Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-29
ALL WERE LArouIxo AND TESTING


"a come lajc, and not in a festive
mood. said T. seating myself on his
bed and thanking hiEa heartily for the
ring the giver of which could easily
guess also chatted about various
things He listened to it all attentively
What diatar5 bed your holiday hui
mor?' he asked then "Will you not
tell me2"
You, rather than any other man
You would sympathize with me the
best. but cannot make up my mind to
IL must tell some woman first"
Speak with Miss Rennert; she is
still awake heard her voice in the
corridor a short while ago"
knocked at Miss Rennert's door
She opened it herself
murmured anapology for disturbing
her so late
Come in baron | cannot sleep,
anyway ! really expected you. Sit
down by me at the fire" She looked
sadly at me as sat opposite her poor
child" sighed she: : have just left
her"
How did you find ber?" asked l.
II found her on her knees by the
sofa, weeping She was beside herself.
| took her in my arms and besought
her to compose herself When she had
with difficulty Quoted down asked
her the cause of her agitation. She
buried her sweet face on my shoulder
md SAID she could not tell me. and she
kept her word, although | urged her
! am in great trouble What can have
excited the poor child so terribly"
In few words described the scan
dalous scene had witnessed. She was
very much excited
The miserable man, cried she, with
flashing eyes, ito dispell in such man
ner the young girls dream of childhood
and to allow her to suspect the baseness
of the world and the weakness of man
at time when all seems good and pure
10 her! And just this child, too. with
her idealistic thouchts-it is disgustingl
Yes, now can fully understand her ag-
itation
The old lady buried her face in her
handkerchief
"You cannot imagine how the whole
affair works me up, She said. AT
first when you told me about it, my
thoughts went back fifty years to
lonely castle in Courland, whence !
went with my beloved young countess
when she married. She loved her hus-
band devotedly, and he her in his way.
But the climate was too severe for her,
and she was i'll nearly all winter.
nursed her. At that time | was young,
happy girl, very much petted by the
family, for | was brought up with the
countess. ! was not suspicious when
the count tested with me and paid me a
good deal of attention. But once, in
the middle of the night, when | was
coming from my poor angel, who bore
her sufferings with such fortitude, and
always thought of her beloved husband,
the count was waiting for me in the
hall, and was reminded Of it by the
scene you just described. tell you,
baron, at that time there was rift
made in my mind, and after that /
never trusted anyone again, and it dis
gusted me with men. have seen much
and passed through much and often
thought to myself. 1t is well that you
is the awakening from childhood; there
fore am | troubled on my darling's ac-
count.
The old lady stopped talking and
gazed silently into the fire
rs not this case different?" said |.
Miss Ellen is still such a child, the
count is her uncle; she may think it
only a jolIe-though a coarse one"
Certainly the matteris different here,
and Ellen will never allow word to
pass her lips, for she is striving to look
upon it in that light The worst is that
her fine feelings cannot be quoted
that such thing should happen to her
just herr Miss Rennert stared be-
fore her Her fine face looked so worn
and suffering that l rose hastily and
babe her good night.
Coed nightr' said she "A sad end
ing for such merrily-bcgun Xmas
eve!"
(To BE CONTINUED
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