St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-06-28

j to be guilty, although his countrymen
have acquitted him.
Il have had more opportunity for OBJ
serving his daily conduct than any 9th
er man in Gottingen, aud what have
i noticed makes me fear he has foresworn
himself to-day. He would plead his
own cause-he would defend himself.
Yes he was quite clever enough to do
it we'll. We were boys together, Jacob
and /, and wicked though he be, bear
him kindness still; can not endure
to let my mind dwell upon his eternal
loss
II am iInpclled to write it down.
Probably everyone else who was pres
ent in the courthouse to-day has for
gotten the extraordinary curse by which
he bound himself, but the remembrance
of it keeps me restless in spite of my IA
tigue. He said, raising his hand towards
Heaven: If am not speaking Gods
truth, may my body never turn to dust
in the gravel
"Poor Jacob! hated by all but me,
perhaps God in His mercy may yet
lead you to repentance.
g l am safe enough in writing down
what he said, because no mortal eye
will read the lines I have now written
until Jacob and shall both have gone
to our account. | shall leave the MS.
sealed and directed to my son Franz;
he will do with it as he pleases.
"Jacon Winterwerb has lived in the
house adjoining mine ever since his
marriage, thirty years ago. Our gar
dens lie side by side, separated only by
low hedge. His eldest brother, Her
man, was the richest merchant in Got
tingen, which is saying something
where all are wealthy.
"The brothers lived together until
Herman's death, which took place two
months ago. Their household consisted
of the two old men and two lads, Peter,
the only son of Jacob, and Gustel, the
son of their poor sister Meta, who
died young, leaving her little child to
the care of his uncles. Poor Meta
Winterwerb! All, well, well! [ have
ever taken a peculisr interest in her boy!
"My Franz and the two youths next
door were schoolfellows and playfel-
lows, just as Jacob, Herman and
used to be many years before. Netta's
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, I
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. I 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: ON,
my dear uncle, [ do not want your
money; take care of you because love
you--you are the only friend have on
earth
81 know all that, Gustel, but you
are to be my heir, remember that
Then the father and son would en-
ter the garden, and seeing the uncle and
nephew conversing so lovingly, used to
be distraught with anger. Tthen heard
Jacob say to the young man:
See that sneaking hypocrite yon-
der, worming himself into your uncle's
favor, in hopes of tnheriting his wealth.
60 you and rub his equity foot. and
fetch his coffee, and you may supplant
Gustel yet. Go, / say, and speak him
fair. No? You are lazy fool! You
had rather break lamps on the Anlage
with the students, or drink beer till You
are like 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 I'M {
Gle, but he set about it in such an
manner, and got tired so |
'oon, that he never made any progress |
n supplanting Gustel. Half an hour 9 /
with the poor invalid was |
more than he could put up with, and {
he was glad to rush away at the first /
to the beer cellars, where T
he studentssspent their time in gam c
bling and drinking. knew the whole d
amily history; how Gustel had been i
'eaten and tyrannized over by Jacob
md Peter when he received sweet Q
meats and toys from his uncle in his i
childish days; and how. now that he a
vas too old to be beaten, they showed a
heir hatred and jealousy quite as S
'lainly, though in different way. u
g saw more than I liked to see out
+ my window, or while walking in my I
arden, and Herman was wont to COM 4
lain of Peter and praise Gustel 20 me +,
always ending with his intention of Il
naking the latter his heir. I