The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-03-29

husband, who loved her had been
snatched away in terrible manner, and
without even a chance of saying "good-
byew or "God bless you " Not TO
mourn the loss of such husband would
prove her an migrate of the lowest type.
OF course, the idea of thinking about
her husbands property was at first in
tolerable. When she came to lookinto
matters, however, she found that while
there We're no outstanding debts, vet all
the business property had been de
stroyed in the fire, and she and her
mother left with only the cottage which
they could call their own. She indig-
nantly refused TO touch the llfe-insur-
ance money. 1t seemed TO her, she de
clared, like a sacrilege. But after
while she felt that, as IL had been her
husbands intention TO provide for her,
she should accept it.
Twenty thousand dollars in cash was
no small sum at that time, and Kathrina
had little difficulty III investing it safe
ly. Much of it she caused to be put in
real estate. This increased greatly in
value, and in due course Of time Mrs.
Kate Bierslinger attained the reputa-
ton of being a rich young widow. The
little cottage was rented, and its former
mistress purchased a fine house on a
fashionable avenue. She kept SPLEEN
did carriage with driver and footman in
livery. Her business was all transacted
by her agents, and she was apparently
in want OF nothing to add to a life OF
ease Friends, of whom she had many
as she grew Weather, advised her to
marry but she kept her own counsel.
She had reared stately monument 10
Johann, and this she visited often. At
ter while she began to figure on the
charity lists, and her name was syno-
nym for benevolence. She founded a
hospital, and visited the poorer districts
Of the city on errands of mercy.
One day while riding In her carriage,
accompanied by several of her lady
friends, they passed party of laborers
who were at work mending the pave
ment. KATRINA was in the midst of an
animated conversation, but happened
TO catch the eye of one of them, dressed
in ragged blouse and smoking a short
pipe, who looked so like her deceased
husband that she tainted outright and
in good earnest for once in her life. She
was taken TO the house Of one of her
friends, and on recovering demanded to
be driven back Immediately to the
group of laborers. ersecond thought
must have convinced her that she had
been the victim of. a silly illusion; for,
before reaching the spot she ordered the
coachman to return TO the house. She
did not consider it neces airy 10 obtain
certain proof Of her weakness by again
facing the cause of her agitation. Hav-
ing recovered her spirits, she proceeded
with her friends on their original err
rand and they soon forgot the Incl
dent. Kate, however, for long time
thereafter, scanned half fearlully the
faces Of all the laborers she met, proba.
bly, with the vain hope Of again see
ing the one that had gazed up at her
out of her dead husbands countenance.
Ten years drag along very slowly,
even with the rich, who have every con.
venience for killing time. Mrs. Kate
BiersIinger felt very lonely after her
mothers death, which occurred one
night, not altogether unexpectedly for
she had long been a confirmed invalid.
Kate was young hardly thirty yet and
better looking than when as a girl she
won the affections of the simple weaver
in Golgau. She moved in very high
circle of society, and was admired at
Newport and Saratoga. Among her
numerous lovers was Mr.. -, a
wealthy Chicago merchant. To him she
finally yielded her hand and heart, at
his urgent solicitation. Who can blame
her? Had she not sorrowed long
enough in satin and rouge for her dead
husband?
The time of the wedding was set. 1t
was to be celebrated with great splen-
dor, and for many weeks Kate kept
several millinery and dress-making
shops desperately at work. At length
the eventful morning dawned. The
Preparations were all complete; the
groom was already at church; the car
riage was at the door waiting 10 bear
her thither; and she was about to de
scend from her room, when note was
brought her by "a servant, addressed to
Mrs. Kate Bierslinger." 1t was not a
very formidable note, being written
with a pencil on the back of an old en-
velope, and tied round with string;
but, for all that, Mrs. Kate turned as
pale as the marble mantel-piec on
which she leaned for support. The fol.
lowing is true copy of the cpistle:
MEME LIEBCHEN Dies list tn mach
the kno das Ich bin NIGHT burned ais
thow hast INNER fought. Ich wohne
in dieser Stadt. Thow are man to
mari WEIGH utrecht wud be. Ich bin
NIGHT fit for the to sc, so das Ich mud
the nicht mir out to linden ask.
JOHANN"
Mrs. Kate Bierslinger read this over
several times, though evidently not so
much to arrive at the sense of the let
ter as to reflect upon it, Perhaps Mrs.
Kate concluded that the note was a
cruel imposition, or, perhaps, only a
practical joke $50 opportune a moment
for a practical joke y played upon her
by friend. The idea of her husband
having been alive these past ten years,
without presenting himself to her, was
too ridiculous to imagine. And even if
living, how, in his present position,
could he identify-but this is touch.
ing on the wrong train of thought.
Perhaps, say, such thoughts as these,
and a hundred more flashed throuph