Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-29

| among which the avenue was lost K
sight. At length he perceived {
! lantern approaching, swung in the
hand Of an old woman.
| "Who is there?" was the rather
! lance.
'Is there a studio to let here?" said
Jussnitz.
Yes, but it can only be seen from
nine o'clock in the morning till five
in the afternoon"
q don't want to see it. want to
rent it,
The old woman, who had only just
opened the gate, held up the lantern
and let it shine on the face Of the
stranger, who she thought must be
slightly insane.
Are there any other rooms belong
ing to it," he inquired.
CA sitting-room, bedroom, and an
other little room"
Every good. Who else lives in the
house"
mo one, except Fraulein Brandt,
who is here few weeks in the sum
mer sometimes"
Does the villa belong to her?'
eyes. But she mas got another
house in Strehlen, and she is old be-
Sides
'You are the wife of the porter?"
Eyes, if you like to call me so, but
| haven't any husband now"
DO you attend to the service?"
Eyes, SIR
VERY well, then, will take the
studio, and in three days I will send
some people here to furnish it, Here
is my card, and this is for you
without coming in? But if you
wish to see the rooms, sir" The
old woman was suddenly all politeness.
Il will look at them in three days.
he replied. Goodnight
''GOod-evening, SIR
Jussnitz got into the droschky again
and mentioned a well-known restau-
rant, while the old woman went away
with her lantern, shaking her head Wig
orously, and was soon lost to sight in
the lonely garden.
Jussnitz suddenly took off his hat;
mis- face was hot and flushed. What
was he about to do? He laughed at
his own eagerness. The feverish de-
sire to accomplish something, the old
strong, creative force, had been re-
awakened in him by the sight Of this
beautiful girl with power that he
had not fn1t for q 1nr,o 10
like sick man who begins for the
first time to have hope of recovery.
He would paint her, He would
make a sensation with this picture,
and in order to do this he must free
himself from all bondage. He must
have this quiet studio, for how could
he bring this girl home TO Ante? 1t
was impossible. Ante with her
prudery, her narrow mindedness-and
this young creature, who reminded
him of superb wild horse Of the
steppes. 1t would be absurd Be
sides, if he were ever going to amount
to anything as a portrait painter. it
was absolutely necessary that he
should tear himself away from ali his
present surroundings, from the neigh
bOrhOod Of his wife. He would not en-
counter her Mortified eyes when a
never be able to understand; he had
long felt that, and therefore had long
desired to take studio.
Strangely enough, at this moment
there stole over him feeling Of com
passion for his wife. She ought to
have married some good fellow, who
beside her would have had nothing in
his head but his counting house.
What could she do for him with her
narrovness, inherited, and fostered
by her training? And he? He felt
the paralyzing burden of a woman
who was not his intellectual equal
more and more every day An artist
had NO right to marry, at least not
like this. No, he was doing the best
thing possible when he took the studio
which a fellow artist had had who had
gone for a long sojourn at Sorrento.
ut is best so,' he said half-aloud, as
he entered with unclouded brow the
fashionable restaurant which he was
accustomed to frequent. Only four
or five gentlemen greeted him, and
they looked surprised at the sight oil
| him.
What the devil. Jussnitz, brings
you here at nine o'clock at night?" in
| quired an officer. do you know that
| Kloden and I had actually planned tc
take you by storm this evening.
Your old friends declared you were
celebrating the anniversary of your
wedding-day today. He heard 1t from
| Baroness Erlach, who was to take
| supper with you this evening"
Yes, she told Fraulein Won Bard
eleben so this morning in my pres
ence," said another, in confirmation.
Leo Jussnitz looked quite dismayec
for a moment. Then he said, quickl.
recovering himself: My wife has ;
| portant business in town, and | an
! only going to drink a glass of beer ant
then l am going straight home. B.
the way he continued, as he took u
his beer-glass with it's silver cover
Il shall hold you to your word, gentle
! men; come out to us tomorrow"
! Oh, certainly, they would all come
but Jussnitz must stay a while longer
it was SO Internally dull, as every on
had gone to the wedding of littl
Countess Mellenthieu.
'Imposslble!" replied Jussnitz, an
following day, he left the restaurant