Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-03-28

in the character of his wife; yet such
was his love for her that he overlooked
them all, and continued the same fond
and foolish lover that be was on their
day.
But at length there came to him a
crisis sudden aud overwhelming. His |
shop, or rather factory now, took fire.
Johann's house was on a retired street, |
some distance off, and had been selected |
on account of its resemblance to the |
dear little cottage on the KONG strasse.
Together with Kate and the old lady, |
he was enjoying a late supper after a
hard days labor. Johann had fallen to
talking of the old times at home with |
him well-worn subject), and was COM
pairing his present location to Golgau,
with reference to business, much to the
discredit of the latter place. just as he
was descanting, for the fifteenth time,
on the beauties of some new machinery
which he had been purchasing, the alarm
of fire broke in upon the conversation.
Johann, counting the strokes, knew that
it was somewhere near his factory; but,
not wishing to disturb his wife, laugh
ingly said that he would take . walk
down to the 6re-adding that he would
be back in half an hour. As he neared
the scene of action, his fears were con-
firmed; for the flames, which had con-
sumed the building adjoining, were al
ready making swift destruction of his
property. There was evidently no posi-
bic salvation for the factory. For mo-
ment Johann was stupetied. What was
to be done? In his Office on the second
floor were valuable papers, which, if
saved, would secure to him at least
portion of his property. With the
courage, or rather madness of despera-
ton, he rushed forward and entered the
building. The crowd shouted to him to
return, but he leaped blindly on until
he reached the staircase leading to his
Office. 1t was only on reaching this
point that he perceived the uselessness
of his attempt, for the smoke rolled
down in heavy volumes, rendering an
ascent utterly impossible. Returning
to the door, he found his passage i'm
peded by falling timbers. He ran to
the back of the building, and, crawling
out of an aperture through which some
pipes had formerly been laid, reached
the open air. His exit had not been
observed, and as he mingled in the
crowd he heard the people crying out
that there was man in the building.
He stood for some minutes, watching
the flames remorsely eat up the factory.
All the money that he had originally in
vested and all he had since accumu-
lated, was lost-gone, almost in mo-
ment. How many weary years of toll
had it taken to earn this property,
whose ashes were now scattered to the
winds? How he had scraped and
pinched and calculated with his father
to save penny here and groshen
there during his early years? And now,
what had it all amounted 10? The fac
tory was destroyed, ard ne was utterly
penniless. If only he had insured it
If he had only been as careful in insur-
ing his property as insuring his lifel
All! that was it. His life was insured
for twenty thousand dollars, which
would revert to Kate in case of his
death, and support her in comfort all
her days. He was supposed 10 have
persisted in the flames. Why not creep
away unnoticed, and let his beloved
wife have the benefit of the insurance?
She, at least, would be preserved from
the modification of poverty. But could
he thus rudely separate himself from
her, and sacrifice all his happiness for
her sake? My dear Mr. Honeycomb,
what do you think you would have done
in this case?
"WhatI'' you exclaim. "The man
surely would not think of cheating the
insurance companies u
Sir. let me inform you that such an
issue as that never once presented itself
TO our unfortunate Johann. The ques-
ton with him was Shall sacrifice my
happiness for Katrina's comfort? A
tumult of thoughts seemed to throng
his brain all at once then with power
full effort, he made his decision, and
skunk away out of the crowd into the
darkness-no longer the prosperous
Johann Bierslinger, but strange and
unknown being, homeless and name
less. Early in the morning a dark train
bore out of the city, in its darkest
corner, man who stammered when the
conductor asked his destination, as if
the subject had never occurred to him
before.
While the current of one life was
shifting SO completely, they whom it
most concerned were sitting at the sup
portable waiting for Johann's return.
Kate read the newspaper (she had
learned to read English quite readily,
and the old lady brought out her knit
Sing-work and wondered occasionally
at the prolonged absence of her son-in-
law. As it grew later, the servant
cleared away the table. Kate, having
finished reading the news, began on the
advertisements. Her mother finally re-
tired, grumbling at Johann for his late
hours-hours destined to be later than
her latest thought. Years are but the
expansion of hours, and years grow
strangely late.
Kathrina was still reading the news
paper, when neighbor came in and
acquainted her with the loss of the fac,
tory. If this had been such blow to
her husband, what must have been the
feelings of Kate, whose every thought
was bound up in the acquisition of
wealth. And she had married below
her station in society for this To be
reduced to poverty, and be cut by all
her acquaintance las she knew she
would be), was too much for her to bear.
| Che ~