The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-07-18

window, and once she went alone with
Hermann far down the solitary railroad
track. But Madge loved Hermann, too,
in her way, and, being jealous. she told
Annies mother.
The next day the elders came to
Mother Schweppes house. No one smil
ed, and the interview was full of long
silences. Annie was taken down the
street. an elder in front of her and an
elder behind her. They put her in a
house, far away from her mother. and
gave her double portion of work. Her
mann, too, was taken to a cloister,
though he went laughing.
Six months separation, six months
fasting. prayer and hard work was re-
quired, and if after that ordeal the two
still wished to be married the elders
would consider the matter
A week passed. Hermann and Annie
had sat in their places at the morning
service. and it chanced that they, with
meekly folded hands. emerged from the
two doors of the church at the same
moment. Suddenly each one advanced
to the other; they met and walked away
together. The elders were so astounded
that for a moment no one could speak
There had never been such an audacious
breach of the rules. Even the most ven
erable members of the community were
dumfounded.
The whistle of an approaching train
awoke them all to action. 'Disobedi-
encel' the chief elder cried, and all the
elders hurried down the street to the
railway station. Here they found Her
mann and Annie, impenitent and def
ant. There was brief storm of angry
words.
''We give you but one year to con-
sider," said the long faced chief elder.
"You may never show your faces here
| again if you come not back within the
year.
"Thou, Hermann, leavest thy aged
father, and thou, Annie. thy mother. .
said another. more kindly.
Annie looked down at her blue calico
gown and her rough shoes. "What have
they done for us?" she cried.
They ascended the steps of the car.
"Give them goodbyl' called Hermann
petulantly. "We come back no more.
And the train pulled away.
| "All the world loves a lover" said
Herr Tappan to Mother Schweppe sad
ly, "but the lover loves no one but him.
| self and his sweetheart.
| So Hermann and Annie went to the
city. They were happy, and there
seemed to be no ghosts at their -fireside
"Father and mother think more of thei1
carrots than they do of us. they would
say merrily when they spoke of Amana
at all.
In May their baby was born. He was
a beautiful child, and Hermann ani
/ Annie never tired of watching him
Hermann could scarcely tear himsel
away from baby to attend his patients
| Contagious diseases he refused to treat
Baby might catch them. Annie's face
grew softer as she looked at the child
For hours they would amuse themselve
watching him clasp lead pencil in hi
chubby fingers. They cut off lock O.
his baby hair and saved it in the Bible
"Whom does the baby look like
Annie?' asked Hermann carelessly ont
day.
''Like you did when you were I
baby, suppose. answered Annie gay
ly. Suddenly startled look came int
her eyes, The thought came to Her
mann at the same moment. He dropped
on his knees before the child. "Dit
they think of me as we think of ou
baby2" he whispered. Annie was sob
bling. ''God may yet forgive us, sh
cried "The year is not ended. w
may still return.
The good God had not ended Mothe
Schweppe's life. Herr Tappan, too. wa
still trudging among his vegetable
when Hermann and Annie came back.
''It would have been year tomor
row already" Herr Tappan said stolid
ly. but his withered lips went trenl
bling. and he embraced Hermann an
Annie and blessed them.
| And Mother Schweppe padded bac
to her cellar with a sly smile, return
ing full handed. 81 have all this tim
since last autumn kept six bottles Q
wine for thee, Hermann, she said
Julia Crawford Underwood in st. Loui
Globe Democrat.