Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-03-27
y v. EiEIMBURG

, fresh flowers, had brought out ola
family pictures in black frames,
which made an admirable decoration
for the old brown leather hangings
adorned with arabesques stamped In
gold, such as would put modern
limitations to shame for color and
{ effectiveness. And here, before he
door opening on the yeranda. through
which streamed the golden. green
light from the garden, they sat in
the afternoons when the young doctor
Came-Antje alone or with Hilda.
Hilda was still there. While Ante
had been nursing Leo she had de-
voted herself to the care of the child.
And now, when old Classen nad
taken charge of her Ante could not
/ say TO the young girl. without a want
of courtesy OF which she was not
capable Leave my house, And
/ Hilda did not seem to think for
moment that such a thing was pos
sible
Ante endured the girls presence
with haugeur which could not have
failed to be painful to Hilda if she
had ever wakened out of a certain
dreamy meditation into which she
seemed TO have plunged. Ante
looked at per sometimes with a feel
ing of amazement She would
smile so happily to herself, and then
again an expression of pain would
draw down the little mouth and
frown would appear between the dark
brows. At such moments Ante sup
posed she was thinking of her future
happiness, or she was anxious about
his future and her own.
Sometimes Hilda would wander
about the woods for the whole after
noon, and would not come back till
evening, when she would appear with
glowing cheeks, a halfwithered
bunch of flowers at her breast. and
both hands full of blossoms, which she
would lay silently on Antics work
table. The young wife would put the
Towers In fresh water. but she
carried them into another room
where she could not see them. She
always felt as if she must ask the
flower: WAS she alone when she
gathered you, or did he help to pluck
you?'
The doctor, apparently. did not OBJ.
/ serve this rather strained intercourse
between the two. and he had adopted
a fatherly tone toward Hilda, half
tender half-reproving, but more in
clined to reproof than to praise.
The two ladies were sitting to-
gether thus in the garden hall on the
last of May. Hilda with book in her
hand from which she was reading
aloud. Antje had requested it, in
order to escape the torture of a con
versation with her, for she felt that
Hilda was seeking for an opportunity
to talk with her today, and she would
not give It to her. What good could
it do? The little one was playing OH
the sunny gravel walk in front of the
veranda, under Classen's care. Ante
was holding her work idly in her lap.
ami did not hear word of what
tIilda was reading. 1t was "I'Arra5-
biata," by Paul Heyes. The young
girl stopped for a moment Ante,
startled out of her meditations.
looked inquiringly at her. and Hilda
went on reading:
! AS for my father. no one ever
knew how he treated my mother. for
she would have died a thousand
deaths before she would have uttered
n word If complaint. And Just be-
cause she loved him. Now, if that is
the effect of love. that it closes ones
mouth when one ought to shrek for
help. and make person utterly help
less against tortures worse than the
bitterest enemy would inflict, then !
Will never give my heart into the
power OF n man"
She dropped the book, and looked
at Antje timidly, and with a shy. i'm
p'oring glance The young wife
hastily took up her work. and then
she put it aside. got up. and. opening
her parasol of unbleached linen. she
went out through the sunny garden
along the path by the river. There
she opened little door in the wall
which led into the wood. and began
to walk slowly up the steep path
which wound along the mountain.
With its magnificent beeches. Such
a woodland path is delicious in rhe
Sprlns,ttme. she walked on under a
night green, transparent canopy.
through which fell bright golden
rays, and cn either side soft moss.
Young ferns, and blue flowers. And
everywhere the tiny brooks. clear as
crystal. FLASHED and tinkied and
"ahhied across the path in their
hurry To get down into the valley
Now and then deer would withdraw
INTO the thicket slowly, as If it
knew that in this blissul spring.ttme
II" hunter was lying in wait for It,
us little GAVIN looked wonderipgly at
the human figure. and then ran OF
after 1t mother The songs of birds
sounded from the tree.tops: it was
quiet. and yet so sweet here in the
forest, So peaceful and yet SO full or
"ngioe it was like sermon on the
JOYS ot eternal youth and bliss. like
song Of love and happiness.