The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-28

stared at it, twisted IT, turned it. not
understanding, not comprehending.
| To her it had meant eternity.
Kristine and Grethe and Laura came
each evening and threw a pebble against
the window.
wilt thou come with us?"
NO"
And they went away. hushed. and
whispered:
Something is preying on Anne Marie -
And up in the houses they said, as they
ate their midday meal:
Anne Marie comes into the street no
more. She locks herself in. There must
be something that is preying on her.
Winter drew on. 1t grew cold. Ice
formed.
And Kristinc came and shouted:
THE ice holds. Anne Marie."
Anne Marie answered not.
And Kristine nudged Grethe in the
back, and said: ASK thou, Grethe."
And Grethe shouted:
The ice holds. Anne Marie. It is
smooth as glass"
But Anne Marie answered naught.
And Grethe nudged Laura IN the back
and said: ASK thou, Laura"
And Laura shouted:
THE ice holds, Anne Marie. It is
smooth as glass. The lads are calling
for thee"
So they gave over. And silence fell.
But down from the tar rang a song:
Arise. my rose,
Arise, my doll,
Arise. my little friend,
My hearts most dear, my dear. my dear!'
And up through the hills it echoed:
My dear, my dearr'
Anne Marie sat and stared at the ring
She could not understand it. She could
not comprehend it.
To her it had meant eternity.
why are you reading forever and al
ways, my father"
81 seek the truth Anne Marie"
rs there some truth, then, father? Is
not everything a lie?
Then the old one raised his heavy.
white head and looked at Anne Marie.
but her hair shone. Like the windows
in Our Lady's Church at high noon
tide shone Anne Marie's hair.
mo, Anne Marie, in human kind there
is surely no truth. Only in these is truth
in these dusty books"
From that day Anne Marie sat before
the great, ponderous books.
Anne Marie sat from morning till even
ing before the great, ponderous books.
while down in the budding meadows they
sang:
Arise, my rose,
Arise, my doll
Arise, my little friend.
Ny hearts most dear. my dear, my dear"
But Anne Marie's cheeks grew follower
and follower.
It was in May. when the cherry bios
SONS fall.
The old cathedral bell was Ginning. It
chimed out over the town. out over the
ford.
There was green before every threshold.
There were shutters before every shop
window.
There was whispering through the
streets: there were old folk who dried
the tears from their faces.
Think Only twenty and on the bier!
Think. Only twenty, and pale on the
bier"
With long, black wells the towns fairest
daughters walked before the black wagon
and whispered:
Now is the Ioveliest dead. Now lies
the blondest on the bier
And they whispered:
Gould there possibly have been any
one who wished harm TO Anne Marie2
Could there possibly have been any one
who would lie TO Anne Marie?"
And over among the men there was
whispering.
Y don't believe 1t was a sickness
said one.
NO; it was something that she suffered
in secret, she. Anne Marie" said an
other.
1T was something that preyed upon
her, and that no one knew" said third
And down through all the funeral train
there was whispering:
Who could possibly have wished harm
70 her. Anne Marie. with the golden hair?
Who could have wanted 10 lie 10 her
Anne Marie g''-Translated from the Nor
wegian by katherine Prence for the New
York Evening Post