Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-12-29
A DEAD YEAR.
| took year out of my life and story,
A dead year-and | said, @ will build thee

took a year out of my life and story
A dead year-and / said, . | will build thee a
tomb.
Honeysuckle was wreathed about the
window, but its straying branches,
gemmed with "arabesques of balm, -
only made lovely frame for the two
young heads that were always to be
found at this hour bent over their books.
l used to stroll half unconsciously TO a
coigne of vantage in the garden and
watch them-my little sister Nest, with
her tumbled bronze curls, and her Ger
man teachers small graceful head, with
its crown of gold. [ had spoken to her
but seldom, still [ knew by heart the
uplifting caIm-lidded forget-me-not
eyes, the face with its pure coloring, the
slender and 1.-the young form in its
dull blue dress with the tiny lace ruffie
on the round, white throat, and the
sweet mouth with its wistful smile now
and then at my sisters odd plumbers.
| found a strange pleasure III meeting
her as if by accident as she left, and
noting the faint rose-leaf flush stealing
up into her pale cheek. / would have
been at loss to account for the sad
ness of such a young face, but Nest had
told me that she was alone in this new
land, where her father had brought
her, and my heart was touched at the
thought.
"She has told me about her father so
much" chartered Nest, che was such a
wonderful man-like a wizard, Ishould
think-but he was only a doctor, Hilda
says. She thinks the doctors in Ger
many know more than ours-at least
she is sure her father did"
'Poor child?" | said.
''Do you know" whispered Ernes-
tine, with an air of mystery, chat
there is something very curious about
HiIda-she forget8 things!'
| laughed outright. Scarcely pc
culiarity in" began.
ooh, now wait. | mean very i'm
portant things. Now she was in Ger
many when the war broke out with
France, and wanted to know all about
it. Well, do you believe, she couldn't
tell me anything, not the least fact''
and Nest looked very serious and very
wise.
'What did she say about it?''
ooh, that she forgot. Now, Malcolm,
you know when our native land is in
peril we don't forget"
My little sister was quite patriotic,
and it seemed to her phenomenon
that one should not have q thorough
knowledge of all that regarded ones
country.
ooh, well, she might have been at a
convent school, Or"
Chats the strange thing about it."
"What?"
''She don't know where she wasp
81 own [ was somewhat startled by
this announcement.
"Does she say SOP"
''She says she don't recollect"
perhaps she has had brain fever and
forgotten the past"
mo, she remembers all the past very
we'll"
Except how long?"
Gone year-the year of the war. She
seems troubled about it, too"
Then you must not dwell upon it, y
| said. You don't want to annoy
herr"
mo, l love her-I love her dearly!'
said Nest, flying oft after very tempt
ing black velvet butterfly with golden
trimming on its polonaise.
felt like echoing my little sister S
sentiments, and then l smiled in scO"7
of myself. How could love Il woman
of whose mind and heart 1 knew moth
ing-I who had always raved about
sympathy of soul.
| could not explain it as ] paced the
garden walks. 1t was fate-fore-o rdina-
ton. perhaps; but one thing | knew
it was a fact-I loved my sisters
teacher, Hilda Blumenthal, with feel
ing / never experienced before, and
suddenly discovered that the German
language would be exceedingly neces-
sary to me In my profession.
| used to sit and study the girls face
ald | found it very pulling. limo
cent, angelic as it was, there were
strange experiences of pain written
upon it. 1t did not seem like the face
Of one who had only turned over few
of youths white pages in the book OF
life, but rather as if she had looked
into many blotted and blurred one
blotted with tears, blurred by the souls
agony into mist | can scarcely ex-
plain how from the eyes, so blue and
childlike, something seemed at times
10 look out with unutterable expert
ences from their depths. lurking there
like some wild spirit that could not
quite be laid. 1t is in vain to try and
explain it, but 1t would come over me
with a sudden agony at times that once
some one had held the fair white hands
cIasped SO istlessly in her lap, that the
kiss of love had some time been laid
on that sweet, pathetic mouth.
| think that feeling came over me
the most painfully just after the full
ness of joy when it was my hand that
clasped hers, my lips that had touched
hers as reverently as if she had been q
saint.
Darling" l said, "did you ever care
for any one before"
Never" she answered, promptly, ii
tone of sweet content; land | an
glad, Malcolm. I'm sure l could no
love twice"
80 no one ever held you to hi:
heart as | am doing?" questioned"
mo, no. Why do you ask?"
Because | am a jealous monster"
said. with a laugh; because | would
not have a thought or a memory dwell
on any one else"
"Ah, well, you shall be satisfied
Only you will not mind if 1 think O
my father and remember him?'
''Oh, no, my pet. am not so un
reasonable"
'He would be so glad that his chile