Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-02
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A German Prize Story.

| "It.n
 German Prize Story. | The original of the following is prize | story written for the Wiener Allgenaeine Zei \ tunq There were 75O contributions handed | in, and of these Mir. Roberts, '<It'' took the | first prize, 300 horins. The judges were some of the most enlightened men of Ger f man literature Laabe, Gross and | several others The author is Freiherrn " | Roberts.
 l Returning from business trip, I entered | my wife's boudoir and found her kneeline l before low chair, on which sat boy baby | with large, round and wondering eyes. She | got up and came rustling in her silken robe | de chambre to me. She reached out her | hand and greeted me not more heartily no1 \ vet more formally than we were accustomed ! to greet each other in these days.
 There it is, said my wife, pointing to l the child.
 seWhat P' asked I. But she stopped down l it's upturned face, and half turning toward ! me, replied: s
 ssWeI, you know-did we not read of if 1 in the newspaper? Don't you remember | the day before yesterday? And is it not beautiful ?'
 Now did not recollect that a few nights before she held the Gazette under the light
 
 finger to an advertisement, said to me, ssPlease read that" It was the well known appeal, the cry of despair from bleeding heart addressed to ''good people" A child was offered for adoption to persons well of. ssWhat would you think of our taking it ?" my wife had said and I had returned the paper to her with shrug of my shoulders. .sBut, Martha, what have you done ?" cried I, in tone vibrating with anger. You have really ?.- Certainly, as you see. And then it be- longs to me I myself have settled every thing with the poor mother, whe is in reality to be pItied. I have sworn to take good care of it: and so will indeed.''
 She took the little head, with it's blonde,
 silk curls, between her white hands, and fondled and caressed it. lis it not so, little
 one ?-you will be loved"
 But the somewhat sickly and delicate little
 face showed no signs of understanding, ex-
 cept that out of the heart-shaped little mouth
 came one of those sighs that sound so
 strangely from children.
 I at once gave up all serious objection.
 Had we not been accustomed for years to act
 independently of each other Our marriage
 was not very happy one, although we had
 not married for love. During the noise and
 hustle of the crowded exchange our fathers had contracted this union. She had to tear her heart from a beloved one, and in mine had glowed passion, not yet out-spoken. But parental wishes conquered. We chose to be obedient children; and so it happened.
 At the commencement we were to each other silent reproach; after which followed @ declared war, until finally we came to po- lite but gloomy peace.
 To be sure, she was beautiful. She was good, bright and sparkling. Others called her an angel And I? We'll, I believe was no monster either. The analysis showed the brightest colors, still the sun was miss- children. Perhaps had heaven sent us
 We'll, this child belonged entirely to her heard later that she had given $1 1000, the price of set of jewels which she had sold secretly.
 'sW6y did you not tell me of it ?" I said, half angriIy.
 seBecauca it would have been too late if I had waited for your return to the city and, beside, wanted to have it entirely for my self want to call it my own," she said, poutingly.
 My horses, my dogs; her canaries. her gold fshes-I could endure that but that she wanted to have her child for herself alone, that was too much for me. The thought of 1t tortured me one, two days long. On the third day my wife had gone out in her carriage, there came yelled wo- man and demanded entrance. It was the mother. Like shadow she glided into the room, ana, With halL suppressed SOD, begged to see her child once more. She could not part from him forever without i'm printing one more kiss upon his cheeks. opened my safe quickly. ssHere, my good woman," said I, f'take that they have not given you enough" Her tears fell down her wan cheeks; she begged me not to judge her too rashly; she had another child 8 cripple and helpless; ske herself was sick and would not live much longer. and what was to be- come of the children Then she thought I myself had to finish the sentence, which 8 violent fit of coughing had interrupted 'Yes," she had thought q will sell the healthy one in order that the money may help the cripple when am dead and gone"
 No, she must not be judged harshly; we rich ones know but little of the trials and of the poor.
 When my wife returned gave her an &C., count of the call had had, adding that had given the unfortunate one exactly the I, ttyou must see the child belongs to both of us.n
 She bit her lips with her little white teeth.
 slIt is all the same to me- said she, after 3 moments reflection; and with that she pressed tender kiss on the little boys mouth. It sounded almost like a challenge.
 Sour child !" I scarcely ever saw it. And that the changes that were made in our household for his sake were made entirely without me. Sometimes. after the most i'm. | portant things were decided, my consent was Ihenn asked stWe are obliged to have 1 nursas hired one. Anselm." nodded si- 1 Iantly. ''We must fit up 6 nursery that | room is too warm for the child." nodded | siisntly, but I heard the sound of the work l men who were already ct work in the hall l what eoaldnI do better? Was 1t rot ell done | fer our child a. sscs sft 54as. ...5...e aa-rt.. 2 My wife and I did not talk much about the | ,hild. and whom we did mention it, ws nsed | sniy ,the aanae ''It - Bet this ,,It' could be | hesrdt hhronGh the house as almost any time sf the das. ff1s ss Lua ta.fa=s H 1rz lrt.E i ssHush not 90 much noise It sleeps | It must have its dinner 1t should be taken | pat for a drive 10 hsa hnxt itself " and SO | he whole house began co turn round our l
 !. e Ihts -e..,etes- .sspter ssHsd mes
 stft must have i.s own psme, :" said one | q 1T eniirely forgot to ask the methsr--I | mean thes woman-wha. its neme is." am | Ewsrada my wife. ''she intended to come | gath Bot she docs not como she ia car. | alnly slek. New I cell it | Max. Max is e sEsssy aLod pefpe. if it nsl 2" r ustsl.
 9Ifm.e returned l. between two dxaftm of | ny cigar, ''F'ritz would also be quite Q pretty | aame.' One cannot change the name now "a account of aomsstiea. answered she, hortays and then called out loudly, 'sIa Max P sisesdy s"f Nsyer mind. ~as R no. onr eOnce. though playes Eay juseiAAhle rart ewsrsi our rhild. Al di.snsr 1t wes always Isrvad at a llttie tshle in &a adjaisdng raaRl. | uaurL.A w.aa.- an an..N