Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-05-13

cannot clearly remember, but this [
do know, that they were the most try
ing of all those T have spent, that at
one blow they made of the child a
sorely tired woman. strong of will.
CHAPTER XIV.
about nine o'clock when [ finally
raised my head, and with burning
ewes stared into the darkness, like
one in despair. What power has the
fellowship Of welded life if it can ever
DESTROY a mothers love! Into this
slavery they wanted to plunge me.
was to pass my life in one eternal
struggle with cowardly senseless
mortal! An eternal vain struggle IN
til my strength should be broken, for
was not as yielding, as easily in
! fuenced as mamma; | was. as the
Countess had said, a combination Of
defiance, opposition and passion.
Flight resounded within me. What
remained to be done?
Standing at the window, had seen
Friedrich go out, the doctor come and
90: then the carriage drove up,
probably to take Herr Wollmeyer to
the superintendent's, and Frau Sell
mann to teh theater. Mamma surely
was in bed; she had taken her
draught- took choral very
frequently now-no one would bother
themselves about me until tomorrow
noon. Then, however, they would
come to bid me dress myself
"prettily,'' and the comedy would be-
gin. and he-he.
I closed my eyes and fancied that
this waxen mans hand with the thin
fingers and the long nails reached
out for mine, that had not the right
to push it angrily aside, that he was
walking beside me and whispering
"Anneliese!" that he could look at me
with is insulting glance, as much as
he liked. .....
| turned from the window, sought
nv portfolio and matches with
trembling fingers and anxious heart
| throbs. I wanted to write mamma
letter of farewell. Mamma could
spare me; she would hold another
child in her arms, a young, tender
life: she would hold it as she onae
held me in the photograph which al
ways stood under papa's writing-desx,
which he called his MadOnna-pictufe
upon which was scarcely recOgniz-
able in the midst of laces and ribbons
and upon which mamma looked SO
charming, as she leaned over me ana
smiled. Then I was possessed by
1 80 nj
flung it upon the floor, then.I collected
the pieces of glass and sought the
photograph which had fallen under
| the chest of drawers, and when I hal
finally found it, / pressed it to my face
and began to sob passionately.
This outburst brought me to my
senses. I wanted to go away, and 10
go quietly; that was now the principal
| thing. I lighted candle and wro:e
to the Countess, for had concluded
that a letter from me might possibly
not fall into mammals hands. | in.
formed the Countess of my inten-
lions:
81 am going to cousin, she will take
me in for the present, dear Aunt
Countess; for the moment | know t
nothing else and have no time f1.
consideration. Tell mamma, and tell
her too that if they wish to force nj !,
to marry Herr Won BrankwitZ, I Will
run away from cousin, SO that no one
will find me. With cousins help
will seek employment as soon as
POSSIBLE so that I shall no long er
burden Wo1lmeyer. Dear Aunt, am
doing what you advised. I see no
other way out. One thing beg OF
you, let me know how mamma took
my departure and of she is we'll. Do
not misunderstood me and continue
to love
"Your
"Anneliese''
I sealed and stamped this note and
decided to post it at the station, then
the Countess would receive it the
next morning. I rose calmly AMI
sought my school-bag, for had moth
ing else in which to pack few nee IS
sary articles. I took with me some
1 linen, papa's photograph, a New
Testament in which was written N
papa's hand: For His merciful kind
ness is great toward us; and the truth
Of the Lord endureth forever"
Never befor had / felt so comforter
! by these words.
| | knew that at half-past ten a train
(! left for Magdeburg; at Magdeburg I
would take the train for Thuringen.
and the following morning would be
with cousin. At present there was
no other asylum open to me, and I
| felt as if she were the only one who
could protect me.
If could but escape that morning!
must do that, and then on indie
pendently! A thousand times rather
the most frugal fare, then
| donned my jacket, took my fur
cap and muff, hung the bag over my
arm and left the house, Judging
| from the immoderate laughter issuing
from the servants quarters, had no