The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-06-06

ever taken pecnliar interest In her
bovl
"My Franz and the two youths next
door were schoolfellows and playfel-
lows, just as Jacob. Herman and ii
used to be many years before. Metals
son was good lad, honest, kindly and
generous; but Jacobs boy inherited
his fathers mean and selfish qualities,
and these were fostered by the educa-
ton he received.
1.-The rich uncle was an invalid for
three years before his death. 1t was
Gustel who tended him like the gentlest
nurse, who wheeled his chair about the
garden, who lighted his meerschaum,
or brought him his coffee, or rubbed
his cramped limbs by the hour. Walk
ing in my garden ON these occasions, /
often heard the sick man say: Good
boy, you do not get tired of me; you do
not think me burden; but you shall be
rewarded. [ shall leave you every
kreutzer am worth in the world. You
shall be the richest man in Gottingen.'
And ! used to see the lads fine eyes
grow dim as he stammered forth: oh,
my dear uncle, / do not want your
money; | take care of you because love
youyou are the only friend | have on
earth
81 know all that, Gustel, but you
are to be my heir, remember that.
'FThen the father and son would en-
ter the garden, and seeing the uncle and
nephew conversing so lovingly, used to
be distraught with anger. Ithen heard
Jacob say to the young man;
See that sneaking hypocrite yon-
der, worming himself into your uncle's
favor, in hopes of inheriting his wealth.
Go you and rub his equity foot, and
fetch his coffee, and you may supplaht
Gustel yet. Go. / say, and speak him
fair. No? You are a lazy fool! You
had rather break lamps on the Anlage
with the students, or drink beer till you
are like a brute, than take little
trouble to make your fortune. If that
| detestable Gustel is your uncle's heir it
will be your own fault
"And Jacob used to give his son an
angry push towards the couple in the
arbor.
+" Peter tried hard to please his UNI
Gle, but he set about it in such an
awkward manner, and got tired SO
soon, that he never made any progress
in supplanting Gustel. Half an hour s
conversation with the poor invalid was
more than he could put up with, and
he was glad to rush away at the first
opportunity to the beer cellars, where
the students spent their time in gam
bling and drinking. I knew the whole
family history; how Gustel had been
beaten and tyrannized over by Jacob
and Peter when he received sweet
meats and toys from his uncle in his
childish days; and how, now that he
was too old to be beaten, they showed
their hatred and jealousy quite as
/ plainly, though in different way.
II saw more than liked to see out
of my window, or while walking in my
garden, and Herman was wont to COM
plain of Peter and praise Gustel 20 me
always ending with his intention of
making the latter his heir.
"There was something very like MUIR
der in old Jacobs eyes when he saw
his brother and nephew together. At
such times I trembled for my neigh
bors, so rich, but so little at ease or
content.
cat length Herman died. He had
not been able to leave his room for
some months before his death, and
there Gustel had attended him with the
greatest tenderness.
''The funeral was over and the will
read. What was our surprise to hear
| that it was made in favor of Peter, not
/ of Gustel. / shall not linger over what
is so well known to every townsman of
Gottingen No need to tell how the
universal suspicion of foul play gained
/ ground, or how suspicious circum-
stances came cropping up by degrees,
until at last Jacob Winterwerb stood
his trial on the charge of having erased
the name OF Gustel and inserted that of
Peter, and has been acquitted. In the
sight of man he Is now virtually spot
less; how stands he in the sight of Godp
1t is this question that troubles me, for
| can not believe him innocent, know
ing all | know; yet if guilty, how came
Matthews and Folkshausen to swear that
they witnessed the drawing out and
signing of the will. Can Jacob have
bribed them to perjure themselves alsop
Ii so, crushing weight of guilt hangs
over him. That was an awful speech:
IF am not swearing Gods truth NAV
my body never molder in the grave /
might, indeed, have;damaged his cause,
but was the Rath, not one of the wit
nesses.n
The next entry was dated two years
later
"1753. 1t is almost two years and
three months since the trial. Jacob
Winterwerb's first act on gaining pos
session of Herman's wealth was to turn
his nephew out of doors. Nothing was
heard of the unfortunate youth until six
months afterwards, when he came to
my dwelling late one night, worn
to a shadow. His clothes were
threadbare, but the saddest change
was in his pinched, sunken face
the once handsome face that his Uncle
Herman had so loved and admired
HE had been living in a miserable
garrett upon the money he had saved
during his prosperity, and the sale of
his uncle's various gifts; but this store
was spent to the last kreutzer, and for
the last two days he had been starving.
Another year, he said, would see him
through the university, aud fit him for
a profession, and he implored me to
give him some copying to do,
or assist him in some other way to
make little money. Do it, he urged,
for my uncle's sake! I was, indeed,
most willing to befriend him for the
sake of my Nettie, his mother, my own
early love. So he came to live with us.
and he and Franz attended lectures to-
! gether. Jacob never forgave me for
harboring the lad whom he hated, as
bad men will always hate the injured;
/ he had kept up semblance of neigh
borliness till then, but at that period
our final rupture took place. Gustel
got on well: he is now Pfarrer in
Zeigelhausen, useful and respected.
/ Jacobs strange curse is haunting
me to-day. / have only just returned
from his funeral, and ero sleep must
s oO,,ol,,Io -