_William Bucholz._--_Life at Roton Hill._--_A Visit to New York
City._
William Bucholz, the servant of the old gentleman, did not possess
the morose disposition nor the desire for isolation evinced by his
master, for, instead of shunning the society of those with whom he
came in contact, he made many acquaintances during his leisure hours
among the people of the town and village, and with whom he soon
became on terms of perfect intimacy. To him, therefore, perhaps as
much as to any other agency, was due in a great measure the fabulous
stories of the old man's wealth.
Being of a communicative disposition, and gifted with a seemingly
frank and open manner, he found no difficulty in extending his circle
of acquaintances, particularly among those of a curious turn of mind.
In response to their eager questioning, he would relate such wonderful
stories in reference to his master, of the large amount of money which
he daily carried about his person, and of reputed wealth in Germany,
that it was believed by some that a modern Croesus had settled in
their midst, and while, in common with the rest of humanity, they paid
homage to his gold, they could not repress a feeling of contempt for
the miserly actions and parsimonious dealings of its possessor.
With the young ladies also William seemed to be a favorite, and his
manner of expressing himself in such English words as he had
acquired, afforded them much interest and no little amusement. Above
all the rest, however, the two daughters of Mrs. Waring possessed the
greatest attractions for him, and the major part of his time, when
not engaged in attending upon his employer, was spent in their
company. Of the eldest daughter he appeared to be a devoted admirer,
and this fact was far from being disagreeable to the young lady
herself, who smiled her sweetest smiles upon the sturdy young German
who sued for her favors.
Sadie Waring was a wild, frolicsome young lady of about twenty years
of age, with an impulsive disposition, and an inclination for
mischief which was irrepressible. Several experiences were related of
her, which, while not being of a nature to deserve the censure of her
associates, frequently brought upon her the reproof of her parents,
who looked with disfavor upon the exuberance of a disposition that
acknowledged no control.
Bucholz and Sadie became warm friends, and during the pleasant days
of the early Autumn, they indulged in frequent and extended rambles;
he became her constant chaperone to the various traveling shows which
visited the town, and to the merry-makings in the vicinity. Through
her influence also, he engaged the services of a tutor, and commenced
the study of the English language, in which, with her assistance, he
soon began to make rapid progress.
In this quiet, uneventful way, the time passed on, and nothing
occurred to disturb the usual serenity of their existence. No attempt
was made by Henry Schulte to cultivate the land which he had
purchased, and, except a small patch of ground which was devoted to
the raising of a few late vegetables, the grass and weeds vied with
each other for supremacy in the broad acres which surrounded the
house.
Daily during the pleasant weather the old gentleman would wend his
way to the river, and indulge in the luxury of a bath, which seemed
to be the only recreation that he permitted himself to take; and in
the evening, during which he invariably remained in the house, he
would spend the few hours before retiring in playing upon the violin,
an instrument of which he was very fond, and upon which he played
with no ordinary skill.
The Autumn passed away, and Winter, cold, bleak, and cheerless,
settled over the land. The bright and many-colored leaves that had
flashed their myriad beauties in the full glare of the sunlight, had
fallen from the trees, leaving their trunks, gnarled and bare, to the
mercy of the sweeping winds. The streams were frozen, and the
merry-makers skimmed lightly and gracefully over the glassy surface
of pond and lake. Christmas, that season of festivity, when the
hearts of the children are gladdened by the visit of that fabulous
gift-maker, and when music and joy rule the hour in the homes of the
rich--but when also, pinched faces and hungry eyes are seen in the
houses of the poor--had come and gone.
To the farm-house on the "Hill," there had come no change during this
festive season, and the day was passed in the ordinary dull and
uneventful manner. William Bucholz and Sadie Waring had perhaps
derived more enjoyment from the day than any of the others, and in
the afternoon had joined a party of skaters on the lake in the
vicinity, but beyond this, no incident occurred to recall very
forcibly the joyous time that was passing.
On the second day after Christmas, Henry Schulte informed William of
his intention to go to New York upon a matter of business, and after
a scanty breakfast, accompanied by his valet, he wended his way to
the station.
They had become accustomed to ignore the main road in their journeys
to the town, and taking a path that ran from the rear of the house,
they would walk over the fields, now hard and frozen, and passing
through a little strip of woods they would reach the track of the
railroad, and following this they would reach the station, thereby
materially lessening the distance that intervened, and shortening the
time that would be necessary to reach their destination.
Placing the old gentleman safely upon the train, and with
instructions to meet him upon his arrival home in the evening,
Bucholz retraced his steps and prepared to enjoy the leisure accorded
to him by the absence of the master.
In the afternoon his tutor came, and he spent an hour engaged in the
study of the English language, and in writing. Shortly after the
departure of the teacher Mrs. Waring requested him to accompany her
to a town a few miles distant, whither she was going to transact some
business, and he cheerfully consenting, they went off together.
Returning in the gathering twilight Bucholz was in excellent spirits
and in great good humor, and as they neared their dwelling they
discovered Sadie slightly in advance of them, with her skates under
her arm, returning from the lake, where she had been spending the
afternoon in skating. William, with a view of having a laugh at the
expense of the young lady, when within a short distance of her, drew
a revolver which he carried, and discharged it in the direction in
which she was walking. The girl uttered a frightened scream, but
William's mocking laughter reassured her, and after a mutual laugh at
her sudden fright the three proceeded merrily to the house.
It was now time for William to go to the station for his master, who
was to return that evening, and he started off to walk to the train,
reaching there in good time, and in advance of its arrival.
Soon the bright light of the locomotive was seen coming around a
curve in the road, the shrill whistle resounded through the wintry
air, and in a few minutes the train came rumbling up to the station,
when instantly all was bustle and confusion.
Train hands were running hither and thither, porters were loudly
calling the names of the hotels to which they were attached, the
inevitable Jehu was there with his nasal ejaculation of "Kerige!"
while trunks were unloaded and passengers were disembarking.
Bright eyes were among the eager crowd as the friendly salutations
were exchanged, and merry voices were heard in greeting to returning
friends. Rich and poor jostled each other in the hurry of the moment,
and the waiting servant soon discovered among the passengers the form
of the man he was waiting for.
The old gentleman was burdened with some purchases of provisions
which he had made, and in an old satchel which he carried the necks
of several bottles of wine were protruding. Assisting him to alight,
Bucholz took the satchel, and they waited until the train started
from the depot and left the trackway clear. The old man looked
fatigued and worn, and directed Bucholz to accompany him to a saloon
opposite, which they entered, and walking up to the bar, he requested
a couple of bottles of beer for himself and servant. This evidence of
unwonted generosity created considerable wonderment among those who
were seated around, but the old gentleman paid no attention to their
whispered comments, and, after liquidating his indebtedness, the two
took up their packages and proceeded up the track upon their journey
home.
What transpired upon that homeward journey was destined to remain for
a long time an inscrutable mystery, but after leaving that little inn
no man among the curious villagers ever looked upon that old man's
face in life again. The two forms faded away in the distance, and the
weary wind sighed through the leafless trees; the bright glare of the
lights of the station gleamed behind them, but the shadows of the
melancholy hills seemed to envelop them in their dark embrace--and to
one of them, at least, it was the embrace of death.