Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-11
one man for me, and that one was Bert

and proposed long day at his little box
in the country, on the banks of the
Thames.
We were to drive down in his drag.
lunch, row to Richmond, dine there, and
then drive up to town by moonlight.
Of course we all wanted to go-all but
Jack, who made some excuse; so we
left without him.
1t was very perfect day. We drove
through sweetest country roads, with
bits of river shimmering between the
tree, to Sheperton, and there we found
the dearest cottage home, half smothered
in roses without, and stepped in luxury
within. After luncheon we strayed
about as each best liked. Naturally
enough it was Fitzgerald and / that
found ourselves at the bottom of the old
fruit garden, rich in all manner of
cherry, apple and peaeh trees.
" Let us sit down here" I said, "just
under this tree We have such a pretty
picture either way-behind us. Lord
Southwelps ideal cot; before us, the
slowly, ripping water of your quiet
river"
So we did; and so. well had we come
to know each other that it was nothing
strange our sitting without words of any
kind passing between us.
The little boats sped by us on the river
now pulled by some fresh young girl,
now by some Cambridge or Oxford stu
dent getting up in his stroke against next
Easter time.
"Sing me something" [ said at last.
Sing me "Auf Wiedersehen."
Without word he obeyed me. It
was the same song, the same voice, that
first won me. When he finished, [ said,
half dreamily:
"Auf Wiedersehenp VIII that be
for either of us, do you Think"
" A month, even week, ago." he an
swered, 81 should have said nothing
more likely; but now-no-I don't
think we will find out the truth of the
song ever in this world
/ looked up at his handsome face, and
tried to think what life would be like
without him; my old life-the life at
home-seemed SO far distant, and this
was SO near, so good. | think, Sylvie,
there must have been some piteous ques-
ton or appeal in my eyes, for, as he
looked down upon me his whole face
changed, and suddenly taking me in his
arms kissed me over and over.
"There," he said in half Whisper
"these are for love and for goodbye!
Janet, Janet, why are you not free for
me to have as my very own? Forgive
me; [ have shocked you. know you
must despise me. / know all your kind
ness, all your gentleness, to me, these
long, delicious days, have meant moth
ing but friendship. | knew of your en-
gagement to Frank almost before knew
you. There can be no excuse for me in
your eyes. / know ] must seem dishon-
.orable, cowardly; but oh, Janet, forgive
me! | shall never see you any more,
and | love you, my little Janet"
What did you say?' l asked, prosaic-
ally, and Janet halted in her story.
What could / say, Sylvie? [ was
bound to Jack, and, much as I might
want to, decency forbade my calling
Bertram back and telling him / would
gladly throw Jack over for his sake"
$50 he went away?"
Yes, he went away, and the rest Of
the day is a maze to my memory. OF
course we dined at Richmond, and of
course we drove home as we had plan
ned and it was a very gay and merry
party; but | can remember nothing dis
tinctly, save the persistent way in which
one line of his song would 90 over and
over in my brain,
,Iui meinel1 bleidlen Otuno
Den Iesen SaB.'
The next day was the last of our stay
in London; people were in and out all
day to say goodbye For afternoon tea
came Lord Southwell After a little
talk, heard him say to Dora:
GA strange fancy this of Fitzgerald,
to go off and give the Germans chance
to pop at him. What, didn't you
know? Oh, yes; he left in the tidal
train this morning to take part charge of
French ambulance. After ALL he's
half French, you know, through his
mother; so it's only natural; but [ do
hope that none of those beastly Germans
will make target of him. He's a nice
old boy, is Fifty; We'll all miss him hor-
ridly."
I didn't scream and didn't faint,
Sylvie, but did laugh and talk and say
goodbye to them all brightly; but
something went out of my life then that
mas never COuIo UdCk 10 III since.
We came home, you know, almost i'm
mediately, without visiting the Cont
nent On the steamer [ told Jack all
about it, and asked him to free me from
my engagement. Like the perfect gen.
tleman he is, he did SO, kindly and with
out blaming me, though [ knew it went
hard with him for a time. Now he is
all over it, and has the sweetest wife in
all the world, as we know.
Shortly after our arrival home I saw
in an English Times brief notice of the
sad, early death of Bertram Fitzgerald,
shot down by cowardly German when
he was helping a wounded Frenchman.
That is my story, Sylvie, without be-
ginning and without end; judge for
yourself if the middle is all nice"
l did not answer her. AS she sat in
the quick-coming darkness, | could just
see the faint outline of her face buried
in her hands, while | felt rather than
saw the tears that were falling.
A hand was laid on my shoulder, a
warning finger on my lips | caught
sight of Hillyer and Jack, and then felt
myself being carried off bodily into the