Show CHARLOTTE ARI OTI r i E A STORY STOR Y GATHERED FROM LIFE by ELIZABETH MARKUS X N NEXT DOOR once again it was good old summertime and no school and no trip for the lattea the newly made acquaintance with nith the children of our next door neighbor the count von on Bline brueck compensated us somewhat through the girls in school and through a book which I 1 had read secretly I 1 had become conscious of the importance of the title count and partly for this reason the calls of the children next door filled me with such raptures hans the counts son especially fascinated and flattered me by preferring pre fering me to my older brother he was just as old as I 1 but he go to school he had a private tutor and thus learned much easier the trying things one is taught in school its like velvet to paudy thap aba way he declared you boss your teacher around where you want him how is it you yon have no tutor I 1 pondered tor for a minute before I 1 replied and then I 1 said very wisely my mother does not believe in tutors my father knows better hans continued the controversy that paul butted in it better to go to school than to learn home with a tutor 1 I 1 quickly put my question to paul hans han s says its better letter to st study uc av with a private teacher I 1 the word I 1 tutor tor for spite monsieur reche Is not a teacher hes a tutor and the best one in the world hans asserted rather snobbishly ach all got the pip once in a while and for that reason its better to be under a bunch of them than under just one paul decided and the argument was settled since then pauls authority was established and what lie he said was gospel truth to hans and his little sister ile he no longer will try to rut put his high gauff over us paul sized up the incident when we were alone and he was right we spent the most delightful hours in their garden those children had the most wonderful toys and the they have to be as careful with them as we with ours if a thing was broken well and good dt cit was broken the governess scolded a little but they never took it to heart because it was only mademoiselle their parents were away on a long trip around the world as hans said w with ith pride but paul believe hot air he be said to me when we were alone and I 1 was still raving about the round the world trip its all hot air and makes me alc sick lie he would insist I 1 could almost hate him tor for destroying ying my creed in real people why by should it be hot air had L I 1 not seen the parrot his mother had sent to hans from cairo and hans tell me one morning that his father had written and promised to send him a live monkey it if he would study well I 1 had even been in hans house and paul had not if paul had he bould have seen the beautiful things the swell furniture furna the paintings the soft velvety carpets in every room like we had it only in our parlor paul surely would have opened his e ees ess ii in amazement and it would have cured him of saying hot air about everything concerning hans I 1 came to the conclusion that eliat paul must be jealous for I 1 could see no other reason why lie he did not care for hans and why lie he would rather play with irene the little countess she was nas only as old as lenchen and for my big brother to play hide and seek with her was too silly too ridiculous for words my ay iy big brother who had a pronounced contempt for little kids it all was beyond my comprehension though I 1 realized that irene was pretty she had golden curls like the fairies in stories she always wore light dresses as if she was going to a party and everybody ev in the house called her petr iames the question why I 1 like she often puzzled me of course my father a count and I 1 had only brown hair and my face so fair and I 1 have such pretty dresses so it was no more than natural that she would get the preference but just the same it made me a discontented piece of humanity in my desire to correct my shortcomings as much as possible I 1 let my hair hang bang loose looe one day it was very long and heavy and I 1 felt proud of it I 1 sneaked into the garden before mother or paul could see me I 1 stood between bushes of blazing flowers on the soft lawn carpet QS as hans advanced looking at me dreamily as lie he usually did when b ho e was not talking presently lie he f seemed to wake up and asked s your mama combed your hair lied E why sure she has I 1 lied why she braid it Be because causO 1 l a comans womans reason is born in a girl mv aly it must be hot with that around your face said hans scornfully hill its cool I 1 declared and anxious to change the subject I 1 suggested lets paint we ran for the bench where hans had a vessel with water vater and a box of paints for wech I 1 secretly envied him we started to paini paint and daub the most fantastic pictures which was our latest a amusement amusement mu we were ere both deeply interested w in our artistic efforts when mademoiselle called hans he did not get up nor did lie he even look up as lie he did not have to mind her as we h had ad to mind our mother mademoiselle approached and looking over our heads at our vividly colored scrolls and figures she to my secret delight softly fingered my hair exclaiming what lovely hair exquisite it made mv my heart beat somei somewhat hat taster faster that someone anyway had approved ol 01 my hair dress but in the next net moment the wet blanket was thrown over my joy hans she said kind ol 01 0 strict you must tell paul ind and charlotte today not to come any more I 1 shot up tip from my my knees ana stood stock still waiting for hans to say something As he lid did not I 1 wished for paul I 1 knew hed find a good answer but lie he like a silly kid was aas again placing with irene this ahls time they were playing fish catching in the pond which was in the middle of the garden hans merely asked ahn why cant come anymore and the heartless creature as I 1 thought her kept on your parents are coming home tomorrow and they like it hans with a bell ell of joy papas coming home papas coming home ran over to tell his sister mademoiselle also turned to the spot where irene and paul were playing and I 1 stood alone like a little fool my long dark hair cloaking me and gave vent to confused reflections was there such a thing in this wide world that we paul and I 1 could be undesirable playmates like caroline the janitors daughter something pained me inside but I 1 walked away as proud as a little girl can walk when her feeling gets hurt hurl paul voiced his opinion when we were alone say that old in maid aid over there has got the pip for sure hans hang told me we need not mind her im not going over there again I 1 retorted youve got the pip too like air women and he pointed in an unmistakable manner to his forehead however a week after I 1 could not resist hans calls at the fence any longer so paul and I 1 passed through the narrow opening into his garden hans had a thundering lot to tell me we sat on the stone brim of the pond and hans told me of all the beautiful things ills his mother and father had brought him and irene and of all they were going to get I 1 heard his voice rising higher as lie he spoke of the live bior hore e his father had bought for him which lie he was going to learn to ride and also let me have it sometimes I 1 declared that I 1 need anybody to show me if he only would let me have the horse I 1 would show him that I 1 was a al born rider we were in the midst of the most wonderful plans for horseback rides and thrilling when a harsh voice called hans 11 paul jumped up tip immediately and flew away my ay iy first impulse prompted me to do the same but hans held my mv by my dress and I 1 waited with him for the man with the harsh voice to approach us with a gesture of ills his hand the count commanded ma aided hans to the house and hans meekly obeyed then lie he turned his stony face to me saying saving igo go home little girl my son and my MY daughter cannot play with ou on and dour our brother I 1 was marched down the broad stone paved walk and the largo large iron gate closed with a carah behind me for several minutes darkness enveloped me unconsciously I 1 made a fist under my apron hating the man and ills his whole clique I 1 was as good and better than chev and I 1 knew more than hans and irene together who had to get all their wisdom from one teacher only presently my grief was released by the angry tears trickling down my cheeks WHO IS WHO since this occurrence we played in our own yard paul would often snap his fingers in the direction where the count lived after much begging mother had consented to le ie him bring in some boys and they played soldiers with much aplomb and noise paul was going to make hans hang feel sore whether or not he gained ills his point was a mystery to me but once I 1 caught hans peeping through the fence As soon as lie he became aware of me ho he ran but soon bigger events helped me to outgrow my watching for hans one day paul and I 1 wore were enjoying our slices of broad after school in the fresh air of the garden when mother most mysteriously called my brother halde and handed him a andle whispering to him hide it and dont come in until he men have gone 11 not a question was answered she again hurried to the house I 1 following her I 1 wanted to see the Ti n men from whom mother va haq hiding something and who were ere just ascending the steps to out oui apartment as mother and I 1 came in from the garden one of them was in uniform and lie he handed mother a manuscript she read it without comment antl ana the strangest thing was mother never protested to those men looking critically at eiery aery object in our big hall and what seemed stranger still silent and wide eyed mother led those horribly serious men through all of our rooms opening the closets and linen chests for their inspection telling them the value of our paintings carpets linens furs and of the royal meissen china of which mother had a rare collection in a glass cabinet 1 all the while mille alice was hanging to 1 her skirt I 1 everything was put to paper ana valued by one ot of the men and while i my head was still reeling nith iti the question what whal does all of this mean the outrage happened they put a seal over the doors of the cabinet in which the china was imprisoned mother cant get the cups and saucers when she has company I 1 meekly called their attention to the Imp importance oriance of this one of the men smiled kindly but said nothing he seemed to leave all the talking to the other and it was this one who gave a short laugh saying a good joke A glance from the fellow in uniform hushed him we are here officially my little princess in the name of ills his majesty the king he said goodness that sounded big yet I 1 behold the relation of mothers china to the king but j the china enough the linen chests the wardrobes wardi obes and other closets were nere sealed shut also 1 mother only kept out her most necessary dresses and clothes her silk dresses her beautiful furs and fur coats were nere shut in by the seal I 1 gasped and followed the procession watching them put their hideous seal on parlor chairs soplia sopha on the velvety carpet on the big gold framed mirror in the entrance hall in short on everything that was worth possessing again I 1 clin clinched clied my fist under my my apron if looks could have killed my eyes would have pierced through their dirty thieving hearts and I 1 made up my mind never to forgive them not if id live to be a hundred years the silent one remarked to mother as they were parting im awfully sorry mrs kallay it was a cruel piece of duty for me all right I 1 understand mother assured him when paul brought in the bundle his face was one proud grin mother praised his cleverness and ills his mouth grew broader still you can depend on me mother and then turning to me he asked do you want to know how and where I 1 hid it M in the rabbit hutch under the straw and I 1 was pretending prete dang I 1 was playing with the rabbits those binks would have never guessed it when father came home that night lie he was shown all the seals his face was very grave 1 I wish you could have kept some of your our heavy clothes out the winter is near im in it so deeply I 1 dont know how long it will be before I 1 can make good this debt 1 I kept something better than the coat mother said with a wise smile and she brought out the little bag with her diamond ring earrings her bracelet with the costly emerald and the pin to match it a dozen heavy tea and table spoons and other things of value proudly she spread them all on the table and father snickered and rubbed his hands suddenly lie he jumped up terrified saying it if anyone sees this well have more trouble and with this heslep he stepped to the window to pull down the blinds 1 I pulled them down long ago father called paul from the corner where he had watched the scene leave it to me lie he added proudly he hid the jewelry too while the men were here mother joined in and paul repeated ills his story of course you volt must keep this a secret if you your mother and I 1 would get in a horrible buess mess said father very concerned when paul had ended and lie he drew us both to him we promised never to tell 1 I hope keep their promise said father to mother they will was mothers reply you can depend upon them and what about benchell Len chell and alice asked father for lie he was worried dont fear they dont know mother said again trying to smile wisely paul and I 1 talked a long while in bed that night tor for I 1 had asked of mother the permission to sleep in the spare bed in pauls room we sat up in our beds the moon shining on our faces and our hearts beating strangely this all like in stories yes this was great grand for the first time we felt that we had taken an active part in real life and it had inspired us with great plans we were going to do wonderful things and help father get rich again paul voiced his visions ll 11 say from now on you and I 1 will a always i ways keep our eyes to the ground one of my friends found a ten mark gold piece several weeks ago why we find some money too perhaps hundred marks 11 to be continued |