Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-22
CHAPTER III.

master had already sounded the sig
nal for starting, and the conductor
pulled open a dor and thrust him in
He had frst-class season ticket
but he found himself in a third-class
carriage, and alone with lady. Al
first he paid no attention to her; the
air was horribly close and he went
to the window to open it. But first
he turned and, lifting his hat. said
will you allow me. Fraulein?"
The head, covered with a broad
brimmed felt hat, was raised little.
ooh, certainly" was the reply, in a
clear voice.
Leo Jussnitz cast hasty glance at
the face beneath the shady hat, and
saw two dark. almost unnaturally
large eyes. The window was open half
way, and he sat down opposite her
and looked at her. He saw a small
mouth, bright red lips, and del
icately formed chin. The short nose
and the two glowing eyes were
shaded by the Rembrandt hat.
Where, for Heavens sake, had he
seen this face before?
Her eyes fell beneath his gaze; the
dark lashes which now rested On the
pale cheek were wonderfully long.
He felt sure he had seen this all
before; and suddenly there came be-
fore him the picture of his fathers
garden in the little city of the Mark,
and a girls face with great dark eyes
was looking over the White-thOrn
hedge which separated their neigh
boris garden from their own, and
these eyes smiled at him and
fascinated him, the gymnasiast of
eighteen, till he found himself stand
ing by the hedge with two slender
hands clasped in his which stood out
like snow against the dark green Of
the leaves. And the moon shone
down upon them, and over in the
castle park across the brook the
nightingales were singing as he
kissed the rosy lips.
But this could not be she, for six
teen years had passed since that
period of his first love; and this
young creature before him was per-
haps twenty years old. He looked at
her again, and the memory of that
quite bewildered.
TONY Won Zweidorf!" he said, half
aloud.
A light laugh was the reply.
"You know me. them" inquired the
girl. But l am not Tony-ah, my
dear Tony,-I am the youngest,
Hilda."
"Hildegarde Won zweidorf-from
A1twedel?"
She nodded "And you. sir?"
He took off his hat and murmured
his name.
''You used to know Tony?" inquired
the young girl, drawing up her
slender figure as comfortably as
possible into the hard corner Of the
wooden seat.
Yes, Fraulein Hilda."
But, then, you must have seen me
tool"
You were child then. Fraulein
Won Zweidorf, and will not be likely
to remember the tall gymnasiast who
used to go to dancing with
Fraulein Tony"
mo, I do not. Have you been
long away from Altwedel?"
Very long. My father was sent
from there to Silesia, and !. d.
Are you still living in the little house
on the 'Alta'?"
Eyes. 1t is such a queer little old
house.
'Ah, l used to think it was delight
full we lived close by"
There is a factory there now, an
ugly red-brick building. with tall
and a shrill bell which calls them to
work"
What a pity! And how are your
parents?"
ooh, thank you, papa is sometimes
very poorly and he is always cross
and mamma"-she shrugged he1
shoulders-'of course suffers from it
It is always like that with us, sir"
And Fraulein Tony? Is she as
fond of dancing as eyer?"
ooh, Tony dance! Tony has
grown very quiet and sad. Besides
it is always dull and stupid at oul
house. she replied with sigh.
He made no answer; he looked al
his opposite neighbor with a com
passionate glance. What picture
of discomfort her words called up be
fore him!
He knew every nook and corner O
the little house that the family oc
cupied, and he knew that in every
corner were the traces of poverty
privation, and discomfort The tax
collector, Won ZweidOrf, formerly al
office, had become acquainted witt
his wife. the little Mademoisellt
Bergere, at a comrades house; sh
came from French Switzerland. am
filed. the position of a bOnne. o
course, he had not been in earnest a
first in his pursuit of the beautiful
girl, but the time came when as
man of honor he could not refuse Il
marry her. The commander of tn
regiment and his comrades hac
moved heaven and earth in trying t
dissuade him from taking this steI
but he was not to be turned fror
his resolve, and the hand that wrot
his resignation did not tremble. II
never told any one how hard it ha
been for him, but his troubled face
his crushed air, his shrinking shynes
spoke loudly for him, and his wifi
suffered no less. His eldest daug1