Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-08-08
Continued.


falschoOd ana said it was burnt The
Fact Of the matter was she had it with
her, sewcd IN a bag. He secretly
opencd chests and boxes with double
keys ard sought for the writing-but
he did not fad IT, And She she had
not the courage TO accuse the man she
had married, the father of her dead
child. But they we're separated for
ever she could never persuade her
self 10 sneak a pleasant word to him
again. Ills i0quadty, bis phrases hia
courtesy, his position here she needed
not atone With her he scarcely Ven
mrrd To utter sound-he has
drained the very dregs of the cup Of
contempt
The old lady had mt length begun to
unMIdcn herself Sho now seated
hcrgrr beside me on the windOw-8cat,
ana az she talked she twisted the
strings Of her apron into tiny rolls
and UNFINISHED them, although ben
hands trembled violently.
Cousin" said !, lis 1t then true that
he cheated the Nordmanns by means
Of fraudulent faiIure?"
She nodded. He did Bye n couple
Of losses, but what did they amount
TO in the face Of such posscsslons'
Then BraulIwitz came upon the scene,
and he may have laid the lcndish
proposition before him first, yet, TO be
brief he was weak when it came 10
the question Of money"
"Of course Nordmann saw this and
accused him of dishonesty" | asked.
eyes, And then, my God, then he
did that terrible thing-thcn he per.
iurod himself; then he swore that he
had nothing left, that he had lost all,
Aud out of revenge. you see, out Of
revenge he branded Nordmann as a
thor'
She nodded with fixed stare.
Cousin ana when you learnt OF
WolImcycrs perjury, his wife, you,
could both live with the man, having
knowledge Of his guilt? You could
eat the bread upon his table and
breathe the air In his house, Had |
been Frau Hannchrn / should ut the
Samo hour"
"You would not have done SO had
you boon IN GlannchCn's place. in.
torrupted the old lady, calmly ana
firmly, FOR Frauloin Annolioso. she
still loved her husband. DO you know
what II means to a woman to love-
II means to bear all, to suffer, o
tremblo, to pray for him, to sacrifice
oneself in order to rescue from dis
grace and dlshonor the man one has
loved In brighter days"
She paused an instant, then, draw.
ing deep breath, she continued: I
shall never forget, how she sat besid"
him in her white gown undcr the elm
tree. I know nothing Of the compact
just made, softly stepped to the
housc.door because | thought-be.
cause--" Again she paused.
Cousin | asked anXiously what
ails your"
told any one, and ! am only telling you
now, in order thut-in o}dor that you
may not think"
Cousin" imporod, don't do SO,
If It pains you; | know you scorn
him
Yes! But let me speak, Annoliese,'
she persisted. 1T Is good for my old
head to have II como out said |
was stepping softly out of the door
ucausc | thought my lover was await.
ing me. You look at me In surprise?
Yes. yes, Annoliosc, | too had n lover
upon whose fidelity | relied. He was
was handsome, ! think, although six
Qnd.twcnty, but poor, poor rs n
church mouse, and therefore, said he,
we must await the time until he has
attained hcttcr position and higher
wares. That was evident to me, and
l. poor orphan, was mdeScrlbahiy
hlissful with my secret love, On the
day Of which am speaking, had
worked very hard, for we had had n
number of Whitsun callers at the mill
but fulfilled my duties with n light
heart for ! knew that the evening
would he SO delightful, then | would
sit beside him on the outskirts of the
forest where we always met, and
would feel his arm around me- the
arm which was to support and lead
mo through life. All, Annellosc, you
know better than poor old person
can describe it, how beautiful love and
hope combined can he. hut | did not
leave the house that night for my
lover was not awaiting me. he was
with another My lover, who had
plightcd his troth 60 me- and who had
abiured his souls salvation, should
he prove untrue to me, my lover was
seated by Hannchcn's side, calling her
his and 'dcatcst, as he had called
me"
Cousin | exclaimed angrlly
"Wollmeyer was"
Yes AnncIieso | did not rush Tor
ward and separate them. oh, no; |
sank upon the threshold. and what
FIRST thought Of and determined. no
longer know. Possibly | resolved to
say to HNnnchon: Your hetrothed is