The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 16 July 1903, Page 23

The Storyteller

MAY

What a beautiful spring it was ! Just as if it had been made 1 o order by a poet for a happy pair of lovers. In the beginning of March the last ice carnival had been hold, at which fair-hairvd Greta Schaffner had quarrelled with her true knight, the young prolessor, Karl Bomdorf. leading her shrewtd friends to conclude for the hundredth time that these two would be the next to become engaged. Six weeks later the gardens and orchards which surrounded the town and extended to the beach forest on the heights weie covered with white cherry blossoms. The farmer does not like so early a spring, but the city people delighted in it, and the skdes were in accordance with the feeling of the majority, and continued the fair weather as if there were a full supply of it for all succeeding months. In the garden of the university, outside the windows of auditorium No. 8, a nightingale sat among the blossoms of a great magnolia tree and sang as insistently as if he alone had the right at this season, to lecture to the students. It was small wonder, when one considers that his was the only course that had been begun punctually on the first day of the summer term, the 2nd of April, for \ears and years. Hut he had never fdund his desk, the magnolia tree, so beautifully decorated since his first return from the long vacation on the Nile. So he made a special effort this time ; he had already been addressing the class for two weeks, day and night, and it was not his fault if one of the students behind the windjow panes allowed his observations to pass unheeded: At any rato, they influenced Professor Karl Borndorf, who on the last day of this sunny, lazy April, as on every other Tuesday and Friday, from six to seven o'clock, lectured on ' Old Germanic Myths and Folk Lore.' To-day, when he came to the end of his speech, he raised his eyes from his book and smiled at his colleague in the magnolia Then, with a commanding look, as a general collects his forces, he caught the attention of his pupils, who were already beginning to put up their books, stroked his brown moustache, and said : ' Even anioncr our own surroundings, gentlemen, at this particular season of the year we find many of these old Germanic customs springing to life again like the flowers and the songs of spring and of love — like love itself. To-day, as in centuries past, on the eve of the day which was once the most important festival of the Germanic peoples, the villacre youths go into the country with great secrecy. There they gather the flowering may, and on the first night of May they place it before the windows of their sweethearts as a declaration, often, perhaps, the fust formal acknowledgment of their feelings and hopes But the maiden who is o"\er coy, arrogant, and cold is gnen the false may, and when she opens her windows on Mav-d.iv she finds a branch of the gnarled wild cherry as a sign that .she has drnen away the suitor, who thus shows her what her character is — early blossoming, but hard, obstinate, and untender. We of the cities have forgotten this flower language, gentlemen, and ha\e exchanged it for other learning. But its spirit roaches us fi cm time to time, and in the suburbs at loa-st, whore tho -villas of the city business man encroach on tho tilled fields one who gets up early enough '-hall find here and t hero on the first of May a house before which is laid the may — o,r possibly the false may . ' After this di^cour^p Dr Karl Borndorf took leave of his thiee faithful pupils and loft auditorium No. Bto take an evening walk in tho woods and work out poetically the sulkstnnco of his learned remarks ITeavon had endowed him liber.iliv The voumf professor had already a fair reputation for scholarship, and, in addition to heing well connected, he was the fax onto pupil of iho well-known Oeheimrath Schaffnen and nephew of old Professor Wendelin Borndorf, who occupied tho chair of botany in tho university and was as famous for his learning as for his absent-mindedness But as a budding pool "Dr Borndorf was the soul of all prhato theatricals and such affairs in college circles Ho was a -valuable assistant, who nlwavs found something appropriate to write for a ' pnl tor-abend, a jubilee, a dedication, or a charity fair Without imagining himself a Goi'thf 1 , ho plied this art of verse-making with untirincr willingness nr\(] ovon wilh pleasure, when the name of Greta SchafTnnr was among those who had nood of it 'Of com so she is to bo there a<rain,' ho would reivnvk in tho samo tono and with tho same resigned smile with which f.'icta, when sho was invited to take part in those entertainments, said 'Well wo must learn another do7on of Dr. Borndorf's allegorical verses hv heart and accept his lectures on incorrect intonation patiently at rehearsals ' The patience was of a peculiar kind, to be sure, and the intercourse between author and loading lady was punctual ed hv remarks as sharp as a hedgehog's quills ; but tho strange thing was that ho 'govp her the best parts r>nd tho prottiost torsos time after time, and that she followed his instructions lmnutelv when the performance caino off. although sho had r'm counter to them with a shrug of her shoulders or with affected amiability at refhoarsals ' Tt's tho funniest thing about those two,' old Mrs. Mahlke used to say. ' When they were school children —

heavens, I have known them, from their cradles ! — well, then, right through their school days they were the best of comrades ; and now, why they quarrel so that they can scarcely endure each other.' But it had really gone too far at the last rehearsal. The occasion was a little play for the ' polter-abend ' of a friend of Greta's who was to marry a, man in the lores try department, and Greta, in the role of ' woodfairy/ had the lion's share of poetry. At first all went well, but when Dr. Borndorf announced that for technical reasons he must lengthen the wood-fairy's monologue some three minutes, and the wood-fairy exclaimed, 1 Good hca\cns, nioro of the stuff ! ' the trouble began. (Jieta Schaffner had the last word, as usual, but she icaliscd that she had overstepped the bounds of politeness. ' It's all his fault, though,' she tried to tell herbelf in answer to her qualms of conscience ; ' why can't he put an end to it ? ' it was with an air of great decision that Dr. Karl Borndorf placed his ' Monologue of the Wood-fairy *" in an envelope with a short accompanying note, directed it to Miss Greta Schaffner, and set out to leave it personally at the Schaffners' house in Bismarck street. But he chose an hour in which only important telegrams are usually delivered — between one and two o'clock in the morning. He glided through the streets of the suburbs, with their little houses as like as peas in a pod, as quietly as a thief, and, in addition to the letter, he drew from beneath his coat something which, however, ho did not put in the post box. But he was not unobserved. The old night watchman of the district, who had made himself a very comfortable resting-place in the doorway of the opposite house with the help of his cloak rolled up like a pillow, recognised the quiet visitor and took, note of what he was doing. ' Now, see that ! ' the watchman growled to himself. ' The idea of these city folks having nothing better to do. Ever since the Kneipp cure came in they must copy the peasants in everything.' Then ho got up and walked after the retreating figure with the greeting, ' Good evening, doctor. May I trouble you for a light ? ' ' Certainly,' replied Karl Borndorf, with quick understanding, and he brought forth his well-filled cigar case. The watchman congratulated himself that the professor had not forgotten this form of student exprasbion. ' Thank you, doctor,' he said, drawing out two cigars and sticking them in his waistcoat pocket. ' You can rely on mo : I have seen nothing,' and he helped himself to another cigar, which he lighted at the flame oi his lantern. Then they parted with friendly nods, and Bismarck street was quiet and dark again save for the occasional tapping of the watchman's stick on the pavement, and the glow of his cigar, which shone like a giant lightning bug in the May night. Toward six o'clock in the morning the watchman wont homo to fortify himself with breakfast and sleep for now duties, among which was that of dog-catcher. At daybreak other young men with green branches in their hands flitted about wiith an air of great mystery, stopping at sundry doors and windows without being disturbed by the night watchman. As It grew light the stieet became alive with people. Whistling bakers' hoys trudged along and hung their baskets of bread on the door-K,no)xs. Here and there a servant girl peeped out of the house expectantly simpered and blushed when she '-aw a may branch outside, but did not take it in, for her master and mistress must first admire it, and, above all, the noighboiing maids who were not favored with such a love token must behold and envy. At seven o'clock, befoie the shutters of the houses were opened, the first city pedestrian appeared. This was Professor Wendelin Boindorf, called simply Wendelinus by the students, a round little gentleman with long, white locks, spectacle^ on his nose, and a lorgnette hanging from his nock, for he was very near-sighted. He was as parly <i riser as any old maid, and it was his habit to take a walk in the woods as soon as the sun was well up, deep in thought over an engrossing problem, and usually carrying in his hand something that he had ricked up on his way and would lay down elsewhere \n his absentmindedness. This time he held a branch between his fingers, a snarled, crooked branch with white flowers Before the window of -the Rchafifner house his attention was attracted. He laid down the wild cherry spray and held the now object of interest close to his spectacles 'To bo sure' he murmured. ' the may. Betula, quite ricrht. boti.la alba, our true may. And tied with a blue ribbon TTow singular ' Then ho meandered on, deen in his problems again, did ontn-olv unconscious that he still carried the branch of botnla alba m his hand But ten or twelve houses firther on ho saw a couple of servant girls standing together and recording another such branch with smirks and lvrluos Then he recollected himself. ' oho ' ' ho thought. 'if that is the case, I must Hie tin' thing back, where it belongs. Where was it, thouch o ' Ho retraced his stpps. peering at the houses with both spectacles and lorgnette, and stopped before a w indow ' Tt must have boon hpro ' he said, with satisfaction, and ho laid tho branch on the window-sill. At the samp moment something black and bristlylooking appeared close to his face, an odor of soot .yssailpd his nose, and when ho turned round a chimneysweep stood before him with a ladder, brushes, and the

other tools of his trade ; a young, well-grown lad he was, with shining eyes. The 'grimy fellow pointed to a similar branch in the doorway of the house, and said, threateningly : ' See here, you, do you know that I put that there ?' The professor inspected the huge may and nodded, comprehend in gly. ' Yes, yes '."' he said, with a smile of radiant friendliness. ' I understand ! Ah, love, love ! But don't despair, my friend, perhaps the young woman will gi\e you the preference over your rival. 1 see you ha\e selected bet>'iln pendula, tho so-called woepinir birch. Why was that ? You should not lose courage so quickly Good morning to you. my dear fellow.' With these words of comfort he turned and continued his walk. The other stared after him in perplexity, then pulled the door-bell violently, and when the maid came to the door, began a harangue in tones which did not harmonise with the gentle tribute he had laid on tho door sill at dawn. When Miss Greta Schaffner came down to breakfast an hour later a letter lav beside her plate. She smiled as she recognised the handwriting. ' Well, Babette, did you get 'any may ? ' she asked the housekeeper as she opened the envelope. She had innocently stumbled on a sore point, for Babette had waited twenty years for her first may, and found the> reminder of it bitter. ' Good heavens ! ' she said, shrugging her shoulders, ' I am glad that no one toothers me with such nonsense. The girl next door has fought with her young man already this morning because he came along as an old gentleman from the town was leaving a piece of may for her.' Greta wias not listening ; her whole mind was occupied with the verses of the amateur poet. ' Yes ? ' she asked absent-mindedly, and continued reading. ' Yes,' Babette went on. eyeing her. ' T don't know what has come over the city folks ; they arc placing all sorts of tricks. Now, look what was on our window ledge this morning ! The night watchman, tho one who took our Azor to the pound, saw who put it there And who do you think ? Young I)r. Borndorf.' The paper in Greta's hand trembled ; she grew pale and stared speechlessly at tho spray of wild cherry that Babette placed beside her plate. ' Now, what do you say to that ? ' asked the good Babette. ' Was that nice ? ' ' No, certainly not,' said poor Greta, with unsteady voice ' Throw the nasty thin«- into the fire, Babette, and say nothing to your master nbolut it.' She rose and left' the room, and Babette looked after her, well satisfied. ' That settles it,' she thought ; and <^he might well say so. • Tho theatricals were going badly Greta S< ha finer had retracted her promise "to take part and had fallen out with several of her friends in consequence. A substitute for the character of wood-fairy was found but the poc-t and director seemed to ha\e lost inteiest m the affair, and excused himself on tho plea of studios, leaving, the young ladies to do what they could with his verses by themselves Greta Schaffner had returned his poetical effusion on tho true and false may, with the following note : 'Miss Greta Schaffner thanl s Dr Karl Bomdoif for his tactful remembrance and begs that lie will span? her his attentions in future ' Since then he had foiswoin souotv and h\od among old German manuscripts His scornful lady wont around looking so troubled and pale that o\(n her learned father noticed it ; her di.uy was the lepositorvof several closely-written pages full of the lollowncss of lifo, longing for death, and impressive exclamation points She also spent hours walking in the woods, and when she met Professor Wendelin Borndoif, she i etui nod his paternal greeting with a certain sympathetic friendliness, as if to commiserate him on being afflicted with such a nephew Of course Professor Wenr'elin Pomdoif had no idea that there was anything wrong b( twocn his nephew and the fair-haired daughter of his colleague, Schaffner But about a week after that portentous May-day he made a great disco\ery. Ho was sitting in tho wood on a bench by the road which led from the town to a villaeo on tho heights, letting the morning breeze play with his venerable locks, and ga/ino- thoughtfully up into the branches of an oak tree in front of him Suddenly ho became aware of a round obioct that seemed to protrude from tho middle of a broad branch ITc leinforced the spectacles by the lorgnette, poeied up exritedly, muttering to himself, and finally rose and becan a zealous attempt to clamber up the tree But the trunk was too thick and the lowest branch was sev oi al loot above his highest jump At this moment the vounn- chimney-swoop happened to come along whistling He had work to do in tho tillage on the hill and was in full working ti mi When he recognised the old gentleman he stopped whistling and scowled. ' Ah, my lad, you come at the right time with your ladder,' cried the professor In delioht. ' Would you mind helping me up tin's tree ° I believe I see something up there that demands my presence ' An unholy grin spread over the face of tho chimneysweep. ' I'll take care of you all right ! ' ho said, placing <he ladder against the tree Tho professor mofintod, swung himself into the branches, and climbed toward his

goal with such eagerness that he did not see his helper take away the ladder and hide behind a bush some distance off. 'It actually is viscuni album, the popular mistletoe ! J ne lust time I have ever seen the species on this sort of ree f xT Crie tho P rof essor from above, greatly excited Wow we will see how he gets down again,' said tno chimney-sweep below, complacently. Half an hour later Greta Schafmer came and sat down on the bench. She loved this place, so shady and br i"h' particularly when the Wl ' n d played among the + 1 i ile forest rustles, the clouds float by," ' she (Quoted, and raised her blue eyes to the tree." There, close lo tho luusUeiuu, she saw tin- professoi , with blackened hands and dangling legs. He bowed to her benevolently pointed to the parasite, and called down : ' This is indeed a lucky morning, dear child. See this big piece of mistletoe, viscum album. The common people call it also oak mistletoe, but, as a matter of fact it %cry seldom grows on the oak trees, and this is the first time 1 have ever seen it in our locality Am 1 not to be congratulated ? ' ' How did you get up there, Professor ? ' asked Greta. v- 'i A^I cind £ ound ITian - «■ chimney-sweep, helped me with nis ladder. But I don't see him now. Do you see him anywhere, child ? ' '< neither nian nor ladder,' replied Greta. Oh, said the Professor, '<I am sorry. I remember now that 1 neglected to ask him to wait. Will you please get me another ladder, my dear ? I really think 1 had better not attempt to jump.' ' For heaven's sake, don't, Professor! ' cried Greta. Stay whore you are, and I will see if I can g,et help ' She must have walked about five minutes before she saw two people ; they were her father and— l)r Borndorf. The gehoimrath had brought his companion into this secluded placo to confide to him his theories regarding certain questions of Gothic acoustics. Hastily, and without looking at Karl, Greta told her father of the professor's plight ' H ' m ' What ai"G we .going to do about tt ? ' asked the geheimrath 'If you were to notify the fire department to send the hook and ladder company ' ' T think uo can manage,' interrupted the doctor, stretching himself to the full height of his tall figure if Miss Schaffner will show usithe way to the tree ' ' With pleasure,' said Greta, coldly, and led the way The hypocrite' ' she thought. ' TTe has sat under that tree with me for many years, and knows where it is as well as I do. He only wishes to annoy me with his presence ' The. professor was waving a branch of mistletoe at thorn in the distance. A splendid riiscovorv my friends !' he cried. But where is \ our ladder 9 ' ' T am afraid wo must do without, undo ' said the doctor, standing under the tree. ' But if you will put your foot on my shoulder ' ' That isn't uecessarv, sir,' said tho chimney-sweep, emerging from his hiding-place- ' The old gentleman should li,i\ c whistled for me: T was in the wood picking wild flowers But T want to take this chance to ask the gentleman why lie brought mv eirl a may branch when lie didn't o\ on know her Such foolishness isn't dignified for a loained cent lonian with white hair.' Tho professor meantime had descondod the ladder. He looked at his questioner in ama/eniont Ah,' ho said. ' now 1 remember. It was in Bismarck sticet, wasn't it •> Why, mv dear k-llow, that was a mista! o You refer to a branch ol flowering may tied with a blue iibhoii. do \ou not It was King on tho wmdow-sill when I came along. 1 took it away quite absent-mindedly, and was morelv putting it hack. Dr. Karl Borndorf looked doubtfully at his uncle and then at Greta, who had changed color", and was leaning against the oak ' Are you sin-p, undo, that you jvut the may back in tho right window '•> ' he asked". ' Perhaps it belonged to tho next house.' ' There was a wild cherry branch there,' said Greta, with downcast eyes, pulling at an oak leaf 'Oh, good gracious, \es ' ' exclaimed the professor. ' T had been carrying that in my hand Where could my wits haM> been that morning? Ah, tell me, my friend/ ho continued, taking tho geheimrath a few paces aside, ' do you suppose that this unknown .servant girl of yofcr neighbor's could— what shall I say 9 — bi ing a suit against me on account of this misunderstanding ? It would be \ cry unpleasant.' 'No, I <lon't think so,' laughed the 'geheimrath, and lie borkonod to the chimney-sweep ' You see, my man,' he said. ' it was all a mistake.' ' All right,' replied tho sweep. ' We've made it up, anyway, me and mv girl ' ' And T am very glad to hoar it,' said the professor, dhing into his pocket ' Here, take this and give it to your fiancee ' ' The sweep o\ ed the gold piece undecidedly. ' I won't take any presents for my girl.'' he said at last, ' but Til tell you. T'll take it for helping you into Hie tree' With wnich ho pocketed the gold piece and walked off. ' So this is tho mistletoe, is it ° ' askod tho geheimrath, examining the twig in his colleague's hand. ' Curious ! It was a sacred plant to our heathen forefathers, and you know that in England it still retains certain traditions of love ; if a man caUhos a girl under tho mistletoe at Christmast ido ho may kiss her. And now, what are you young people doinc"? '

There stood his daughter Greta, directly under the mistletoe-bearing oak, allowing herself to be kissed by Karl Borndorf as unconcernedly as if it were Christmas in H/ngland. for the h s ! ighr P lels h^ gg h e Jm imrath ' "* Smiled cont^edly, • lA* 1 ' '*. r ®P eated th <? Professor, holding the sprig of mistletoe before his spectacles instead of a lorgnette Well, May is a blessed month, my friend ! '—Exchange'