Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1877 — ANNE’S STRATAGEM. [ARTICLE]

ANNE’S STRATAGEM.

Capt. Ljucien Gauthier, having been ordered to report himself to the General commanding the French forces ‘in Btrasburg, had found very comfortable quarters there. He had been billeted in the house of a stately dame, a widow, who boro the sounding name of Yon BtralenidOrff, but she was evidently of French 'extraction, although her name was so decidedly German. Her sympathies were also French, as the cordial hospitality she extended to tin; young officer amply proved. She lived in a quaint old mansion, ’whose spacious garden overlooked the’river ltliine. Her domestics were few, consisting couple named Pratzner, and Their slug? gisti but goml-uatured daughter, a buxom, robust young woman of 20 years of age, called Katrina. Capt. liucien Gauthier was treated with as much consideration as if tie had been a relative of the widow VonStralendoriV. His personal merits, however, may have had Something to do with this treatment. He possessed, in an eminent degree, ttie art of pleasing—possessed it naturally and unobtrusively. He had a good tigure, tall and commanding, suit made a frank and open expression of countenance. He became a uniform admirably. Ho looked like a real soldier, not one (dressed for a holiday parade. The dark, heavy mustache that graced his upper lip added to his martial appearance, His flow of animal spirits was great, and his small talk inexhaustible. The widow Btralendorff found him a Most entertaining guest, and the interest s he took in.ucoYjd.'ng for his comfort The Turkish War TYpir’T---destitute of funds. »- ' ...soTf much contracts is * . He took the Turkish \vAiame to him, and Huleiman Pash it under all eircuinfrom Osiv'i’i* l thought did occur to him, power, that she might have a design upon him in the way of matrimony, mid widied him to till the place of the departed Vori -Btralendorff; but, when lie considered that she wan fit) and lie was 25,.tie discarded the idea as preposterous. He had been tint a week beneath this, hospitable roof when the Game Von Stralendorff informed him that a niece of hers' was about to pay tier a visit—, the'young lady being the daughter of her youngest anil only surviving’lirother. “ 1 am glad she is coming,”' said the widow, “for T think you will enjoy some feminine society younger than mine.” The Captain thought there was a sly significance in these words, but then he might have been mistaken. “Anna lias been well educated, and is tolerably pretty, and so I think you will like her,” continued the old lady. If Dame Vou Stralondorff had intended to excite the Captain’s curiosity in regard to the forthcoming visitor, she fully succeeded in doing so. He looked forward anxiously for the day of her arrival. He had uot long to wait. Anne came the, second day after the announcement that she was coming. Capt. Gauthier was duly introduced to her, and he did like her. She was pretty, as her aunt had said—pretty, petite, piquante. ' Her figure, though small, was nicely proportioned, and her features were of the Flemish type. She had the kind of face that Rubens loved to paint. A peachy complexion, small mouth and pouting lips, a nose that turned upward slightly at the point, laughing blue eyes, and'luxuriant hair of a deep lemon hue, or something of that glossy, shiny tint that the silk displays when it hangs from the cocoon. Anne was m her twentieth year, and was a self-possessed young lady. She and Capt. Gauthier soon became the best of friends. They rode together, they sailed together upon the Rhine, they sang duets together, to the great delight of the relict of Von Stralendorff, and they took walks together in the garI den by moonlight. All this was very ro--1 mantle, and you will naturally suppose that it led to the inevitable result. It did. • Capt. Gauthier soon found that the pretty and agreeable Anne had awakened a new sensation in his heart, and he began to fear that he was falling in love with her. Isay “fear,” because Gauthier, despite Ins carelessness and lightheartedness, was a man of honor. He knew that lie had no business to fall in love with Anne, or induce her to fall id love with him, So lie took her into his confidence as a preventive against both these evils; He was the affianced husband of the daughter of a rich citizen in Paris, named Ayrault, and their nuptials were merely awaiting the termination of the campaign. Napoleon the Third expected to make a very short war. And so lie did. Rut it did not end in the manner arranged on his programme. I his marriage was one of convenience, as it is called, and had been arranged by the heads of the families of Gauthierand Ayrault. The young people had no voice whatever in the matter. Their acquiescence was a matter of course. They were both eligible parties, and the settlements on eitlicr side were to beiunple. If they could not love each other as man and wife when they, that would their fault. But life is not devoid of consolation. Failing to love each other, they could, in true French fashon, love somebody else.. Lucien Gauthier grew to manhood with this prospective marriage hanging over him. The contract had been signed when both were in their nonage. Lucien had never seen Julia Ayrault since the signing of the contract, and he had conceived an intense dislike against his promised wife, and had inwardly resolved that he never would marry her. This feeling had induced him to adopt the career of a soldier. He thought it would require less courage to face the enemy than a wife he could not love—nay, whose very name he had learned to loathe. He never uttered it even without making a grimace. But this resolve placed our gallant Captain in rather an awkward situation, for hip.contract bound him to Julia Ayrault, and, if he would not marry her, he could uot honorably offer his hand to any other woman. I

The thought of this, however, never troubled him until he encountered the sprightly little woman who rejoiced in the name of Anne, and then it occurred to him that it would be a pleasant thing if he were a free man. But he knew he was not, and so he manfully resolved to tell Anne the truth and prevent her falling in love with him, as she seemed very well inclinod to do, and to check hisown growing passion—nip it in the bud, as it were, before it could attain a proportion t roublesome to his peace of mind. To his surprise, and disappointment mingled somewhat with it, Anne appeared consider that it was his duty to marry Julia Ayrault. “What, whether I love her or not?” he demanded. “ Oh, you will learn to love her,” she answered. “ Never !” he efied, emphatically; and he was about to add that it was impossible now that he had met her, but prudence restrained the words. I “Jill, yes, you will !” insisted Amie. “ She is very amiable, not bad-looking, and she will make you a good wife.” The assertion amazed the Captain. “Do you know her, then?” he inquired. “Oh,, yes; I liavo met her frequently in Paris. She was educated at the same pensionnat.” “ Did she ever speak of me?” “Often. Her heart is ilet upon this marriage. She loves you, if you do not love her, I know.” Capt. Gauthier sighed dismnlly. “How can I love her ?” he responded. “ Especially after ” He paused confusedly. “ What?” she asked pensively. “ Nothing—-no matter! Oh, why don’t the Governor order a sortie, or something, so I could get a chance to be killed off?”

“ Oh, don’t !” cried Anne, in alarm. The order for a sortie came, as if expressly to accommodate tlie Captain. He finished his breakfast hastily, and then began to equip himself for the field. Madame Von Stralendorff had retired to l»er own room, but Anne remained to assist him in equipping himself. She stooped under his right arm, buckling on his belt, while ho held the sword in his left hand; and, as she clasped the buckle,’ he noticed that her lingers trembled, and her face wore an anxious look. That face was fully exposed to his view, as her flossy light hair was drawn back from her forehead, and fastened by a high quaint comb, evidently of Spanish manufacture. Never had Anne’s face looked so charming to him as it did at that moment. IBs right aTm descended, with an involuntary action, encircled Anne’s waist, and drew her to his breast. Her head rested confidingly against his chest, and her upturned eyes were raised to Iris, betraying too plainly the secret of her heart. She loved him. There was no mistaking the story told by those violet orbs. “O, if you should be killed!” she murmured, plaintively. He bent his head and kissed the red, pouting lips consolingly. She accepted the kiss as a matter of course. “Don’t worry,” lie said; “ I shall return in Safety to you, that is, if you’ll promise to marry me when I come back. ” “ O, how can I ? , 'v “ Easy enough. ” “ But Julia Ayrault ?” “ I shall never marry her.” * must.” “ Theu'T’tL put myself iu the way of the first cannon-ha!! I set* coming. ” “ No, no, you mustn’t do that. ’ “ Promise to marry me, then.” “ Well, then—I —I—” “Will?” “Y-e-s.” He kissed her again.

“ That’s a dear girl,” he cried. “ Just mention the subject to your aunt while I’m gone, will you ? I shall write to my lather iu Paris the moment I return, and tell him to have tiie contract with Julia Ayrault annulled. And now a short farewell until we meet again.” Once more he kissed her, and then hurried from the room. She ran to the window and watched him as he mounted his. horse, in the court-yard and rode through the massive gate, which old Pratzner held open for him, and then lot it clang heavily to when he was gone. “ O, if lie should never come back !” she exclaimed. Madame Yon Stralendorff’ entered the apartment and approached her. “ Ik’ is gone,” she said. “Yes. Alas, if I should never see him more !” “ Don’t borrow trouble, War is a perilous game, and he must take his risk with the rest. He is brave and active, and let us hope Providence will spare him to you. You love him?” “ O, dearly.” “ I don’t wonder at that. He’s a noble young man. I could almost love him myself—that is, if I were a little younger. But does ho love you ?” “ I believe he does, with all his soul.” “ Very good. So, tlieu, your stratagem has succeeded, and you can thank me for suggesting it.” * “I do, aunt, and I am under infinite obligations to you.” “Tush! you’re .welcome. I should never have thought of it if I had not taken a fancy to the young fellow myself.’’ C The rest of that day passetFanxiously to Anne." From the upper windows of the mansion she watered the bridge that crossed the river, ailqthe fields upou the opposite shore. She saw the troops from the city file gayly over the bridge, theiifc bayonets glistening in the sunlight, a glittering array. She heard the reports of the cannon, but the scene of the strife was beyond her vision. Hours passed away, and then the little army that hud marched so proudly and confidently away came back straggling and in disorder. Even her inexperienced eye could read these tokens of defeat. Her heart began to beat painfully. Where was Lucien Gauthier? Dead, wounded, a prisoner ? —or alive and returning in safety ? The sound of the gate-bell soon answered that question for her. .She hurried down to meet him. He was harassed uud worn, and covered with dust, but unwounded. He had passed through the strife unscathed. It was a tender meeting between them. In the joy that each experienced, they knew how much they loved each other. He went to his chamber and changed his uniform, and then sat down to the repast prepared for him. Tho meal was partaken of with very few words, for the Captain had brought a good appetite from the Held with him. When he had finished, the table was cleared of all but tho wine and fruit. Then Lucien found his tongue. Then he looked at Anne, who sat opposite him, and then at Madame Von Stralendorff, who Occupied the head of the table, and again at Anne. “ Have you told your aunt?” he inquired.

“ Yoe,” answered Aime, demurely. “ Have you any objection?’’ “ Not the Blightest,” replied Madame You Stralendorff, urbanely. “ You know my family ?” “ All about it.” “But you do not know all about me,” interposed Anne, with a roguish smile; “and, when I have said a few words to you, you will agree to marry Julia Ayrault.” “ Never!” “ Then you cannot marry me.” “ Why not?” “Because—Oh, you short-sighted mortal! —l am Julia Ayrault!” Oapt. Lucien was very much astonished, but he hardly needed the explanation that followed, for the little device through his brain with instantaneous conviction. " Though t yoi| had agreed to marry

me, you appeared determined not to love or even see me,” continued Julia; “and so I resolved to see you, and, if you were worth it, make you love me. Fortune favored my scheme in sending you here ,so my aunt—for she is my aunt, although she married a German. She wrote me word that you were quartered in her house, and bo I came as Anne; my name is Julia Anne, although you may not know it/* “ I know that I love you,” interrupted Lucien, “ and that you are to be my wife —for I shall abide by the contract now— is all that is necessary.” “Then you will forgive the little deception I practiced upon you?” asked Julia. It was an idle question. Of course he did.