Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-03-28

"Anneliese, warned mamma.
] Herr Otto Won Brankwitz laughed.
AT present we will all remain here
and enjoy ourselves as well as we can,
! my friends" exclaimed my step.
farther " am preparing an ice carni.
/ val on the pond"
1T does not even freeze" said Frau
{ Seilmann.
"A Westenberg councillor can do
Iauything," said the Countess, "he can
/ eycn make it freeze"
Charming, Countess, bravo!" laugh,
/ cd the Town.couuciIlor, then sleigh
ing-partips, moonllght-balIs, balls at
home, Christmas festivities, charitable
( entertainments and so forth and 50
/ forth, Let us drink to a gay winter"
81 viii drink to something besides,
whispered Herr Won Brankwitz, glanc-
ing at me, and he touched my cham
payne glass, which was standing upon
the table, where It too remained
! had shrugged my shoulders slight.
| ly and assumed a scornful air.
After dinner we forgot to wish each
other "gesegnote Mahzeit." Coffee
was served in room adjoining
mammals boudoir, which room had
been converted into a Turkish tent.
Frau Sellmann reclined upon the di-
van, smoking cigarette; the
Countess, with large, coarse piece Of
knitting. sat in a low chair,
while the men likewise smoked.
"Anneliese, play me my favorite
piece" asked the old lady; and I
went into the next room, to play the
OK Minuet, by Haydn, which she had
long, long ago played as duet with
a prince at a gathering at His Excel
lency's," and which recalled her youth
long since flown
Suddenly large, but well-formed
mans hand was thrust over my
shoulder and turned over the notes.
MANY thanks, but | prefer doing
that myself" said in loud voice.
"Why are you so hostile, Fraulen
Annelieso?" was the whispered reply.
IF you knew how pleased | was at the
prospect Of seeing you again, pleased
since the time when had the honor
Of being your ncighbor at table, You
were bcwltchng at that wedding, so
gypsy-like and withaI so sweet, simply
sweet | said to my sister, on return
ing to Berlin, Olga, you cannot con
coiye what a temperament that little
onc--pardon--tha young lady pos
geSscs, what"
BIN BIN, BIN, struck the three
closing chords, closed the piano, rose
and left the room
had altogether forgotten that had
vowed to be polite for mammals sake,
but really, she could not require me to
listen to such nonsense. 1t borderod
upon declaration of love, at least
the best Introduction to one--but as
iuelegant as possible. The most
beautiful spot in the whole house was
my solitary room downstairs, the most
sensible society that of my good old
guardian angel, of whose especial
capacity to be sure ! was not yet
aware of on this evening,
Thank God" said |, as | stood be-
fore the old lady, who sat by the table
in her tiny room and by the light of
one miserable oillamp was rummaging
in all sorts of things. II can scarcely
stand it up there, cousin Mamma
looks as If she would burst into tears
any moment; he is like thunder
cloud, aud Frau Sellmann, nee Won
Branlwitz, should be under police
use of pcrfumery; her brother has
learnt by heart either THE Little
Nestpocket Sutor' or The Art of
Pleasing the Ladies' and wishes to try
the effect upon me. Lastly, Aunt
Countess sits there and does not know
what to say to it all.
You should have stood it, Annel-
icse, it viii only cause ill-fcclug. Go
upstairs again, remember the promise
YOU made your mother
But | stubboruly remained where |
was, fetched a chair, seated myself
next the old lady and thereby called
forth a storm which for some time
had been brewing, but which now
broke abruptly and annihIatingly
over my peace and happiness, taing
as they were,
The cousin had been wmmaging
in her chest of drawers, and upon the
table, as a result, lay books and
packages of letters She held in her
left hand an old blue-and.whitc stu
dents cap, badly worn by wind and
weather. while with her right she
stroked it caressingly, just at the mo-
ment that the door Of the front room
was burst MOSTLY upon and the host
interrupted our idyll. He may even
have heard me ask IL this cap had
once belonged to Robert Nordmann.
The cousin sat there in silence in
terror
so you are here?" he asked. q
must beg of YOU to rejon the guests
You are no longer a child, you are the
grown.up daughter of my house. and
have y right to demand that respect
no Na3i this h,uyn On, s,,.,.g..i