Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER ~.

Soou-hdluISu, pdlHIuiiy neat, eeC3!D M
ical even to stinginess, inquisitive as a
maybe with regard to the affairs or
her good friends and neighbGrs, always
ready to help others in misfortune. and
pitileSly stern in all moral questions,
added 70 this, rather cholersc tenn
permanent, a wagging tongue. and a
great liking for coffee and tea-parties.
in which one could always speak =
word in season among those who were
like-mainded.
She lived on her very modest
widows pension and the income OF :
fortune of FIVE thousand thalers which
she had brought with her to her hus-
band, and lived very comfortably &C.
cording to her own ideas, even saving
out something for the poor and sick,
though she always stormed and
scolded horribly whenever any one
applied to her for help. Her relations
in the city of the Mark had always
been thorn in her side. She had al
ways declared openly to her late hus-
band that she couldn't bear such shift
less people as those Won Zweidorfs.
Every time the announcement OF the
birth of child reached her-and this
had happened nine times-she lifted
up her voice and called heaven and
earth to witness that she would never,
never do anything for these wretched
tempters of Providence; that the re-
lations in the Mark were very much
mistaken IL they thought that she,
Frau Polly Berger, born a Trutz,
would ever help to put bread into the
mouths of all those superfuous chill
dren.
81 never. never will 30 you hear,
Berger?" she concluded
Yes, Berger heard, but he made no
remark He knew very well that
within the next twelve hours a little
package, with every possible thing
that could DE needed for mother and
child. and even with few shining
thalers, would be done up in bundle
of linen and sent off by post. And SO
he let her scold, the plump little wo-
man with the saucy snubnose, from
which her glasses were always falling
off.
Occasionally he would say: Polly,
you shouldn't make foolish VOWS. You
see, sha'n't live much longer, and
when you have carried me out to the
churchyard, it will be very lonely for
you, for you won't have any che to
listen to you quietly when you seed,
and so you will be sure to take one OF
the Zweidorf young ones home"
II? To be my everlasting plague
and torment" cried Frad Polly.
'.Just consider a little, Berger. before
i talk such nonsense. what an extra
portion of folly those children must
inherit from such parents. A girl like
that would be just as likely as not to
get up love-affair under my very
eyes, just as her mother did before
her. or get into debt as her father
does. And you want me to lend my
eountenance to thing like that?
haven't deserved this of you"
And then she burst into sudden sobs.
Il know she is your sister-but-yo
know. Berger, am your wife, and,
not 10 mention all the other things,
you ought not to talk about. dying.
shall die of grief IL you leave me all
alone in this wicked world"
But he did leave her alone one day,
and at first Frau Polly was quite
crushed by the loneliness which fol
lowed upon his death. II was for.
tunate that she had so many good
friends. and was so fond of her tea.
and coffee-parties. BY degrees she
grew accustomed TO her widowhood,
grew still more economical. interested
herself more for strangers, and had
plenty of time TO observe her neigh.
bors from her window. She did not
die Of grief.
Sometimes, 1t is true, she was ove1-
come BY longing for friendly voice
when II was had weather, and she
sat at home all alone in the twilight
with her knitting but as yet she had
no thought of taking one of the Zwei-
doris.
And now 1t had come TO pass, after
ALL Just as the late Berger had
prophesiod. a Zweidorf girl was to
make her entry into the uuiet widowed
dwelling OF the Frau Secretary Berger
when, one day. one Of those weary
anxious letters had c5me from Herr
Won Zweidorf. she he'd made answer
That ne might send her in Heavens
name. the glrl who wanted 20 learn 20
paint. It IS true that few hours
later she was scolding herself for Il.
Now her easy life was all over. aud
instead OF buying half a pound Of meat,
as she now did, she must IN future buy
She hositated as to
she should not write s=a stop
her on the score of Illness. Then this |
thought occurred TO her, that this /
What silly. hish-flown /
name, Well we will soon drive your !
ideas out of your head. M I
iear"-that this Hildegarde could rot
paint the whole day long, and IL would
be vary good thing II she should do
practical in the mornings.
IN this way perhaps she might do
without the charwoman, II not alto
rether at least for some hours.
Well she said to herself. comfort