thankfulness. But he mistook her tone and her action. Her exclamation appeared to him to be a bitter, though well-deserved reproach, and he wavher back before she could cling to hiiii in an ecstacy of grief and lave, and so, perhaps, .weaken his resolution.

'Rita, hear me before you condemn rae>" he continued. " You know how dearly I love you, and that my only wish has been to make Vou happy. Even this morning I thought only of you, and was glad for your sake when I put on my lieutenant's uniform and saw how well I looked in it. I do look well in it, don't L Rita ?"

"Very well." She spoke almost inaudibly, but not because of suppressed mirth. Her sense of humour was temporarily in abeyance. Kurt, with eyes still averted, continued : "Rita, I know how hard it Is for you to give me up, but there is no help for it. I have just come from my colonel, whom I told of my intended 'betrothal " "Vou did ?" "Of course, I did not mention your name."

"And what did your colonel say?'' Kurt's pale face suddenly became very red. "I can't tell you all he said. He treated me as if he thought me a silly, ignorant boy, and he said things—oil, I didn't know there were such things in the world." Kiii t looked so utterly wretched, to bioken in body and spirit, that Rita sincerely pitied him, but she was determined to know the cause of this sudden change in his intention and desire.

'Things that frightened you, perhaps ?" she suggested; "Frightened me?" lie retorted, proudly. "Do you know me so little ? lam a soldier—an officer, Rita —I am riot a coward."

"Then I really do not understand you."

"Listen ! At first the colonel spoke as my commanding officer, and he made me furiously angry ; but afterwards he spoke as an elder comrade, and I must confess that his friendly, cordial manner touched ami shamed me. He told me that I was too young, both a* n man- and an Officer, to take a step that I should certainly regwt ; that I ought not to bind myself in fetters which would soon gall me sorely ; that instead of darkening my youth by an early marriage I ought to devote it to seeing and enjoying life, and letting my wings in short, I Ought to be for some years a man of the world, a dashing artillery officer; not a tame and staid married man. He talked to me for half an hour, and bade me reflect on what he said. I have reflected, Rita, and I have become convinced that the ciiltiliel is right. I cannot bind myseif so soon ; I cannot give up my youth, the golden years of enjoyment that lie before me. I love you as dearly as ever, Rita. I know too, that you love me better than all the world beside. Give me the best proof of your love by renouncing me, and I shall never cease to thank you. Will you do this, Rita?" fehe sat stills with covered face not daring to look up, its he had sat a little before:

"Will you ?" he repeated. From behind her veiled hands came the low answer; "Yes."

He came to her, put his artarouna her, and kissed .her forehead an echo ' e re l )eated - «ke

Hut he k i ssed ber d rf^,l? me ' **« -^ingslow! alked m ° ol *' Where he P au s<*Und me Rita t? y ° U VGry with me, Rita ? a , r ~j-gtißMgm „ 7,," 1 a talking doll, and then the door closed behind him.

On the following day he heard of her engagement.

"I'iqwe," he thought. "I n her «*? .!^ d 7 ounded Pride she has snatched at the first offer." Ho felt very sorry for her, though her prompt replacement of Mm wounded Bis vanity a littlo. He wrote to her giving iree expression to his complex ieeling(s. and closed with the words, "Although you appear to have forgotten me already, I shall never forget you. As you were my first, so you will be my last love. Never, I swear, shall my heart be given to another."

It was a beautiful letter, he thought, and he meant every word of it, but after careful reflection he tore it up. After all, how couM he foresee what the future might bring forth ? So he merely sent this brief note :

"I sincerely hope that ybu may be as happy with the new love as you would certainly have been with the old."—Lawrence B. Fletcher, in the New York Evening Post.