Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-12-26

|
from her eyes. There were days il
which her caprices were many and IN
accountable, on which she lOnged tt
: have him speak to her of his love, oI
: which she tortured him and enraptuv
ed him only in the hope that th'
moment would come at length wher
she could proudly toss back her heal
and say: Sir, what do you mean?
do not understand you"
This very DAY had been such d Oue
Tony's letter had aroused all the eyi
passions in her: there had been some
thing in it about letter from Aunt
Polly, who swore by all that was
sacred that Hilda had not been in
different to Herr Jussnitz. She had
walked beside him in their excursions
with fluttering breath, she had played
with him as cat plays with mouse;
but he had not found the courage &c
say what Ht!da would so gladly have
trapped him into saying Hilda was
conscious only that he was having .
/ struggle with himself. But some day
! he would speak, and she would leave
| the house that very hour, with the
hope in her heart that he might only
! Suffer half so much as she had done
! Where she went was a matter Of in
! difference to her, but she would 20
with her pride unbent, with smiling
| lips, and in the consciousness that he
| would search for her and not find her.
a N cir
after her.
While INDUCING in these reflections
she had addressed the letter to her
| sister and begun to make her toilet.
She knew that he was waiting for
her downstairs in the yellow drawing
room. She dressed very slowly-this
waiting" was one of her ways Of
tOrmenting him, She spent a quarter
of an hour in curling the hair On her
forehead and ten miutes more in
fastening a bunch of snow-drops IN
her dress. She could see him in i'm
agination walking up and down, up
and down, and her steps as she turne |
toward the door grew slower at the
thought
She found him as she had expected.
only looking very pale. Was it be-
cause Of the question she had put to
him in the course of the day: when
will the picture be finished?"
He had not answered her Now
she was standing before him in her
best dress, a simple but perfectly
fitting costume of garnet cloth, a few
white flowers at her breast, and with
the beautiful, apathetic face, which
looked beyond him with an air of such
utter Indifference.
Shall we begin to read?" she said,
YEARLY.
He assented. and they took their
seats in the chairs which were drawn
up so costly opposite each other be.
side the open fire which cast it's re
Elections on the carpet.
Where did we leave OFF," she in
CURED, suppressing a slight yawn.
He shrugged his shoulders.
i don't know, Hilda, don't ask me.
Heaven knows l do not hear what yca
read-I-'
What? You do not hear what I
read?'
He shook his head
NO" he said in a low tone. q
hear nothing, I only see you. And
then | ask myself how long I shall
see you. And you ask me when the
picture will be finished? Good Heav-
ems, Hilda, do you never suspect that
| cannot bear the thought that the
picture must be finished some day,
Of some day seeing that place vacant
where you have always stood?"
And he grasped her hands i'm
pulsively and pressed them to his
lips and to his eyes.
Hilda started up, deeply shocked
What she had so ardently Ionged for
now gave her horrible feeling Of
shame. She could not utter a word,
only a slight cry escaped her lips, and
her eyes were fixed on Antje, who
was standing in the middle of the
room, spell-bound, with pala,
haggard face, and with her hair, damp
with the night-dews, falling over her
forehead. Her great eyes were fixed
Oh Hilda for a moment with a piteous
grieved expression, and the young
| Sirl dropped her head beneath this
| look. She could not pass Ante, so
she left the room by an opposite door
which opened into the tea-room
She felt as if she had been gains
iato an abyss of grief and pain.
Leo, however, went up to his wife
What is it, Antje?' he said. more
sently than he had ever spoken to hcl
bsfore. DO you wish to 60? If you
are so very anxious, then go, go, for
Heavens sake"
He caught at her hand, but Antie
kept it hidden in the folds of her
dress; she did not move, but only
looked at him with the same express
sion with which she had gazed al
Hilda.
Ante he said, calm yourself; i,
cannot be so very bad with"
With what?" she gasped out with
difficulty.
WITH your mother. 90, child; WI
must get on here as best we can with
ut you-go-''
No she replied; 81 will not go,
see that I-can-not go-now. God
will surely have pity on me-"
) She tried to say more, but her voice
j broke in a sob.
"Antje, for PHYS sake, do not be 81
horribly tragic, don't fancy tn,
, worst"