Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-09-26
Continued.


piled to his question as to whethe
VOLTS room was ready, that sh
hoped their guest would find every
thing as he liked it. And with
pleasant nod she said to the latter
'Auf wiedersehen, Herr Doctor
Then she disappeared with the jing
ling basket on her arm, through tn
tall folding-doors that opened into thu
dining-room.
Wolf stood looking after her. He
manner is perfect" he murmured, a.
the door closed behind the slender
figure. He walked slowly toward the
carpeted staircase, as Leo, who
thought his friend was following him
called back: Where are you, Wolf
This way, please!"
He went into Leos sitting-roont
and passed through the studio. In
spite of the early hour, it was al
brilliantly lighted, and had a rich
look, almost too magnificent, perhaps
The chamber which was assigned tc
him was exceedingly comfortable and
only too elegantly furnished There
We're rugs scattered about, bear-skins
and costly articles of luxury every
where.
Make yourself comfortable, Wolf;
cup of tea or a glass of wine is
quite at your disposal You need not
make a great toilet Our guests will
be here in an hour and l will come to
fetch you"
DR.. Maibarg was alone. He had
dismissed the servant who brought in
his trunk and offered his services IN
unpacking it. He must be ready in
an hour, so he had not very much
time. He sat down on the sofa and
looked about the room. He must first
Of all get accustomed to the idea of
being LeO's guest. How often that
had been the case in those earlier
days. Then he had sat opposite one
OF the gayeSt of mortals, in a plain,
cane-bottomed Chair, before the
plainest table imaginable. Colors,
papers, pencils, and all sorts of
painting apparatus were tossed about
in the widest cOnfusio--, and in the
midst of it all a tin tea-kettle was sing
ing gayly. The little black stove in
the corner of the White-washed room
was cold, for the fire was only made
once day, and before the curtainless
window of the attic room the neigh
boris cat ran across the roof and
wondered that the two men within
could laugh So heartily in spite of
the poverty, the cold, and the sour
wine.
What had happened to Leo? Dr.
Maiberg drew his hand hastily across
his forehead. The beautiful, slender
figure of his young wife rose before
his eyes-was she really such a
nOnentity as Lee made her out?
Poor fellow-if it really were so! It
must be horrible to live in a con-
slant struggle with pettiness and mar
rowness, horrible for any man, but
most of all for an artist He pictured
to himself the results of this want of
character. How horrible to have a
wife who did nothing but wash and
cook and bake, who simply by her
presence drove away the graces and
all poetry. Leo's letter had made
him more anxious than he had been
willing to acknowledge to his friend.
Thank Heaven. her appearance, at
least, was by no means prosaic, She
I'D seemed to him like one of those
beautiful womanly figures that
Beyschlag paints so charmingly.
Could the mind really be so great a
contradiction of the exterior?
Presently he drew long breath as
he went up to the table, and with an
expression of emotion looked at a
shallow glass dish in which some
pine-branches and Christmas roses
were gracefully arranged.
That could have been no one but
her; no servant would even have
dreamed Of that" he said under his
breath, and he had vision of her as
she stood there arranging the flowers
That certainly did not look like a
prosaic nature. to offer home-f1owers
as friendly greeting to the stranger
from foreign landl
The comfortable home-feeling he
had had on his arrival came over
him with renewed force; but then il
suddenly occurred to him that he was
in fair way to commit a gross sin G.
omission-he certainly ought, before
he appeared among the other guests
TO pay his respects to the hostess
He finished dressing as quickly a!
possible, and then requested a servan
to announce him to- Frau Jussnit2
The man came back in three minute
TO say that his mistress regretted ey
tremely not to be able TO receive TIL
Herr Doctor, as she was occupied i,
the nursery at present.
Leo, who entered a moment afte
the servant, laughed shortly. as h
threw himself down on the sofa, q
the queer mixture of disappointment
and resignation plainly expressed O
the doctors face.
Don't take it to heart. Wolf" h
said, as the servant left the room
The nursery is the barrier whic
my wife erects to enable her to e
cape all social duties
wen, nursery is a better barrie
t'o7 the customary headache sa
Wolf, carelessly. There is SON
reason in that excuse"
Not in my opinion. This etern
nursery looks like obstinacy to me-"
Perhaps you are too severe in yo1
Judgment. Leo. As 40 physician.
know how to prize the frequent pre
ence of mother in her nursery"
"Her frequent presence and
setting down there for good and .