Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-03-11
CHAPTER Viii.

| WOllmeyer fetched my mother from
the Countess's house for the wedding
Immediately after the ceremony the
was to follow several weeks later
in order to go south with mamma Sc
I was to be present at the wedding
festivities, nor did mammals request
for a quiet wedding receive any at
tention.
| The few weeks spent at the
Countess's were converted into weeks
of torture by the frequent visits of the
bridegroom He came at noon. he
came at night; he even one day sent
baskets OF delicacies and wines and a
message that he would come to din
ner My mother stood by in con-
fusion, when without further ado my
aunt returned the basket to the SER
want. "The Countesss compliments,
and if the TOwn-councillOr wishes to
| dine with her she will be pleased, but
he must then be kind enough to put up
with her simple cuisine. The Count
ess is not in the habit of being treated
in her own house,
With a grin the servant left. But
the Countess turned away angrily.
.eTIe is harder to punish than young
dog!" I heard her mutter. well. if
only the heart is good" she said,
pinching my cheek, that is the
principal thing, is it not, little one?"
| ! Yes, to be sure, but-Was his good?
| Daily we listened to his gorgeous
descriptions of the new furnishings OF
| the castle. sAll in blue, Helene, be-
cause it is your favorite color" He
wasted money in order to afford his
beautiful wife an elegant home, for
which mamma did not even long.
The terrible day came and went
with its tactless grandure. with it's
thousand-fold agony which he held
over us. With self-denial the Count
ess played the role of mother; as if in
dream stood behind mamma at the
altar of ST. Mary's and heard the
divine's words chosen by mamma,
For the mountains shall depart. and
the hills. be removed; but my kindness
shall not depart from thee" AS il IN
the distance I heard the toasts and
cheers at the table, and I felt a pang
in my heart when the old hired SER
want, who was never absent from any
Westerberg festivity, whispered in my
ear with his husky voice: Frau Wool
meyer begs the gracious Fraulein--'
for what. did not understand. Frau
Woolmeyer! The word had hurt me
physically. I knew no Frau Wool
meyer! l would have preferred to cry
out "Oh, papa! papat" And sob
rent my breast, which | could scarcely
suppress. Nor could have bidded
mamma good-by. At the conclusion
of the meal I stole from the room,
although my neighbor, Herr Won
Brankevitz begged me for the first
waltz
Tt had vexed me greatly that he
was to be my cavalier at this wedding,
but the countess had explained that it
was the proper thing for the daughter
of the bride and the nephew of the
groom to walk together behind the
bridal pair, and was silent. He had
taken me to the church in "a carriage,
in a faultless coat and white waist
coat, had presented me with a magnif-
cent bouquet of Merechal Mel roses,
which harmonized excellently with my
gown of soft, pale yellow silk, as ex-
cellently as if they had been grown
after a sample of the material, and he
praised his gift as much as if he him
self had been the creator of the Won
derful blossoms.
When I was leaving the room, he fol-
4
lowed behind me with his insipid smile
and his bold glance. I did not even
understand what he said, but shut the
door Of the ladies' dressing-room in
his face, hurriedly sought a wrap, took
lace scarf that belonged to the
! Countess, and ran across the court
yard into the garden adjoining it. A
gate in the old wall led into the
promenade, and on this bordered the
cemetery. From the cemetery could
reach the countess's garden through a
private gate.
The September day was already
drawing to close; not soul beside
! the deaf Old sections wife saw me as
| hastily advanced to papa's grave
There I stood, my heart filled with
grief, and yet | could not weep.
gazed at the spot beside him, where
mamma once wished to rest. She had
| spoken of it so often, and now she
| had forfeited this right. The perfume
of the monthly roses and Of the re-
sedas was SO strong, and from St.
| Mary's came the sound of the vesper
bell. An autumnal, weary air was
worn by nature. All, if could but
sleep too, sleep never again to
! awaken, here by papa's side!
| There too lay Hannchen, upon her
grave fresh bright flowers. The cousin
had no doubt adorned the grave, as if
to propitiate the deceased for what
had happened today. No one had
thought of papa, but it was well so.
Might he sleep, sleep, that he might
not see his adored wife. My God, he
would have diedl.a thousand deaths,
had he known that! My poor mother
/ Fran WO1Imeyor