Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-17
Continued.

WISH. AHIJe
ooh, mother, it is impossible for
you to go away like this."
"Of course ! must go! No one
shall ever say that | set my own child
against her husband. l have warned
you and you know now You must
help ne pack my things, Antje.'
And she had gone without looking
at the young man again. Antje saw
how he bowed down almost to the
ground in mocke~y Of her, but she
saw it through her tears.
At length the silver was all put
away. She stood there in the faint
twilight and felt almost afraid, she
was so lonely and so sad at heart.
Leo had had no word of comfort for
her. He had avoided her eyes, and
yet she would have shown him SO
gladly that she did not approve of the
harsh words of her excited mother.
She thought and thought how she
might give him some encouragement,
some sign of acknowledgment of this.
Her mother had meant WELL but how
NOutu SHE use Sucu NOIuS " Hill do
IAN art that brings in nothing?"
Antje pressed the palms other hands
together in her inward torture. IF /
only knew of something" she thought
something that would give him
great pleasure!" But she could
think of nothing, and with sigh she
mounted the stairs to her own room,
CHAPTER VII.
Maiberg had asked for lamp, and
he sat down to write. but he did not
touch the pen. Lost in thought, he
leaned back in a corner of the sofa
and smoked cigar It had been
more than uncomfortable at dinner
Antie had only answered yes or no;
Leo was excited ana distracted, and
'ookad at his watch oftener than was
exactly civil, and had at length driven
away half an hour earlier than the
time he had first appointed He had
taken leave abruptly Of his wife and
his guest, saying: Il hope you viii
not be too much bored Antje had
then made a cup of coffee at a side
table, and had conscientiously re-
manned sitting beside her guest till
ne had drained his last drop without
uttering word except "Gesegnete
Mahlzeit,' when they separated.
With his head leaning on his hand,
he pondered over the matter Which
was to blame? Whose fault was it
that there was no happiness in his
household Everything about him
was SO still that it seemed as though
the house was deserted What was
the young wife doing now, he won
dered. Was she sitting by her child's
bed? Was she weeping because her
mother left her so suddenly. on &C
count of her quarrel with Leo? He
gave a sudden yawn: really it was
horribly duh in this Sibyllenburg. At
last he took up up book, Der
Hungerpastor, by Raabe. He knew
it well and was very fond of it. All,
yes, hunger is bad thing-there are
people who have great munger and
some who have little. Leo had a
great deal but Ante on the other
hand, seemed to have none at all
Strange that these two should have
come together, And Maiberg knew
for what Leo hungered-for fame
for recognition, for a satisfying
activity, for heart that could sympa-
thiZe with him, could be ambitious for
him, and which he believed he could
not find in his wife To be sure, she
t,.,, oh IL
confidence, for his love; they both
hungered according to their different
natures.
would the Herr Doctor take cup
of tea with the gracious lady?" in
quired a servant at the door.
He said he would be pleased to do
So and followed man through Leo's
studio and a little ante room into the
boudoir of the gracious lady" as the
servant designated it. Maiberg shook
his head 1t was an exceedingly
coquettish room in which he found
himself. Walls, chairs, and ettomans
were covered with silk damask of a
large-fowered pattern: the heavy cur
tains above a diyan were held back
by a laughing cupid charmingly
modelled in bronze. The pieces of
furniture with their brass ornaments
were of graceful shapes but forid in
style Costly groupes of old Meissen
porcelain. chiefly scenes from Greek
mythology. stood about on consoles,
etegeres, and before the mirrors.
Here a genuine rocco fan was lying
negligently on table, as if the fair
hand had but lately used it; there, a
piece of music was spread on the rack
of a magnificent old Maiberg
could see that it was a French love
song of the time of the Pompadour
and in the bookcase were spread out
whole rows of volumes in faded blue
and pink velvet, in which the unap
preciated spirits of that time haC
written down their contributions t.
the memoirs of the period.
1t was a charming carnival caprice
this whole room, but an utterly i'm
possible habitation for woman lik
Ante.
She came in at this moment. He
gray cHe'iot ufeSS, WIFI IT'S tilHilniu
of dark braid looked strangely out c
place in this coquettish magnificenc'
''It is very kind of you to give m
your company" she said to Maiberg
''the tea will be here in minute
Is this your room, your sittin;
room?" he inquired, recovering frol
his first surprise.
Eyes, it is my room. Leo, had