Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-08-12
W. Hein9DuHsg 81
Continued.


and dangerously i'll. But she did not
give back the paper, she told him a
falsehood and said it was burnt. The
fact of the matter was she had it with
her sewed in a bag. He secretly
onened chests and boxes with double
KEYS and sought for the writing-but
he did not find it. And she, she had
not the courage to accuse the man she
had married, the father OF her dead
child. But they were separated for
ever: she could never persuade her
self to speak a pleasant word to MIN
again. His loquacity, his phrases, his
courtesy, his position here she needed
not: alone with her he scarcely ven
tured to utter a sOund-he has
drained the very dregs Of the cup OF
contempt"
The old lady had at length begun to
unburden herself She now seated
herself beside me on the wirdow-seat,
and as she talked she twisted the
strings of her apron into tiny rolls
and UNFINISHED them, although her
hands trembled violently.
Cousin" said ', lis it then true that
he cheated the Nordmanns by means
of fraudulent failure"
She nodded. He did have q couple
of losses, but what did they amount
to in the face of such possessions!
Then Brankwitz came upon the scene,
and he may have laid the fiendish
proposition before him first, yet, to be
brief, he was weak when it came TO
the question of money"
"Of course Nordmann saw this and
accused him of dishonesty" I asked.
eyes! And then, my God, then he
did that terrible thing-then he per-
jured himself; then he swore that he
had nothing left, that he had lost all.
And out of revenge, you see, out OF
revenge, he branded Nordmann as
thief"
She nodded with a fixed stare.
Cousin, and when you learnt Of
Wollmeyers perjury, his wife, you,
could both live with the man, having
a knowledge of his guilt? You could
eat the bread upon his table and
breathe the air in his house? Had
same hour"
"You would not have done SO had
you been in Hannchen's place. in
terrupted the old lady, calmly and
firmly; 'for, Fraulein Anneliese, she
still loved her husband Do you know
what it means to a woman to love!
It means to bear all, to suffer, 70
tremble, to pray for him, to sacrifice
oneself in order to rescue from dis
grace and dishonor the man one has
loved in brighter days"
She paused an instant, then, draw
ing a deep breath, she continued: i
shall never forget, how she sat beside
him in her white gown under the elm,
tree. [ knew nothing of the compact
just made; I softly stepped to the
house-door because I thought-be-
cause" Again she paused.
Cousin" I asked anxiously, what
ais your"
"Nothing-it is only have never
told any one, and am only telling you
now, in order that-in order that you
may not think"
COuSlu, Jun w oO
if it pains you; I know you scorn
him"
eyes! But let me speak, Anneliese,' %
she persisted, cit is good for my old
head to have it come out. said
was stepping softly out of the door,
coarse [ thought my lover was await
ing me. You look at me in surprise
+~0
upon whose fidelity I relied. He was
was handsome, I think, although six
and-twenty, but poor, poor as a
church-mouse, and therefore, said he
we must await the time until he has
attained a better position and higher
wages That was evident to me, and
I, poor orphan, was indescribably
blissful with my secret love. On the
day of which l am speaking, I had
worked very hand, for we had had a
number of Whitsun callers at the mill
but I fulfilled my duties with light
heart, for l knew that the evening
would be so delightful, then I would
sit beside him on the outskirts of the
forest where we always met, and
arm which was to support and lead
me through life. All, Anneliese, you
know better than poor old person
can describe it, how beautiful love and
hope combined can be. But did not
leave the house that night, for my
lover was not awaiting me, he was
with another! My lover, who had
plighted his troth to me, and who had
abjured his souls salvation, should
he prove untrue to me, my lover was
seated by Hannchen's side, calling her
his and dearest as he had called
me-"
Cousin" I exclaimed angrily
''Wollmeyer was
eyes, Anneliese. I did not rush for,
ward and separate them oh, no;
sank upon the threshold, and what |
first thought of and determined, I no
longer know. Possibly, l resolved to