The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-18
Hans and Lena.

Frau Gherken was young and inexperi.
| enced of men and business, and her tenn
| per was fruitful soil for suspicion and
| Jealousy. She was not pleased with the
new arrangement of the store. She could
not bear to think of Hans in the COM
pany of strange woman day after day,
| and her pride was hurt that she had not
been consulted in advance about the plan.
| When the merchant went home that night
ne found his wife in tears and no dinner
| prepared.
After much talk and more tears Frau
| Gherken recovered her good humor, and
| permitted Hans TO kiss her forehead, at
| ter which it was agreed that Prof Van
| Breiden should come two days a week 10
| give her music lessons. The professor
was young and handsome and a great ar
| fist, and the days-when he came to teach
| her music would not seem so lonely, and
she might forget the horrid woman max
| ing change at the store.
One day Frau Gherken went to the store
| and surprised her husband standing in
| the little cage with the cashier Their
| heads were close together, because the
young woman was helping him add col
umn of figures so he could check her daily
| cash account but to the jealous wife the
scene was proof that her husband no
longer loved her. That night she charged
him with planning to run away with his
cashier, and they came near 10 serious
quarrel for the patience of Hans was ex-
hausted.
''Then you can elope with your profess
sor," he replied, with some spirit and an
ger.
,a5 Low o11 w
cozy little sitting room Of his home,
thinking as hard as he could At last he
slapped his hands on his knees and
laughed aloud.
81 will elope," he said to himself in a
whisper. 81 must cure Lena. she makes
me so miserable. She shall have les
son."
The young merchant closed and locked
the door, and then he spent an hour COM
posing brief note. When 1t was finished
he read it over several times and laughed
softly. Then he went 10 the door and lis
tened. There was no sound. His wife
had gone out. He then placed the note
on the center table where it would be
sen by anyone who entered tn room. The
note read:
lena: You guessed my secret. have
eloped. Now you will be happy with your
professor. Hans
The little bronze clock on the mantle
chimed IL o'clock when Hans turned down
the light and tip-toed out Of the room.
He stopped at the foot of the stairs and
listened. No one was stirring in the house
Then he crept softly up to the door Of his
wife's room. The door was ajar, and he
glanced inside. A lamp was burning on
the table, but Frau Gherken was not
there He stood still and listened for
minute, and thought he heard her moving
about the dining-room below. but the
sound was not repeated. Then he stepped
forward and turned up the light. A sheet
With a trembling hand and sinking heart
he snatched it UP and read:
"Hans: l am gone. Yo udo not love
me, but I hope you will be happy now
that am out Of the way. Lena"
Hans Gherken ran down the stairs and
into the street like man gone mad. He
was just in time to see a cab turn the
corner a block away. He ran after the
vehicle as fast as he could, and caught
sight of 1t i'm the next street Love- fear.
and jealous rage combined to send the
hot blood flying through his veins and
lend wings to his feet as he sped on after
the cab. For five blocks the race was
even, and then the heart of Hans bound
ed with joy as he discovered he was gain
ing. Two blocks more and. painting and
breathless, he made flying leap and
caught the reins from the hand of the
cabman.
where is he? TIL strange the wretchr'
cried Hans, who believed that Lena and
Prof. Won Breiden were in the cab. The
cabman fought back and shouted for the
police. A crowd gathered quickly, and
two officers came and pulled the strug-
Cling men apart as a weeping woman
leaped from the cab and threw her arms
about the neck Of Hans.
20, Hans, Hans, come back to mer'
''Where is he?" cried the struggling hus- |
band
Where is she?" walled Lena.
81 was foolish, Lena! Why did you |
leave me?"
''You are not trying to eiope?''
II swear I was only fooling. Where IS |
he? o, Lena, Lena, you shall not leave |
me-"
Where is the professor"
ST discharged him yesterday. He is not |
coming back"
"And you were not trying to elope?"
mo. Hans; 1 thought you had left me-"
Hans and Lena went home together af- |
ter he had settled with the cabman, and |
next day he discharged the cashler.-St. |
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