Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-10
By W. HEIMBURG.


alone, and 1 will gladly take my
daughter home with me-the sooner
the bctteri"
Maiberg heard these last words as
he was going through the hall. And
as he hurried on he heard Antics
despairing cry, why, mother-dear
mother,"
He could not stay in the house, so
he went down the steps and out into
the garden. There he wandered
about the paths, taking no heed of the
clear winter landscape and the white
snow which glistened and sparkled in
the sunshine. That deep woman's
voice upstairs had uttered his own
! convictions. Last evening he had
lUnged to take his friend by the
shoulder and shake him and ask:
Man, have you gone mad? Do you
call this social pleasure, this con-
fused chatter, this drinking, smoking.
and playing? How you have deteri-
GRATED! Stop short, Leo; you are
SHINING against your better nature.
know you better than you know
yourself-you are plunging into a life
which does not suit you in the Ieast,"
| But what good would it have done
When Leo once got an idea into his
head he would stick to it through
thick and thin, and So his mother-in-
laW-for who else could it be?-had
gone quite the wrong way to work
with him.
An uncomfortable feeling came
over him; he began to plan to cut
short his visit. 1t is horrible to be a
guest in house where dissension is
rife. At this moment he heard his
name called, and turning, he saw Leo
at the open window.
Come up here, Maiberg!" The
tall, fair man went into the house
and entered the studio. Leo was
walking up and down, whistling softly
to himself
Sit down." he said; take a cigar
ana comfort me in my grief at part
ing. My mother-in-law is going TO
leave the house in few minutes"
You have had a quarrel with her,
Leo?"
ooh, not at all, My mother-in-law
is OF opinion that, as | do not earn
anything at painting. I had better
find some other position in the
world, as a clerk in her counting
house, for instance. or something of
the sort. We could not agree upon
this, so the good lady prefers to leave
my house. That is all. She is of an
energetic-nature and is fond Of sudden
resolves he added. you can see
that, for within a quarter of an hour
she will be quite ready to leave.
Yes, she is energetic indeed; her
whole corps of work-people at home
shake in their shoes before her,
Maiberg. Actually, there comes the
carriage, now"
He went hastily to the window and
looked down
Wolf stood beside him and saw how
Antje kissed the old lady again and
again, and how, as the carriage rolled
away, she stood there, quite regardless
OF the cold wind, and looked at the
marks of the wheels in the snow
Il am sorry for your wife, said
Maiberg, at length.
why? | told her she could go and
stay with her mother for a while, but
she will not
"The gracious Frau begs the gentle
men to come to breakfast" said the
servant, who entered just then
Antje met them in the dining-room
as if nothing at all had happened
Only the traitorous twitching of her
pale face gave evidence of her inward
agitation. Leo spoke of the last ex-
position in Munich and of the last new
opera. Sherry sparkled in the glasses,
and the servant passed round sauer-
kraut cooked with oysters in genuine
Munich fashion.
Ma;berg could not keep his eyes off
the woman who saTbetween them.
May l look after my little patient
again, by and by?" he inquired.
She assented pleasantly.
Are you going to the opera with
Maiberg this EVENING"" inquired Leo.
4 have something to do in the mean
time, but we can drive home together"
YES" she said again, nodding her
head like a beautiful attenuation.
But" interposed Maiberg, will it
suit you, Frau IJussnitz? You lock
tired, and l am sure you did not go to
bed till daylight. Leo, I must pro-
test that am not so bent on pleasure
as you seem to imagine"
Then stay at home!" he replied.
eff you are willing, Frau Jussnitz,
we will spend the evening at home. 1
have letters to write, besides, which l
must not put off any longer"
YES" she said for the third time
Then she got up and left the room.
Immediately aftec dinner Leo drove
into town. Ante heard the carriage
roll out of the courtyard. She was
in the dining-room, occupied in putting
up and locking away the silver which
had been taken out for yesterdays
dinner. 1t was after four o'clock,
and twilight had already settled down.
She mechanically wIped off every sill
yer spoon, every fork, with dainty
bit Of chamois leather and put them
away, piece by piece, on the blue vel
vet cushion Of the great leather case.
Her thoughts were with Leo. What
would he do in his injured pride? She
felt sorry for him in her Utmost soul
She had never seen her mother so
violent. When Ante, white with ter
ror, rushed into the room that morning