Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-03-06

invalid. She tainted dead away.
Its a sprain or a break" said Mr..
SchWartze briefly. Lead the way to
her room, mees," and he turned au-
thoratlVely to Gladys, who meekly
sped upstairs and along the hall 10
the narrow room.
Il go for the doctor while you stay
with her here" said the big German;
but IN MS brief glance at the clean,
bare room he had seen his dropping
roses and yiolets still tenderly cared
for, though withered and Brown.
There was something very like a
mist IN the honest eyes of Herr
SchWartze as he ran with all his speed
for the doctor few doors away.
Aunt Holmes irately jerked her i'm
posing person from the luxuries of the
SICK room and tried in measure to do
Anne's work in the weeks that fol-
lowed. Unable to accomplish this.
even with Gladys protesting aid, she
advertised at last for servant, and
then Tor two, both of whom worked
industrlously filling the unpaid de
pendent's" place.
In the meantime Miss Anne herself
lay quiet and alone in her cold little
room. Yet she was neither cold nor
lonely, for down in her heart burned
a new gladness, hardly defined or rec
ognlzed, yet filling her solitude with
music, and all the space about her
with warmth and comfort.
There were fresh carnations by her
bedside always now, and under her
pillow a precious store of little mes
sages-kind inquiries and good wishes
all written in slanting German
hand
When she could sit up she borrowed
warm wrap of Gladys and spent her
time peacefully darning and mending
FOR the cousin and aunt below. When
Aunt Holmes ragged about the time it
took to mend broken ankles, Anne
only said, with a strange CLEAN of
gladness: ''The doctor says I can
hobble down stairs in a week or so.''
And although that meant taking up
the old life speedily, the life of abuse
ana hardship, there was one thought
that over-balanced all else-the
thought that down in the common
ground of the sitting-room she might
see the honest, friendly face that for
her held all the light in the big, gray
world.
1t was dusk of chilly evening, and
the boarders had not yet gathered
about the friendly fire downstairs,
when Mrs. Holmes petulant voice
shrilled out: eff you're ever going to
come down, Anne Minton, you'd as
we'll come now. Guess you're as able
to slave as we are, and the sitting
room lamps want lightin'!"
Herr SchWartze, coming in with
snow-fakes on his great coat, halted
at the newel-post, turned, and then
stepped quietly into the fre-lighted
room.
When his listening ear caught the
first sound of the slow limp at the
head of the stairs, he was up the
flight in three steps, helping the figure
down
"WilkOmmen! Wilkommen!" he
said in the hall, taking both her hands
in his hearty grasp.
What does that mean?" Miss Anne
asked, her face lighting up gladly.
THAT lis welcome!' exclaimed Herr
Schwartze. "Wilkommen! That is the
Germans welcome his goot frient-
his American frient''
How good you are!" said Anne, and
all the story Of her gratefulness, her
new zest in life seemed to breathe in
the words. Il L never was so happy
before! | never had friend. I didn't
know what it was to-" And then she
stopped, confused, and quick tears
welled to her eyes.
You hat been what they call the
unter dog in the fight" he said. 81
hat seen it. I hat watched. I know!
And my heart has melted for you, be-
holting your patience and loving SER
vices to all, who loved you none at all
in return"
In his heat and earnestness, Herr
Schwartze's talk grew more and more
broken, but Anne understood him, and
her pale cheek flushed. She steadied
herself with one hand against the
door, and seeing this, he led her to the
big chair by the fire, so carefully, so
tenderly, that quiet tears cleaned
again in her great dark eyes.
Herr Schwartze looked at her a
moment, then held out strong i'm
pulsive hand. 81 hat not much to
offer you, but what I hat and am ISIS
yours" he said. "Will you take it,
my goot Mees Anne? This hand
knows how to work for those it loves,
and you I love; yes, dearly, dearly"
When Aunt Holmes, drawn by some
deep instinct, softly opened the sit
ting room door, she nearly tainted at
the sight she saw. Anne, Anne, the
dull, the incapable, holding Herr
Schwartzes ample hand and looking
as if all the sparkles of the stars had
stolen into her eyes.
What does this mean, Mr..
Schwartze, Anne?" she demanded in