Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-05-28

year we received letters. Then he said
he was going on great venture, and we
might not hear from him for some time.
Nor did we. No tidings from him since
our last letter."
And the poor widow broke out in tears.
But deep groan from the inner chamber
reused her at once; she went in, and
heard the girl saying:
"Mother, mother! Karl is coming,
coming Er k0mnat! er komanatP"
While the mother was soothing her sui
fering daughter heard far away, as 1t
seemed to me, a sound like the tinkling of
a cow-bell But it increased in strength,
and going to the door I listened attentive
ly. and sure enough il was church bell.
The mothers familiar ear had eau yht
the sound, and rushing to the door she
listened awhile. "No alarm no flre!"
said she. "What can it be? 1t is the
church bell of Wetterbrunner."
GLOW far from here ?" / asked.
1.-TWO miles" she answered "but it takes
long to get there through the windings of
the mountain passes"
The bell still continued ringing, and
through the open door the sound reached
the ear of the sufferer. "Hear! Hear I"
she cried, "the bell rings Es konanat! er
k0nanat!"
The mother and myself were standing
in the door listening to the sound, and, as
it were, lost in our own thoughts. What
were hers do not know. Tears streamed
down her furrowed cheeks, and at last she
said, with the accent of deepest grief:
'7Seber Herr G0tt erbarpe dSch u71ser."
go Lord God have mercy on u.s."
But all at once we heard voices singing,
shouting, huZzaing; then again, as the
road went behind some mountain, these
grew faint, and nothing was heard but the
distant ringing of the Wetterbrunner bell.
"Hurrah!" it sounded suddenly, where
the road came direct upon the chalet.
"Hurrah for Karl. Long live Karl! Long
live Trudchen!"
looked at the mother; she staggered.
I caught her in my arms, but recovering
Immediately the brave woman said "Karl,
sir; Karl is coming" and she went to the
ed-chamber. She knelt down before the
couch whereon lay her daughter, seeming
ly asleep, her eyes closed, her hands clasp
ed over her breast She knelt down and
wept.
| stood in anxious expectation. The
voices became louder and louder. could
hear the tramping Of horses and footsteps
Soon 1 saw mass of men approaching
the gate. Stopping, they gave hearty
"Hurrah for Karl! Hurrah for Trud-
chen ~ | saw young man shaking hands,
with words of thanks to all, then lifting
the gate latch and hastily walking up to
the door.
He saw me, greeted politely, went into
the house, and said with voice thick with
emotion
mother mother!"
The mother stood in the door, put her
finger on her lips, opened her arms, and
what an embrace! What long, long en-
brace That bronzed face of the young
Switzer quivered, tears rolled down; and
the mother! shall I ever forget the ex-
preston of thankful hope and grateful
love!
Trudchen ?" asked Karl, at last.
"All yours, my Karl, my boy all yours,
but ill and weak. Look in"
Thus saying she led him to the bed
chamber, g here Trudchen lay seemingly
asleep. Kali trembled all over with emo
ton. He approached, knelt down, took
one of the clasped hands, kissed it, then
rose and softly left the room.
Though not physician, knew enough
to see that there was case which, unless
handled with care, might turn into death.
or worse even-lunacy.
"Be CAREFUL" said 1. "Do not try to
awaken your daughter. Watch her. She
may sleep on the whole night. Stay with
her. When she wakes to consciousness
be guarded. Violent emotion might kill
her."
The mother thanked me. / went out to
the gate, and told the assembled friends
the state Of affairs. I begged them to
leave quietly, and to send up the physician
from Wetterbrunner.
In the meantime Karl told his story. 1t
was that of many others. After a year of
toll in the new world, he heard of the Cali
fornia gold mines, made up his mind, went
to work bravelv, kept sober and steady,
made what in Berne Oberland might be
Cal ed "good pile," and fastened to re-
turn so as to keep his word with his be-
trQthed. On his arrival at Wetterbrunner
he generously treated his numerous friends,
who, in their enthusiasm, began to ring
the church bell, and accompanied him to
his future home.
1t was deep in the night when the ply
sician came-an elderly man, not only the
physician of the villagers, but their friend
and real benefactor. He knew of Trud-
chen's faithful love and enduring expecta-
ton. During the third year of Karl's alb
sence she began to be quiet and thought
full; then languid and listless then there
would be now and then rosy tint on her
cheeks-once 80 full, but now wan then,
when she gave the doctor her little hand,
he felt it feverlsh, and looked serious.
Mother" he said to old Magdalen,
another, be very careful. No night air,
no dreaming to the stars, no listening to
the far-otf breeze when it rushes to the
big pine forest. Take her out, mother ;
visit neighbor Wortheim, your kinsman !;
go anywhere, mother, and give her
change. Perhaps she may fall in with
some of our sturdy mountaineers, who
may replace what seems to be lost"
And the mother did as she was told, but
Trudchen remained thoughtful and list
less, and at last seemed unable to help her
dear old mother in the household duties.
Thus the old doctor knew his patient
He approached the couch carefully, looked
awhile on the beautiful sleeper, took ten
derly her hand, and felt the pulse.
"No pulse" said he.
"No pulse" repeated he after a long
pause. What is this? 1t seems 1 hear
her breathing" said he. leaning over her
"Yes, hear it distinctly, but slow; very
slow What is this =? and no pulse? ?"
Karl" he said to the anxious lover,
be careful not to be near her, should
she awake Very weak, very weak. 1
should say on the brink of eternal sleep.
Il she awakes from this, be not there.
BREAK II softly to her. Her life hangs on
IN thread as fine as spider ever wove