LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 214, 15 February 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

FRONI. Ax Alpine Story. Chapter I. When the red glowing fire-ball, having completed its daily circle around the dark forest sinks behind yonder hills, the “Waldbauer” throws away hatchet and saw, and turns his face homewards. The Woodpecker also suspends his destructive activity, and the wood is left in peace. That is the rule on three hundred and sixty-four days in the year which does not extend to a three hundred and sixty-sixth. On a certain day is held the Kirchtag, or Church Festival, in the Alpine village ; the anniversary of the consecration of the church—a great holiday, kept by grand morning and afternoon services, followed by dancing and boundless gaieties, lasting all night long. It is a great day for all. No one will be found missing on such an occasion ; the sick and the old will creep up to the place of assembly—the large stately inn, standing high up on the mountain, in the midst of the dark wood, nearly on a level with the church which crowns the height, whose gilded steeple tops in forms of Creek crosses shine far out over the land. It is of this day we now write. The moonless night was lighted up by rockets, flying high up into the air, bursting and shedding down millions of sparks, as if threatening to set the wood on fire ; duly admired by those idly watching their flight, or by others who happen to look at them in the midst of other amusements. Gunshots, the klingklang of musical instruments, shouts and laughter of human throats rang through the night-air. ‘ Hollah ho ! —Juchhee ! ’ Down the footpath through the wood came a gay party, consisting of about a dozen boys armed with blaxing torches, Boldl at their head, preceded by musicians, piping merrily. They must needs ‘ play Boldl home, ’ and there had been a struggle who should be of the party when Boldl first intimated a wish to go home—not going home to bed exactly, you know, but just under pretence of doing so, to roam about on his way in pursuit of some new sort of fun ; the old stock being quite exhausted. Boldl (Leopold), ‘Wild Boldl,’ has they called him, had been very gay all that day. The first upon the dancing-ground he had occupied his terrain as sole ruler to the end ; he, king of the gaieties, had held sway over those who looked for nothing better than being amused. They willingly bent under his sceptre, knowing that wherever Boldl was the leader, there was wonderful fun lurking in all corners. Wild Boldl ! the Wieseuhofbanern’s only son : the richest heir in the neighborhood—who knew him not ? His fame had spread far beyond the boundaries of his native village. Wherever any mischief was done, or trick played, Boldl was the instigator of all, as sure as sure could be; Boldl, and Boldl again, at the bottom of all. As yet he had never done any real harm; fun was his object in all—but who knew how far and whither his waywardness might lead him ? His father, whose equanimity was often disturbed by complaints from others and his own apprehensions, quieted his mind by the thought; * Hannerl (Johanna) will teach him better; lot him. marry, and then see how steady lie will become ! Wasn’t 1 a bit wild too, and then settled into married life quite easily. They shall be married as soon as possible. In the meantime let him enjoy the remainder of his freedom,” And Boldl did enjoy his free life; the nearer the wedding-clay, the wilder his ways, as if to spite those talking of his steadiness to come. ‘ Juchhee ! I am the Wiesenholf-Boldl, Juchhee! As far as I see around, the world is mine—am I a mole not to enjoy it ? Juchhee !’ So far as to Boldl’s morals. Concerning his appearance—well, just have a look at him. Look at the tall, straight, slender figure, with its quick and graceful movements, the regular featured, open, sunburnt face, ornamented by a black rich moustache with lightly curled ends; by a pair of smiling lips and pearl white teeth ; short, bub curly, raven hair—look into the soft, good-humored, sparkling dark eyes—and tell me you don’t like that creature if you dare. No, you love Wild Boldl in spite of his reputation, in spite of yourself; and you would be but too eager to find an excuse should any mischief transpire ; you could not even duly resent a trick practised upon your own self. Such is Boldl. And Hannerl ? Hannerl is a pretty, round-faced, sweet tempered girl, who likes Boldl exceedingly well. Had she not been betrothed to him from earliest childhood she might have fallen in love with him—but there is nothing like those premature arrangements of the parents to prevent any warmer feeling from springing up in a young heart. Hannerl was daughter of the mayor, who was innkeeper at the same time. The stately inn, and many a substantial building, wide fields and wood, cattle, and a good piece of money, were his own. Hannerl was an only child, like Boldl. Another coincidence : she was the richest heiress, as Boldl was the richest heir. Their grounds lay ue.\t to each

other, the frontier between the two estates was not even marked by a stile ; nothing but small white stones placed at pretty considerable distances from each other, like mile-stones on the road, indicated the boundaries. When Bold! and Hannerl joined hands in church, those stones need only be removed, and the two estates, wedded to each other, would become one. Even their respective ages were suitable : Boldl was twenty-three, Hannerl nineteen years of age. Hannerl knew all the advantages of her position in life. She was above being jealous, she could quietly look on when Boldl danced with other girls. ‘ Let him flirt with these little geese,’ her lofty thoughts ran; ‘ I shall have him quite for my own soon; mine he is, mine alone!’ The night was far spent when the fellows sallied forth from the inn in search of adventures. * Juch—Juchhee!’ ‘ Juchhee, hee, hee!’ resounded from hill to hill until the sound died away in the farthest distance. * Boldl! Boldl—Boldl—Boldl—Boldl! Wild Boldl!’ * Boldl—Boldl—Boldl ” repeated the fond nymph Echo innumerable times. And peals of laughter, and shouts following, were thrown back from all sides, like mockery of thousands of fairy-like beings inhabiting those woods and hills around. Suddenly one of the party cried, ‘Beware!’ and all stood still at the commanding word. Before their feet the ground fell rapidly; they stood above a precipice not practicable for their unsteady feet. A flight of steps just broad enough to offer safe passage to one person, leading down, landed at the door of a little hut of very modest appearance; a hut standing close to the wild brook which, at times swelled into a mighty, high-flowing river, serves to carry the timber cut on the height down into the valley, ready for further transportation. The back of the hut was close to the rock, half cut into the ground, looking as if growing out of it—-mushroom-like; the front turned to the river, only a narrow passage between protected by a low fence, ornamented with various pieces of household implements, and some flower-pots around the door and windows The thatched roof was kept down by large white stones, placed in regular rows upon it, lest the wind should carry off the roof and part of the hut together. The boys inquisitively lowered their torches and exposed the poor dwelling to view. Lighted up by the unsteady flaring glow it looked not much of a habitation for human beings ; rather a hovel than a house. Boldl’s clouded mind was singularly impressed by the sight of those white stones on the roof. ‘ There is another to keep you company, lest the breeze should blow away my little cottage ! ’ With this, having taken up a large piece of stone from the ground, lifting it high above his head, he with all his might flung it down upon the unhappy roof. A thundering clap, a cracking, a loud heart-rending shriek of a woman’s voice, and the crying of an infant, were the answers to Boldl’s misplaced merriment. The stone had fallen through, and evidently hurt, perhaps killed, a human being. The boys stood aghast; their intoxication wore away, their dim brains began to clear. Another minute and the door of the hut was flung open, the glaring of a burning piece of pine-wood broke out through it; then followed the appearance of a young woman, one arm holding up the firebrand high above her head, the other pressing a sobbing infant to her motherly breast. The face of the child was overflowing with blood. As she stood there, in her picturesque undress of printed blue cotton; her tall, slender, yet fully developed form, the pale face framed into a profusion of golden hair streaming down in shining waves far below her knees, her large blue eyes raised with an expression of woful indignation, the infant on her breast; she presented a splendid picture of holy maternity. The rioters, thunderstruck, stood fastened to the ground: Boldl had never before seen or noticed the young woman; now he stood gazing at her as if lie could never tear his eyes from this heavenly apparition; for his life he could not have moved or proffered a word. Sobered by the accident he had quickly recovered his senses as the thought flashed through his brain: ‘ Thou hast hurt, thou might’st have killed, a human being —an innocent, helpless child!’ The woman raised the firebrand high above her head in order to recognise her aggressors, whose loud mirth had reached her ear through the still night air, whilst she was sitting at her infant’s cradle, diligently spinning to earn another day’s living for her darling and herself; little fancying in what a terrible way the calmness of her mind would be disturbed. ‘ I cannot distinguish,’ she said after a while, with the tremor of violent agitation in the rich tones of her ringing voice; ‘ but without seeing, I know thee, Wild Boldl! ’ And with haughty indignation she stepped back, retiring into the cottage and bolted her door. Darkness and deep stillness, the latter only interrupted from time to time by sobbing sounds from the infant’s breast, was reigning again below. The party slowly moved on ; they tried a a few more jokes, but it wouldn’t take with Boldl; he soon got out some florins, and distributing them amongst the musicians, he said ‘ good night ’ and went home. The_hut_in the wood was that of the ‘ Flosser,’ whose business it was to watch over the wild waters, and by means of primitive art to regulate their flow to the requirements of the ‘ Waldbauer; ’ the sluice and weir, the water gates, the dikes and dams, were under the management of that official. But the Each-Torge had been dead since last spring, whan most unfortunately falling down a considerable height, the decrepid old man, unable to keep up the struggle long, was washed away by his familiar waters, Froni (Veronica) his young widow, with, her orphan baby, lived in the hut now. (To be continued.)