Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-06
BERNARD'S LETTER.


some of us were poorer than Others-sO
poor that we had not black bread enough
to eat-so poor that, when the hard WIN
ter came creeping upon Us ike some
cruel, hungry tiger, we had no brands with
which to scare him off.
In Bettina' S cottage, where she sat and
spun while her childish old grandparents
nodded in their chairs beside the fireplace,
all was as clean as it could have been In a
palace; but she had hard work to fill those
two mouths ana her own also There was
no one else to do it.
The lady at the great house bought her
flax and paid well for it, but, after all,
Bettina had but her two hands; and two
little brown hands can not do ali the
worlds work.
''Wait patiently, Bettina said to me
sometimes. what does it matter? We
love each other: we trust each other; let us
be content.
But | could not be content. | felt if |
would win Bettina | must leave Savoy and
90 to America | told Bettina so, and
though she wept, she said, ''Go-go Ber-
nard, and ] will pray for you. 1t Is all
girl can do
At last had money for the voyage. |
had saved it little by little for two long
years, and now the parting hour had
come.
1T is that we may be with each other
always some day that we part now, |
said.
Her tears fell over my neck. We press
ed each other in a long embrace. At last
/ tore myself away, and blinded by my
tears set off upon my journey.
We crossed the sea In safety. | stood
at last in a strange land and among
strange people.
A year passed by--twelve long months;
so long, counted by loves reckoning, and
yet / hoped and strove. One more year
and she would come to me. The months
would slip away like the beads upon the
rosary of one who prays for blessings. |
should feel her hand in mine when they
were all counted | should press my lips
to hers-all would be forgotten but our
meeting, and while lived the old people
should share our happiness.
With such thoughts as these In my mind
entered the great factory where | worked
one day | said to myself as / threw off
my jacket, ''At noontime | will write to
Bettina."
What do we know of noontime at dawn?
What do we know of night at midday?
Nothing.
| rem ember thinking this. | remember
crossing the long room. | remember a
sudden flash and crash and the oaths of
men and girl mad scream. After that,
nothing more until a sense ofpain awaken
ed me, and found myself lying In the
dark, with my own hand, cold and clam
my, lying in a great, warm, soft hand that
held it very tenderly.
| tried to rise could not.
I
sounded low and hoarse in my own ears.
"Who is this?"
Tits the doctor, said a voice. BE
calm, my friend"
rs it night?' | asked.
1T is night.
''Why do you not light lamp?"
He made no answer.
what has happened?"
'Do you not remember?"
81 remember noise.
1t was an explosion" he said, after a
pause. You were hurt. There were
many killed outright. :
Doctor, | said, sis it night?"
1T is night" he said, solemnly.
But only for me! | know that [ am
smitten blind!'
Try to be calm, my FRIEND" he whis-
pered at is hard-but try to bear it,
What can we do but bear what God
sends upon us? But | did not bear it
well. Can you wonder? All was gone
all my hope of life, and even all that | had
won in the past year. Some wretch had
stolen the little moleskin pouch from my
bosom. | was beggar and blind.
prayed to die, but lived and grew strong
again.
One day, as | sat by the hospital win
dow, | formed a resolution. | said to my
self: Il can be brave enough to spare
Bettina something; and | will do it though
my suffering should be increased by the
act. | know that if she knew the truth she
would grieve bitterly and remain true to
me. know that if were sent home, as
the doctor says | might be, she would be
constant forever-She would even marry
me, and try to feed me as she does her
helpless little ones. That shall never be
| will send her word that | am dead, and
then, when she has grieved awhile, youth
will triumph; she will marry the young
farmer who loves her so truly, and is good
as well as rich, and she will only remem-
Der poor Bernard tenderly as one who
loved her In the past. And young Bernard
Is really dead. The blind beggar is not
the same man.
The doctor shall write me letter, and
so as he passed l called him and told him
all.
1t will best for her" l said II will
set her free. She will grieve bitterly, l
know, but the other lover will one day blot
out my memery. Tell her | died with her
name ON my hps-I do. As | die, heart
and soul, here before you. | have but one
thought-it is Bettina.
And you think she does not love you as
well?" he said
''She loves me even as | love her."
said "Ah. doctor, it is because | love
her so that would spare her all that | can.
You will write.
4 will write, he said. "Stay-come
to my Office. have nurse here now who
can break the news tenderly, | believe, if
any one can. She has waited on you for a
day or two saying very little, forbade
that. But her hands are soft, her touch
kind. think
Heaven bless her! She is gentle as a
mother, I said. Yes, let her write the
letter.
He took my hand in his and led me to
the room he called his office. Then he
left me moment and when he returned
heard the rustic of woman's garment
following him.
This is the nurse who will write the
letter, he said
Il thank her said l. BE gentle,
madam; my Bettina has gentle heart. =
what shall | write?" she asked almost
in whisper.
Write that l am dead, | said.
write that l love her to the last.
Wet +bo+ hada voy, +all bor ,,-lo,, L.