Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-11-09

70 him one evening IN her little shop,
"and engage in doubtful speculation.
What one has is known, what one may
acquire Is not. To lose the confidence
Of ones customers will be disastrous.
Let us wait. We will succeed in time. I"
And they waited.
Courage and hope never forsook them
In the evening. seated behind the count.
er, he contemplating her with eyes OF
love, they built castles and formed splen'
did plans for the future. Now it was a
mahogany bureau which that day he had
examined in a cabinetmaker's shop; then
again serious discussion of the proper
management and bringing up of children.
One day a bright idea came to Aunt Es.
"a ticket in the lottery" said she to
him that evening; ''like voice from the
sky it came to me. We must each buy q
ticket in the lottery" and Karl impressed
by her words and manners did as she
bade him.
The eve of the great drawings the
couple passed in happy expectancy.
1.-TWO thousand gulden!" said she, with
Ginning eyes. 1--WE will pray this night
to the good God for 1000 gulden," and
Karl, as he kissed her, said he would
and promised in case either should have
drawn a capital prize to dash up to her
door on the morrow in coach.
Long before the hour of the drawing
next day Aunt Es stood in anxious ex.
pectancy at her shop door. Every pass
ing wagon-happily but few went
through that narrow street-set heI
heart to beating wildly. The sound Of
carriage wheels in the distance turned
her faint, and more than once she caught
at the Intel of the door for support.
The clock marked the hour of noon
when into the narrow street turned q
facre. and oh, joy of joys, drew up be.
fore her humble little shop. Within sal
Karl. and with thousand visions Of
happiness before her eyes Aunt Els darted
up the cellar steps and threw open the
carriage door.
"We have won, we have won," she
cried exultantly, "my Karl, my be-
trothedp
He gazed upon her sadly, his face very
white and pain drawn.
"What hast thou?" she asked trem
blingly, reading suffering in his eyes.
"Naught" Said he, making an effort
to rise, "naught, my liebchen, save 6
broken leg"
Tenderly she cared for him, yielding
him her chest and mattress, herself re
posing in wooden chair.
In time he fully recovered and re
turned to his business again.
Thus the years went on, one hope after
another departing. Still their courage
did not sink. Neither remarked theil
whitened hairs, their strength fast di
minishing.
She was past 60 and he 70 years o.
age. Aunt Els was ill, but she did no
mention it. She felt very feeble, bu
overcame it that the business might no
suffer. Usually, too, she had little pain
never complained and never thought tt
consult physician.
Vic udy AOWCNCI, Ullo lCCl1llSo VI WOIh
ness SO overcame her that she begged O.
Karl, who was on his way to fetch 1
customer 25 cigars, not to leave ner. Sh'
talked much, and in spite of her lines
laid plans for the future. In the Ions
years they had succeeded in saving quit
a sum of money. Of the 1900 guldel
there was lacking only the half.
The night came down. 1t was q mill
summer night, and Aunt Els declared
that she was quite well.
"We are growing DID," she said pres
emily, "and have been thinking, Karl
we may as well be welded now. In al
probability we will have no children, ant
for us two we have quite enough"
Karl found that idea very pleasing.
eyes, yes," said he, taking her hant
within his, why should we wait longer
my liebchen"
Aunt Es smiled.
Tomorrow, then," said she, closing
her eyes, tomorrow we wilp'--
She never finished the sentence. Oh
the morrow the old chest returned to it
original uses, while for Aunt Els wa
prepared narrower bed in a neighbor
ing churchyard.- Adapted From tn
French.