The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-16
mann gentle with hima Does he sufs

tried to answer them cheerfullv.
THANK you,'' said Fraulein Mnna, look /
ing up at me and trying to smile through
her tears: thank you. Perhaps--if youI
put those roses where he could see themI
now and then-it might pass the time-heI
might look at them-it might make the
pain seem less. ] am sorry for him, shev
added in an explanatory way. Il used toI
know him. His sisters were my friends
and they went to the English school with
me; and can not help being sorry for HIM
now-that is natural is it not! Girls canl
not be patriotic like men. l can not hate
Gustavel'
''Do not try dear3"
"No; | will not try" she replied gravely. Y
Goodbye now. My father is angry if 4
stay out long,
Minna went her way and | went mine
The overcrowded wards seemed oppressive
after the cool morning air out of doors anf
the men were complaining already of IL
heat. When | took Gustave his soup too
the roses too and placed them near his beM
But he did not heed them. His face SCENE
to have grown thinner and older since ye
terday, his Cheeks were sunkeu, his eye
bright with fever and the hand that touche,
mine was burning. ~
Madame he said, looking steadfastlt
at me as he spoke, will you tell me tfF'
truth? Is my wound dangerous?" III
For one moment | hesitated. If | h
told the strict truth, | must have said til
the danger to be feared was that of few
But to have suggested such a possibilil
would have made it a probability.
II hope not" l said. ''You have only
behave well, and be obedient and Ike
quiet"
He smiled in a very grave fashion.
81 want to live-for my mothers sakF
| he said.
''And for your own AXE, too, hopeH'J
"For my own SAX not much CO.
a ,saaplise. :. fs,es4-1rsszf., n.,
dramatic way of youth when life has been
disappointing. "But l should not like my
mother to grieve. And should like To give|
these Germans one good lesson--fo see
them fly once before us. l should ike to
! live for that''
/ looked around me to see the eject of
this incautious speech; but the label of
| tongues near us was too great fOrour con-
versation to be heard. Moreoveryae spoke
French, which the German soldiers inn
perfectly understood The rash speech had
| passed UNDECIDED.
At that moment the surgeon came into
the room. His eye fell at one on the
flowers and he smiled family.
'Fraulein Miinna's roses" he deserved.
"Yes-her gift to me-"
"Ah Last night she gave ne one rose
bud. That is dead l cherish it still for
the sake Of the fair hands thetgave it, but
can not wear it. Now, if YOU will per-
nit, will take one of these"
l wondered if he knew that his words
| were torture to one who heard them. His
| serene, self-confident smile gave double
| significance 20 his words and GustAve
| scOwled fiercely at him and vOuchsafNd
| brief answers to the professional questions
| he presently asked. No sooner had Tive
surgeon left the room again than Gustav9
| called me to him.
Madame" he said, with the intensS
| buietness of passion too great to be eN-
pressed, will you do me kindness. Keep
that man away from me--dO pot let mini
come near me again. | have changed IN y
mind about desire for life. would rathef
die thousand times than owe my life "a
| him"
But before the next evening closed IL
seemed unlikely that he would owe his life
to any one. Fever set in, as had feared.
| We lost more poor fellows through fever
than through their actual injuries; and my
| experience told me that hope for his recov-
cry was very small. | heard our surgeon
! explaining how small: and watched HeIT
| Steinberg while he listened to the verdict
1t struck me that the old man, though LIE
made no sign of regret, asked more ques-
| tions than were quite consistent with the
indifference of his glance and tone, and
that the surgeons conclusive, businessllle
manner of speaking was for some reason
! displeasing.
| Late that evening, as l glanced from q
window | caught sight of Minna standing
wf il 6BsE ge %hecg f f6ok fsfe ad e s
time lust then and went out to her. Thefet
was no good news to take, but anything, |
fancied, would be better than such suspense
as she was suffering. A little wicket led
from one garden to the other, and she
opened this and came to meet me.
The pretty little attempts at dignity and
reserve were all gone now. When l put my
arm around her and kissed her she leaned
her head ON my shoulder and sobbed like a
child.
my father has told me- she said. ''He is
very, very i'll; he is suffering, and can do
nothing. o, | can not bear for him to have
to suffer and to die!'' n
tried to soothe her, but the comfort at
my command was not such as could help
her much. Ii
''If had been man and not girl |
might have been Of some use. might have
been q surgeon and have had skill. l might
have saved him.
This heaping of hypothesis on hypothesis
would have amused me at another time. 1t
drew no smile from me now.
II have done what | can" said the girl
SIT is so little, but yet it is so hard TO do"
''What have you done, dear | said, won
deringly.
The girl was trembling from head to foot,
and spoke with an accent of despair.
II will marry him" Ell
sWhom!"
Herr Hartmann. nave prOmlSeu''
''My dear child" l said, rather sharply,
chow can that possibly help Gustavel"
Yes: yes-it may, Herr Hartmann has
skill He may save him now. But feared
that he was Jealous of Gustave; he knew
that we were about to be betrothed before
the war and he may have thought that |
was cold to him because | still loved Gus
tave. could not bear to think that per-
haps he would not be as good to him as he
might be. He is cruel-I know that he is
cruel-I am sure of it when see his eyes
and he smiles He might not have saved
Gustave; but he can not hate him any
longer now have told my father. Father
has wanted it for a long while and ! have
not consented and often he has been angry,
but have not minded. But now have
promised"
promised Herr Hartmann" | said. =
''No; ] have promised my father. He =
tell him when next he sees him.
| L do not. know what led me I'll
then. 1t was Inspiration When ~
hidden the girl farewell" and she had re-
turned to the house, l, too, found my way