Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-02-25

coming insane!
For hours l sat there, then light
glanced in my eyes.
Can you not find the way to me,
Anneliese?'' asked mamma.
I did not stir.
"You will make yourself i'll again. =
she continued, putting the lamp upon
the table. Then she came over to me
and kneeled beside me. "Anneliese,
promise me not to think about it
now; when we return from our jour-
ney we can confer about it not as
mother and child, no-as two friends.
Come, be good, let me enjoy these
few days in which, am still free. !"
She uttered the last words in stifed
voice.
''Oh, I do not want you to do this, I
do not want to travel-I-I will write
! to Uncle Herbert. He must come, he
must
Her short, shrill laughter interrupt
ed me.
'.Uncle Herbert!"
'sHe has been brother to you, he
often sends you money, you have said
SO yourself!"
uncle Herbert! Yes, yes, of
counsel"
| ooh, | would were dead! would |
were with my beloved papa!'
Her thin, beautiful face was almost
distorted at this moment, but she
o+o Jxy
at the floor.
.You shall not do it," | exclaimed,
springing up, you can not do it, you
cannot forget papa, you cannot wish
| to insult his memory, by marrying this
| this"
sSilence!" she commanded, as she
drew herself up. II cannot act differ
lently-do not ask it! Do not forget
that you are the child whom it does
not befit to judge the parents actions.
| Remember that | must take this step,
that | have maturely deliberated it,
and that, God knows, it has not been
easy for me- Remember that, and try
to make the best of it. 1t is unalter-
able!"
She again took up the lamp and eX-
tended her hand to me. Come, let
us go to bed, Anneliese; if you do not
now understand me, you will later on,
my dear
The endearing words died upon her
lips; I had turned away hastily, dis
regarding her outstretched hand.
For a moment she stood there; then
she left the room.
[ spent a night Of agony upon the
sofa under papa's large photograph.
Early in the morning, without having
seen my mother, sought the Count
ess. She alone would be able to help
me, thought /, for she too had loved
papa. l did not consider that was
about to commit an act of indiscre-
ton; l was possessed only by the
sense of burning shame for my
mother, and that made the avoWal
difficult: but I told myself must save
| her.
1t was a sultry morning, such as
one as follows upon night in which
no dew has fallen, the streets were
still heated from the glow of yester-
days sun, and filled with the vehicles
of the peasants and with country-Wo-
men who had come to market. Be
fore the gabled town-hall stood
wagons with their loads of hay which
were driven one after another to the
public weigh-house, while along the
foot-path stood the butterwomer,
before them their tubs containing
their appetizing wares, chatting
busily, and occasionally serving Gus
toners. All this impeded my prog
ress, but | made every effort to make
my way through. I must have looked
| like one insane as | pushed through
| the throng, breathing quickly, hatless,
with shawl hurriedly flung around
me; my hair tangled, my eyes swollen
and infamed.
The shades of the Countess win
dows were drawn; I did not stop to
consider if the old lady was still sleep
ing, but rang as if to announce fire.
| The next moment the chain was
drawn from within, and the Countess
cried "You Infamous rascal, have at
last-Heavenly Father" she then ex-
claimed, and the next moment she
pulled me over the threshold and
stood before me in her neglige-she
must have just risen-in a pink
| lowered jacket, gray woollen skirt,
enormous felt-slippers upon her feet,
her hair done UP in curl-papers which
nodded strangely beneath the frilled
night-cap. She held in her hand the
copper glistening chafining-dish upon
| which she was in the habit of keeping
her coffee warm, and stared fixedly in
my face.
Heavenly Father, Anneliese, is
your mother ill?"
Suddenly the power of speech de-
serted me. my throat seemed paralyz-
ed
Come! You look as if you were
suffering! Come up-stairs!" And she
drew me along, pushing me before her
into her tiny chamber in which the
shades we're lowered at the opened
YYI. - ILL., 6