Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-09-26
By ". HEIMHURG.

attempt to soften his friends judg
, ment. Count yourself happy il
possessing wife who has sense o
: duty which is rare enough in thes
; days. Confound it, Leo, you seem de
/, termined to make yourself miserable
:, IS this gloomy temper all you have
! gained in exchange for your formel
condition of care and anxiety? You
live in a palace like a fairy dream
and make yourself unhappy over the
>, merest trifes-or is this an es
! pecially bad day with you? Perhaps
your liver is troubling you l must
! direct my attention to it; it may be
so. If that is the case, you might be
! set down in the midst Of paradise it
self, and you would still grumble"
Nonsense, Wolf, nonsense!" said
Jussnitz, putting out his hands in self
defence, as the doctor playfully at
tempted to feel his liver. Only
stay here for week and then you
will think differently. But let US talk
of something more agreeable. 1t is
nearly six O'Clock now; we will go TO
! the reception rooms. The guests VIII
soon be there, but Ante will be sure
| not to appear until the Baroness has
already looked round for the hostess
! with her most malicious smile"
! They descended a small winding
staircase which led directly from the
studio into the billiard-room, passed
| through the dining-room, and entered
| the receptionroom, which was fur
nished with princely magnificence.
| Wolf opened his eyes in surprise; he
glanced from the wonderfully pre-
served frescoes of the ceiling, portray
| ing the triumph of Venus and framed
| in richly gilded stucco, over the walls
hung with yellow silk over the
mlrror-like parquet, the .ch hangings
which covered the doors and windows,
over the innumerable chairs. stools.
and sOfas-all gilded in the purest
rocco style. Really, it was ali
quite perfect, like a saloon in the
Trlanon. But the smile on the
doctors face was no longer free from
discomfort. Strange" he thought
to himself. 81 had looked forward to
such a very different evening. AS we
drove here, pictured to myself a
very comfortable room, in which
there was no lack of artistic decOra-
tons. | saw a white tea-table. around
which sat three persons calling up
the memory of old times. Now here
| am in this state apartment-and-'
His thoughts were interrupted by the
clock on the mantelpiece striking six.
At that moment a lady came in
through the open portiere; her golden
head was turned as if she were look
ing once more at the arrangement of
the table in the dining-room. WOLF
was struck dumb. This slender,
wonderfully lovely figure, in her
black MORE dress with a white fichu
over her shoulders, which was crossed
on the breast and carried round the
waist, ending in a loose knot behind,
as Marie Antoinette was fond of
wearing it-this figure in it's elegant
simplicity was absolutely striking
against this brilliant background.
She came up to Wolf with light
looking earnestly at the young
physician with a pair of eyes Of whose
apparently unfathomable depths"
Leo had certainly not said too much,
she begged him to excuse her for not
having received him, as she was Gust
giving her baby BATH
My poor wife is obliged to do that
herself; she has no servants" said
Leo, ironically
Not at ALL was her quiet reply.
I like to do it, and-especially since
the nurse nearly killed the child
once
Pray do not give up any reminis-
cences of that kind. my dear" cried
Leo.
She turned toward him. Mamma
wished me to ask you to excuse her
for this evening. She does not feel
very WE'LL
4 did not suppose your mother
would dine with u.s." he replied.
She looked quietly at her husband.
And where should mamma dine, if
not with us?" she asked.
Wolf thought he saw the soft, pale
face culver, and it cut him to the
| heart.
ooh, good Heavens" muttered Leo,
1--WE are all young people. l thought
it would be bore to her, and would
tire her besides
MY mother-bored! She who is
so fond Of young people?"
And with deep flush she turned to
the fireplace to push back a burning
log that had fallen too far forward.
''She never can understand" NUT
tered Leo, angrily. as he disappeared
into the adjoining room, small
boudoir, whose brown gold-stampeG
leather hangings made a very effec
tive contrast to the glittering gold q
the reception-room.
Ante took some time to get the
refractory beechen log back into it:
proper place, and to force back tn.
customary two tears which had com,
into her eyes. Now for the first tim,
she understood her mothers refusa
to join the party-Leo had, no doubt
L made it very clear to her that he di
l not desire her presence. Ante fel
! as much hurt as if it had been a pei
sonal slight to herself. What woul
this stranger think of it?
When she turned round the latte
Z was standing with his back to her. be
fore large picture of two little make
Il cupids crowned with vine-leave:
playing about very peaceably Ii