Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-11-28
Continued.
By Y. HEIMBURG-


She ran off just after the Christmas
tree, and left me sitting there, half
dead with anxiety, till twelve o'clock,
and when at last she rang the bell l
was angry, and called down to her that
she might Just sc back where she
came from. She took it in dudgeon,
and now she is gone. If she only
hasn't jumped into the Elbe, because
said had written to her father. All,
what an unlucky woman I am What
shall / do noW?"
why, say, my dear Frau Berger,
that really wasn't right of you. Good
Heavens, she is sure to have jumped
in-''
Aunt Polly shook all over as the
woman good-naturedly continued:
We'll, I don't know anything else to
do now but just to wait till they find
her. People who are drowned never
come to the surface till three days
after. Come, dear Frau Berger, don't
take On so. / will make you a cup If
tea, and that will quiet you down 4
bit. An, dearie me, what trouble
children do make for body"
But, Frau Berger" now cried
boys voice from the shop itself, where
the huckster-woman's eldest son
slept, don't be worrioed about her.
The young lady drove away with the
gentleman who used to come to you
sometimes"
oh, mercy on u.s." screamed Aunt
Polly. Il would rather she had
jumped into the river. Oh, what
miserable creature ! am! Now her
parents will say drove her to her
ruin!"
WAS it droschky?" the huckster-
woman asked her son.
No; it was a fine private carriage,
and | knew the coachman. too His
name is Bormann; he used TO be with
Herr Lehrbeck. and now he is at
SibylIenburg."
"Sibyllenburg? gasped Aunt Polly,
"Sibyllenburg? Who lives there? |
must go there tomrrow. Is it very
Ear? How shall l get there?"
ThereupOn both mother and son
gave a detailed description of the
situation of Sibyllenburg and the way
to get there, and each contradicted the
other. At last Aunt Polly only knev
that a train started for that place at
eight o'clock, and then she would
have a good piece" to walk. And in
a faint voice she begged her good
Frau Hernicke not TO leave her fer
tonight, for she saw such horrible
figures in all the corners, and she
could not imagine what she should do
if Hilda had really done something
dreadful, and would not come back to
her
The gOod-natured Frau Hernicke
actually went upstairs to her neigh
boris apartment, and the two worthy
danes made up a fire in the stove and
made some coffee, and Frau Hernicke
related to the shuddering Frau Berger
the most incredible tales of the
wickedness of the world at the present
day and the folly Of young people in q
great city In the meantime she got
together some warm clothing for to-
morrow's journey, and Aunt Polly
cried and bewailed her hard fate, and
her tears fell into the great coffee-cup.
which. she kept putting to her lips
though her troubles was SO great she
could hardly swallow
At seven o'clock ia the morning they
both went to the station. The poor
little aunt had her eyes all red with
crying, and Ler nose was red with the
cold, and she looked older and more
worn than ever: and as she travelled
on in the cold Christmas morning, she
folded her hands inside her muff ana
prayed that God would not punish her
violence and Impotence too severely.
All, in her anger last night she did not
remember that it was day when love
and mildness ought to rule. God had
given salvation to His sinful children.
and she herself-Such a sinful mortal
as she was-had wished to Judge and
to punish, and perhaps had even
thrust human soul that had been in
trusted to her care, into lifelong
misery!
But who could suppose any one
would think she meant to shut her out
in earnest?
At length Aunt Polly found herself
on the small platform of the little
station, and asked the statior-master
where Sibyllenburg was situated
up there on the hill, madame,
where you see the tower peepiug
through the trees. Just go straight
up, and when you get to the top of the
hill you must ask somebody, for can't
describe it to you from here"
Gould you tell me who owns
Sibyllenburg?" she inquired again.
well, you see, madame, it has
changed hands pretty often in the
last few years: it seems sort of UNI
lucky. I am curious OF know how long
the man who has got it now will keep
1t. if he goes on as he is doing now
Who is it?" inquired Aunt Polly.
Jussnitz is his name; he's q
painter
The old woman began to feel her
head whirling rourd. And Hildegarde
was there!
She murmured few words Of
thanks and went on her way. All the
stories of Opponents that she has
ever read, and those which Frau
Hernicke had related to her the
night before. seemed to be coins
over and over in her head. All. Aunt
Polly felt as if she should jump into
the water herself for she would be