Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-03-11
/: FOR ANOTHER'S FAULT. !?
w. Heimb11rG.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
w. Hein1b11rG.


used. But / do not envy her, you tel
her, do not envy her, for I am free
and | can drive the scoundrel from The
threshold if he dares to cross 1T; but
she, she will be bound to him, she viii
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-insane woman's breath for
sock her, she suddenly hid her face in
her hands and burst into flood 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 whirling. 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-'I really believe
she thought he ought to marry her.
Oh, these frivolous woman-folks!"
eff he had but done So" thought /.
ooh, 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 strange, fixed expression.
Impelled by inward unrest, | wandered
about the tiny room, scarcely knowing
what I did, what I saw. In front of
the commode I paused and gazed at
the pictures to which the woman had
just pointed. They consisted of
several faded photographs, taken with
wretched appratuses, a young couple,
sitting side by side, with hands
clasped; then the picture of little
boy, and below this the protrait Of a
young man of perhaps sixteen years
of age. Purely mechanically I took
down this portrait and examined it.
who is this ?" | 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 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" rel
piled the old lady, with trace of
tears in her voice. Where is he2
God alone knows somewhere in the
world, since"
She paused.
Since when. cousin?"
"Since he 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! It seemed
to me as if we were companions in
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.
tAnneliese, Fraulein Anneliese, z
suddenly said the old lady who had
stolen softly over to me in her felt
slippers, her weary, light blue eyes
peering into mine. lis it true. child,
what-what Wollmeyer says? You
intend to go away, you intend to leave
your mother?"
I nodded
do not do SOL" she Whispered, as if
some invisible person were behind me,
who might hear me. edo 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 keep
y
are such a sensible girl. Anneliese,-
promise me you will not go 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 to
resort to. And sold to whom? AS if
haunted, rushed up into our common
bedroom, there | lay sleepless and
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 I 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 if she would SI1ffOc3te me- I WhiS-