Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-31
By W. HEIMBURG.

"All right" said the old woman, &C.
ing to get lamp.
With lighted candle HiIda
mounted the stairs and unlocked the
door of the studio. With the light in
her hand she went up to the picture
and stood looking at it for a long time.
At his moment it seemed TO be very
beautiful; the pale face looked smil-
ingly out from beneath the mantilla.
She had looked like that few weeks
ago and he had caught the look on the
canvas; but she had forgotten how to
smile now
She turned away, put the candle
the armchair by the stove, and stared
straight Before her eff he should
come now" she said-"if he were to
come now, l would ask him if he loved
me. All, if could only be sure-only
be sure at last"
Can't you find what you have
lost?" said the voice of the old wo-
man, who thoughtit rather strange that
the young girl should stay upstairs so
long.
Hilda started up.
NO" she stammered.
WAS it a glove you were looking
for?"
Hilda drew her hand across her
forehead. Yes" she replied mechani-
cally, "a glove"
1t is downstairs in my room; | will
go and get it. You see, this is how it
was: When the lady and gentlemen
came downstairs this afternoon, I was
standing by the door for I wanted to
nitz happened to take out his handker-
chief just then. and the glove fell out.
little black wooden glove, and fell
just at the feet of the gracious lady.
He stopped down in a great hurry and
picked it up, and then he shook his
head when the lady looked at him a
little surprised How did that come
II, my pocket he said, and laughed.
and then he gave the glove to me. 1t
must belong to the young lady; will
you keep it for her, Frau Kirchner?'
he said, and then he went out with his
wife and the gentleman. He called
back that | was to be sure and make
little fire every day, and the gracious
lady gave me two marks because had
taken such good care of her husband.
The LADY, do not understand you
- came brokenly from the white lips
of the young girl.
1t was his wife. Goodness me. you
saw her this afternoon. She came to
fetch her to Sibyllenburg. She's got
sweet face, hasn't she? The coach
man says She is a perfect angel. and.
he says, too, it is a lovely place, Sibyl.
lenburg, and they have plenty of
money-if only they were-But, good
gracious, how you look, Fraulien!" she
cried, breaking off suddenly.
Il? How do I look? | have a
Observation-Disclosures give me a little
Water-I cannot go away this minute
it is such long Way-only a few
minutes"
Hilda leaned back in her chair with
closed eyes. She felt stunned by this
blow but she knew that it was Christ
mas eve, that she was in the room in
which all her hopes had been called
into being, in which all her youthful
happiness had been awakened She
heard the ticking of the little ena-
melled clock and the hurried steps of
the odd woman on the stairs; she saw
her own figure on the easel. and she
felt with frightful conviction she had
just heard the truth, that he to whom
she had given her heart had wife.
a young, beautiful, beloved wife,
whom he had never mentioned to her.
She gave a short laugh. What bust
ness was it of hers whether the artist
who was painting her was married or
not What obligation was he under
to explain his family connections to
her. She was only his model!
The small hands closed convulsivelv
over the carved lions head on the arm,
of the chair, and her breast heayeG
with a deep sob. How strange it
seemed all at once, She heard the
door open, and she stood up on her
feet. 81 am better now" she said,
boarsely, and drank a little of the
water, but then she sank back into her
chair 81 should like to sit here quiet
~ for minute or two longer" she
said
The old woman went away and put
IN
stairs. She shook her head as she did
| so, and muttered something about the
! queer ways of these young people.
who were all so eccentric nowadays;
! then she put out the glove inreadiness
to give 1t to its owner and finally sat
! down by the stove and twisted a little
branch of evergreen about in her
! hands, which she had broken off in the
/ garden, so she might have a little
j Christmas feeling, and then she fell
! asleep.
She awoke with a SILVER just as the
hoarse cuckoo in her old clock called
cut nine. 1t was some time before she
remembered that the pretty young
lady had come this evening to get her
gloye-though, really, the old thing
was not worth coming all that long
way for. Was she still upstairs? She
mounted the stairs, with a yawn, to
see if she had gone, and if the candle
was still burning.
Yes, there it was, and the girl was
still sitting there, looking at her with
/ Wlde-open vacant eyes.
My goodness" cried the old wo
man, what are you doing here at this
hOur. Eraulein2 You rriu got La-a1-l