Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-09-18

scarcely taken off her winter wrannipws
when Frau Won Restorf and her daurhter
Laura-one of Emmy's friend's-came
into the room. With cry of lov the two
young girls embraced; then Laura wbis-
| pered while she fastened a wreath of dark
red roses in Emmy's hair, "a certain per
| son has just come up stairs with mep'
| II don't know whom you meant" re-
| piled Emmy, while she turned away her
head, apparently to accommodate Laura.
| Nonsense! you know very well whom
| mean; Lobau is not SO Indifferent to
you as you would make us believe"
| Not Indifferent to mel" cried Emmy.
"he is just as Indifferent to me as Lord
Merinow
Lord Merino," whose real name was
lsidor Erlanger, was the only son of the
richest wool merchant in the province
Isidor had been two years in England to
| improve himself in his business, and on
his return home, instead of being con-
tented with his own country, affected the
manner OF speaking, and ,he bearing of
the English in the most foolish and in
| sipid manner. The young girls of the
| place, whom he met at little reading
| club, called him in sport Lord MerinO. !"
Laura took no further notice of Emmv's
remark; the two young girls assisted one
another to rearrange their toilets, which
had been somewhat disordered during
their long ride, and then Laura began
anew: "Some one you know will want
to dance the cotilion with you tonight"
| You mean if wish it, Laura. your
| talk is very tiresome: the best thing | can
do is not to dance with him at all.'
If he asks you, you will have to dance
with him, Emmy"
Il will have to? Am ! q slave? Must
we young ladies consider ourself perfect
ly happy If a young man finds Us goose
enough to dance polka or a galop with
him? No!-not you shall see what I'll
dor'
Children, are you not ready get? I do
believe you would spend the whole even
ing talking heret" said Frau Won Restorf,
and the ladies left the room.
The dressing-room opened on the hall,
and leading from it was small anteroom,
from which few steps led one into the
ballroom. This ante-rOOm had three
open spaces for windows looking toward
the draWingrOOm, which, like the boxes
in theater, gave fine view of the ball
room, and was superior to it in having a
comfortable temperature. The councillors
widow remained here in ar easy chair
and gave Emmy to the care of Frau Won
Restorf, who conducted both young ladies
into the hall
Emmy was in state of excitement
wholly foreign to her nature, at which she
was provoked, and which began, she
scarcely knew how. The room was al
ready filled to overtiowing, and in the mid
die of it stood the director Of the ball, and
several other gentlemen, among them Lo-
bau.
At the entrance of Emmy he approach
ed her quickly, and said in an oppressed
and almost hoarse voice: May | have
the pleasure of dancing the first waltz
with you, Fraulein Won Rohr?"
Il thank you, Herr Won Lobau, am
already engaged" replied Emmy, in an
abrupt, harsh tone, such as she had never
before used in addressing gentlemen. The
girl herself was frightened when the
words had escaped her lips; she expected
Lobau to ask for another dance, which she
would now have granted him, Or at any
rate a few words of regret to which she
could respond. But he only bowed silent
~ and went to the right, toward the door
which led to the staircase. Directly fol
lowing him came Herr IsadOr Erlaneer,
who also asked her for the first waltz. To
be obliged to dance with Lord Merino
was hard. Emmy, however, quickly prom
IScu IL tldt tHc Idtdl HdltL III guI Dt us
posed Of and Lobau not know that she
had told him what was not true.
AS she turned her head to nod gayly to
her aunt, her eyes met Lobaus, who, in
stead of mounting the steps, had remain
ed standing a short distance from her.
Emmy trembled under her gaze; no eyes
had ever before looked at her thus. What
did it mean? Who could have explained
it to her. Should she venture another
look
Like frightened child, who half ex-
poets to see a ghost, and collects all her
courage to look again in the dreaded di-
rection, Emmy turned her head toward
| L0bau
Lobau was no longer there.
with whom will he dance?" said
Emmy to herself.
Soon resounded the opening measures
of the waltz and Herr lsidor Erlanger
claspcd his partner. Emmy was silent,
and Lord MerinO sustained the weight
Of the conversation. He talked about his
residence in England, said that he had
| become acquainted while there with
very agreeable family, who were friends
of the Prime Minister-Disraeli- and
whom he had come near meeting at their
house Then he asked if Emmy had
read "Coningsby," by Disraeli, a book
which demonstrated that the most noted
men of modern times were of Jewish
descent
At last the waltz was ended. Lobau
had not danced it. Emmy requested her
partner to conduct her to her aunt in the
neighb0ring room. Perhaps she had
been talking with him, perhaps he was
there Emmy intended to be very friend
| ly toward him, and to give him the first
choice in the cotillOn. The councillors
widow had seen Emmy waltzing, and
would want to know to whom she had
promised the remaining dances
Have you not seen Lobau?" asked the
! aunt
He asked me to dance the first waltz"
! Indeed and -"
Il told him | was already engaged"
| Frau Won Herbeck mistrusted nothing
wrong and soon Emmy mingled again
among the dancers. Three dances fol
! lowed and at the end came the cotllilon.
! Lobau had not danced-that was certain
and apparently had left the ballroom
! before the beginning of the waltz. Emmy
endeavored to hide the restlessness ana
anxiety which oppressed her under "a
forced gaiety, which was so hard to 90
that at last it became impossible, ana she
felt very unhappy. Was this the ball
from which she had expected so much
No lady received more bouquets, none
Hmm hl1