Huntsville gazette., 1889-07-06
was doubled down and on this was

| guarantee you the supper, the dance
and the mothers blessing besides. My
future mother-in-law has a bark very
much worse than her bite.''
Then followed something which
Gertrude read with emotions of min
gled terror and amazement, after
which she concealed the book careful
ly in her bosom.
Poor Mrs. Brand who had fallen into
q very fury Of rage when she discov-
cred that her future son-in-law was
not his uncle's heir, was now repent
ing, as she usually did, at leisure.
''Of course Gertrude can not marry
apoor man." said she. 'But might
have been nicer; | was horrid.'
Then Mrs. Brand wept profusoly and
called Gertrude to come to her.
Its for your own good, child,n she
declared, "all for your own good"
'How would you have liked it your
.ii, motherpn was all that Gertrude
would say 'Now I must lie down,
and | shall take to my bed, | think,
for what is the world to me now?"
"Ah, some Of these days you'll re-
pent all this" said Mrs. Brand, but
Miss Gertrude returned to her bed
! room.
Shortly after came a knock at the
| door, and opening it, Mrs. Brand saw
without a couple of stout men who
legged between them bass-viol case.
"Dis is we're de wedding is to be
| Monday?" asked one of them.
"No," said Mrs. Brand. THAT Is
all over"
"So?" replied the spokesman. well,
| | must leave it here a little while
anyway l comes for it bretty soon
aready," and with that he followed his
companion, who had already van
| ished.
1.-The impudence!" said Mr.. Brand.
Bot she could do nothing but submit.
| There the great bass-viol case stood
''llke ghost" as she said, staring
at her. (AIrs. Brands descriptions
were very curious at time until the
| lOHS hOuutty udI pdoSSu.
Meanwhile, Gertrude was sh ut up in
her room and refused to come out.
Evening came; Mrs. Brand began to
feel desperate. She had no one to ad-
wise with, and she bethought herself
OF an old crony who resided in the same
| house. At least she would weep with
her tear for tear.''
Carefully locking her doors, SO that
there was no possibility of Gertrude's
escape, Mrs. Brand accordingly pro
ceeded to the rooms occupied by Mrs.
Finch. But that lady was out, SO the
little card upon her door declared, and
Mrs. Brand hurried home again.
She had only descended one flight
Of stairs. and her eye had never left
the only egress from her own suite Of
| apartments.
AS she unlocked her door she card
feet ascending the stairs. and turning,
saw the Germans who had brought the
| bass-viol to her room.
"Goot evenin'," said the older.
larger and most talkative of the two.
Here We are again, We come to take
de instrument. wish | come to play
nit dot weddings"
II wish you did. I'm sure" groane d
| poor Mrs. Brand.
"Vell, if | vas not married man
mid den childrens air eady, I would
brobose, und if you said yes, We would
have dot weddings" said the stout
man.
Il never heard such impudence"
said Mrs Brand. There's your great
Jumbo fiddle. do take it away"
YES, We dakes it," said the Ger
man Careful, Hans, careful. Good
bye, lady. Go lightly, Hans, knock it
not mid de door"
And so they vanished.
Mrs. Brand turned the key upon
them and went to the bedroom door.
Gertrude" she cried, but the girl
made no answer.
Thankless child" said Mrs. Brand.
She sat down by the fire in her little
parlor and began to wish that she had
not been so mercenary. And so the
time passed on until nine o'clock, and
still Gertrude gave no signs Of being
alive.
The girl intends to keep me out of
the room,n she said to herself.
Then she put her knee against the
door and shook it violently and it
opened-it had been unlocked.
Gertrude, with the quilts drawn
over her head, lay in her little bed.
| The mother did not disturb her. She
went toward her own and turned the
quilts down, and had just began to
rush her hair, when a loud rapping
came upon the outer door.
who is there?" asked Mrs. Brand,
from the inside.
Open" said an authoritative
voice.
! is it fire?" cried Mrs. Brand, turn
ing the key. AS she did so in rushed
a waiter with large box, followed BY