Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-03-14

2 anu Can NtlNt NlkN SNtNlAhAN A II NAAt NAAN
/ threshold if he dares to cross it; but
she. she will be bound to him, she will
I have to suffer as she suffered who
now lies out there in the Churchyard,
! like all who come in contact with him,
like those" she yelled, pointing to the
wall upon which hung several photo
graphs. like those Who died from it,,
were ruined and wretched' There
fore tell your mother. tell her In time,
to go as far as her feet will carry her,
before She-'
The half-msane woman's breath for
sock her, she suddenly hid her face in
her hands and burst into food OF
bitter tears. The next moment she
snatched up her shawl, and rushed Out
still sobbing,
The cousin sat upon the side of the
bed and dared not look at me,
leaned against the wall, for my head
was whirlng. Silence reigned-an
eternity it seemed to me. At length
the old lady murumured: She is a
mad creature, this Martha, She" she
cleared her throat really believe
she thought he ought to marry her,
Oh, these frivolous woman-folks.'
of he had but done sol" thought l.
oh my poor MOTHER
Again silence. The cousin was lost
in her own thoughts as if a heavy
burden lay upon her shoulders; her
face wore Il strange, fixed expression.
Impelled by inward unrest, wandered
about the tiny room, scarcely knowing
what l did, what l saw. In front of
the commode / paused and gazed at
the pictures to which the woman had
just pointed. They consisted of
several faded photographs, taken with
wretched appratuses, young couple,
sitting side by side, with hands
clasped then the picture of a little
boy, and below this the protrait of a
young man of perhaps sixteen years
of age. Purely mechanically | took
down this portrait and examined it..
who is this?" l asked over my
shoulder, only in order to hear the
cousins voice, for it almost made me
shudder to see her so motionless.
THAT is-that is Robert Nord
Manu." came the reply in a stifed
tone, as if she were choking.
The name sounded familiar to me
and the sensible delicately-cut feat
ures looked as familiar to me as if
had seen them before. Oh, to be sure
there are forebodings, there is a mys
FERROUS bond which binds souls long
before the people to whom we are
bound meet face to face, or hear the
sound of their voice. who Is he?
Where is this Robert Nordmann
asked almost violently.
"He is Hannchen's sisters son" re
piled the old lady, with trace OF
tears in her voice. Where is he?
God alone knows-somewhere in the
world, SINCE"
She paused
Since when. cousin?'
Since lie was obliged to leave
home"
And when was that?"
"Ten years ago. But do not ask me
child, it will do no good, especially to
night. | might say more than | ought
to-"
Poor Robert Northampton
Anneliese Won Sternberg! 1t seemed
to me as if we We're companions ii
misfortune, I returned the photo
graph to its place, let my hands fall
and did not know what to do with my
aching, anxious heart.
"Anneliese, Fraulein Anneiese 81
suddenly said the old lady who hat
stolen softly over to me in her felt
slippers, her weary. light blue eyes
peering into mine. "is it true, child
what--what Wollmeyer says? You
intend to SO away, you intend to leav,
your mother?'
nodded
DO not do so," she Whispered, as il
some invisible person were behind me
who might hear me DO not do so
She would not survive it. child. were
you to go, for, you see-she is but DO
ing all this because she wants to keeT
you Do you not understand? You
are such a sensible girl, Anneliese,-
promise me you will not 90 away
And do not tell her anything about
MARTHA do not know whether you
understand me?"
All, | understood her, yes. under
stood all. My mother had sold her
self, and knew she had done so only
because there was no other means L
resort to. And sold to whom? As il
haunted, rushed up into our common
bedroom, there | lay sleepless ant
trembling, listening to the tumult be
low. At daybreak the guests de
parted, and mamma staggered into
the chamber, pale and haggard She
thought me asleep. approached my
bed with clasped hands and gazed up
on me.
Thereupon | sat up and extended
my arms TO her. Mamma. my nam
maj" And as she flung herself at my
bedside and twined her arms about me
as II she would suffocate me, ] whis-
pered in her ear: Il win stay with
you, win stay with you!"
She made no answer. but she held