Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-08-22
CHATTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
Today cannot exactly say, how
events followed one upon another on
that day; but that they came like an
avalanche upOn the house and its Oc-
cnpants, do know. Erect, in the
midst of it all, cousin stood alone.
still REMEMBER that some one carried
rather than led me from the room
| after cousin had spoken; that VOL
meyer laughed, jeeringly, brutally,
| suddenly to cease; that the police
commissioner went upstairs with him,
and that cousin remained in her room,
alone, quite alone and still. What
struggle she fought there with herself
/ God only knows.
did not know what the examine
ton which the encouragement him
self conducted, would develop. There
was a constant coming and going Of
officials and messengers. WoIlmeyer
requested to speak with cousin, after
the arrival Of a telegram with the in
! telligenCe that a letter with an en-
closure had been found in Robert S
lodging, unopened, for the person adj
dressed was still in the service. The
officials then left WoIlmeyer's house,
after the latter had been convinced OF
an attempt at robbery.
spent many agonizing hours. /
| lay upon my bed, incapable Of
moving, and was obliged to listen to
the prayers and the whimpering Of
that voice which up to this time, !
had only heard in tone of the great
est egotism or Of anger, ! could not
understand the words I covered my
ears with the pillow, but suddenly he
screamed so loudly that / could not
help but hear: II demand the paper
back it is my property, Tell him he
can ask what he likes; the rascal and
tho girl in the bargain can have my
entire fortune, What is the need Of
all this fuss? | want nothing else,
Pack up, go to the station, Journey
thithcr--" Then again that despairing
Weeping!
Cousins reply | did not know. Nor
did know how she suffered on seeing
In such n condition the man to whom
she had formerly given her whole
heart She did not go to Halle; pity
had no place in her bosom after his
attempt to put tho guilt upon the
shoulders of Robert whose father he
bad dishonorod
Then the man who was SO crafty so
willy, gathered together all his wit
and himself solved tho complicated
example of his life, whose sum
amounted to contempt, blame, heavy
blame before his earthly judges,
solved it in n way which was the
simplest for him as we'll as for the
court. At three o'clock in the after
noon a shot was heard in his study.
Cousin entered my room. what
was that" asked |, starting up with
wildly-puIsating heart.
Something has probably fallen
down, Anneliese." Then the house.
maids cry rang through the house:
Master-Master!"
The old lady went out in silence.
The news of the happenings In the
Wollmeyer household only spread in
tho town when the doctor was sum
moned to attest that the Town.
councillor, for reasons yet unknown,
had sought and found death.
During the whole time | sat in the
Same spot, in tho armchair by the
stove, my feet drawn up, without
tasting either food or drink The
Countess who was with me, held my
hands convulsively. | was unable to
answer when the justices questioned
mo about this and that
Leave the poor child alone" i'm
plored the Countess. you see she Is
| ill.,"
The courtyard was filled with peo-
pie crowds came and went; the
atmosphere within and without was
oppressive, sultry. Acquaintances
FASTENED to the house with anxious
faces; several came in to see me.
For Gods sake, why did he do it,
they asked. What was the reason ?"
Financial lossos!" "Ah, God forbid,
his wife's death Yes, indeed. he
| has been changed OF late; the doctor
recommended travel, but he would not
| GO" Poor child, altogether orphan
, ed now" These were the words
/ spoken.
This was in the afternoon; towards
evening no one any longer came. Al
/ first in whispers, then more loudly,
was uttered the real truth of the case
| among the people who in this man
had been accustomed to honor model
of civil virtues. Suicide because he
was convicted of the crime of stealing
from old Fraulein Himmels drawer a
| document which proved a great crime
in his past life! All manner of de
tails, today still spoken of by the
Wastenberg people when Town
councillor Wollmeyer is mentioned,
were devised, but none were as ter.
rtble, as bad as the reality.
At ten o'clock at night the corpse
was borne to the cemetery vault.
The Countess had left us The
night closed in upOn the houses and