Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-10
ADOLPH BRUNER,
A Love Story by Horace Greeley.


1880
Midnight; one; two; three; had beer
successfully tolled by all the clock;
or Gottlngen; the most iuyeterat.
book worms had forborne, for tina
night, the further prosecution of theil
studleS-the hardest jewellers haC
reeled to their tur0ld slunbers-tne
solemn dizziness Of the most Wakefu
among the professors had bowed tc
the invincible soporic of his own medi
tations Nature and men are alike
buried in darkness and repose; vel
from a single window cleaned the
taper of student who seemed likely
to outwatch the stars!
Adolph Bruner had been a dreamer
from his infancy. Born to penury and
rugged fortune, his life had been rem.
dered endurable not less by it's wax,
ing dreams than it's stern exertions
Step by step he had won his way
aided by that good Providence which
men ilreyerently call fortune-from
the ignorance and restitution of his
infancy to the higher sources Of
knowledge and instruction-to the
most learned university Of Germany.
Here his career had been a brief but
brilliant ole. Single hearted en-
thusiastic anu deVoted-with no pros
pect in life but such as flowed from
or interested themselves with his
achievements as a scholar-his pro
gress had been most rapid, and his
department such as to win for him
the undisguised appreciation of his SUI
periors and the admiration of his fell
lows
Yet now the thoughts of Adolph,
more impetuous and engrossing in
their wild career, had found a chan
mel far different from that which they
had hitherto traversed. An incident
had occurred the evening previous
which threatened to influence the
whole character of his after life
Returning that evening from his
usual walk, in which he was accus-
toned to ramble wherever accident
or fancy should suggest, he had been
at first an involuntary spectator of
scene not likely to be soon effaced
and ultimately a participation in, a
from his memory. A young female
alone, and obviously a stranger in the
city-Was approaching it from abroad
and perpleXed and beWildered by the
darkness closing in upon her novel
and unfriended condition, had ad-
dressed some natural inquiry to three
of the most graceless of young col
legians, whom she happened to meet
The object of this inquiry and the
character of the fair Questioner it
had suited those accosted to misun-
derstand; and, their insolence being
repealed with Indignation they were
fired to more objectionable rudeneSS
and insult.
"Those pretty lips shall answer for
that impudence with kiss" ex-
claimed the rinSleader. 1--WE will see
if their sweetness is equal to their
tartnesS," and, with a single spring.
he had caught her so tightly in his
arms as to repress the shrek of
mingled indignant ton and terror that
rose to and died upon her lips.
Adolph stood for one moment rooted
in amazement to the earth. The next
instant he had bounded with an ex-
clamation of rage and horror into the
midst of the group, and the Infatuated
villain felt himself hurled with lion
strength from his victim and dashed
to earth with the mo- nentum of an
oak of the forest.
Lady! yoG are safe! my life shall
answer it,
She heard; she doubted not; but the
shudderlng sensations Of one terrible
moment were not to be dissipated by
word, and neither the scene nor it's
associations were calculated to re-
store her to composure. She shrank
not, but stood trembling and irreSO-
Lutte. Again he was compelled to
break the silence.
Your home-yoGr friends-may |
attend you?"
A burst of grief was the response; it
seemed at first likely to destroy, but
it restored her consciousness, and at
length, she answered calmly, though
mournfully:
Il have no home-no frienGs!'
Let me take you to one who will
rejoice in being all to you" was the
answering entreaty of the student.
The maiden looked but once again
earnestly into his face. She placed
her arm undoubtingly in his; and a
brief walk brought her beneath The
sheltering roof of an humble friend of
Adolph-an aged and lonely woman,
whose benevolence and worth were
the praise of all who knew her.
Adolph's eXplana ton was soon given.
The story of the maiden was neces-
sarily longer. Born in a distant vii
lage in the humber walks of society.
Bertha Lindorf had been deprived in
infancy of 4 fathers protecting care,
and left the sole charge of a widowed
and friendless mother. But their
village was rayaged by an epidemic,
and the mother was among the earl
lest Of its victims. Her only surviv-
ing relatives, her mothers sister and
her family, lived at a considerable
distance and in the vicinity of Got
tingen; thither, she bore the burden of
her sorrows. Judge, then, her con.
sternation, when on reaching the
place, she was informed that her rela-
tives had emigrated some weeks
earlier to America, leaving her none TO
lean upon. whether kindred or friend
She had arrived at the end of her sor.
rowing journey that very day, but to
find new and unexpected cause OF