Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-30
CHAPTER Xxx.
Me funeral was over.

bOrdered on one side by the houses OF
the work-pe0ple, on the other by The
buildings of the iron-works, the path
the procession had to take had been
thickly strewn with white sand and
evergreen bsughs This path wound
along the rushing stream which usual
ly drove the great hammers now rest
ing in solemn stiffness, down through
the village to the little church-yard.
In front Of the 'Pine-tree inn" in
Oberrode stood a crowd Of carriages;
in the great inn parlor sat all the
people who had come to pay their last
homage to thu greatly honored
woman. but who were not sufficiently
familiar friends to count on the
hospitality of the great house today
There were foresters, manufacturers
and mine-owners, landed proprietors
and business friends. The hospitabIe
parsonage was also thrown open to
the funeral guests, Every one knew
that after the funeral the will was TO
be read, and every one was curious to
hear its contents, and who was to be
the owner of this great property.
At the "Pine-tree Inn" the con
yersation was very animated One
man declared that "Gotesegen" would
now be given over to stock com
pany, and the son-in-law would prob
ably be one of the chief stockholders.
4 second declared that the Frau
Bergrath had never approved Of
stock companies.
third asserted most emphaticaily
that the daughter would receive a con-
siderable sum, and that Ferdinand
Frey would have the iron-works, of
course to be held in trust for the
Jussnitzes.
who is Ferdinand Frey?'
why, the Frey who is in the min
ing office in N. You know Frey?"
"Oh, yes; of course"
But that would be unjust to The
daughter"
Good Heavens! she VIII have
enough"
Nay, nay The Herr Son-in-law
will soon have to sing small, and the
old Frau Bergrath knew that very
well-she could hear the grass grow.
Upon my word, she was a resoluIe
woman Take my word for it, she
has thought out something quite out
of the common"
In the house of mourning there
were only a few people who were TO
be present at the reading of the Will
of the "resolute woman" Through
the windows of the room they could
look out on dull, rainy afternoon;
there was Supplying Odor of cyp-
ress, juniper, and tuberoses. People
stood about, talking in whispers, the
cousin Ferdinand Frey, a young man
with a dark attractive face; the old
sisters, who held each others hands,
anxiously waiting to hear whether
their future fate was to be endurable
or not; the pastor, the notary, Herr
Kortmer, and-JussnitZ.
Ante had not come yet; they were
all waiting for her. At last she APP
peared. pale, with her hair brushed
plainly back, her gloomy mourning
robes, and her eyes almost eX-
tinguished in her grief
The old lawyer went up to her and
led her to her seat, into which she
sank at once With her eyes cast
down her hands folded III her lap.
she sat there, with Leo beside her,
and behind her chair Ferdinand Frey,
whom her parents had once destined
for her husband.
The old lawyer of the Frey family
prefaced the reading of the will with
d few agitated words, addressed
chiefly to Ante. He said how sad it
was for him to be oblige to fulfill SC
soon his hard duty, the duty Of speak
ing to the orphan i'll the name of the
deceased Then he opened the i'm
portant document, after he had called
those present to bear witness to the
fact that the legal seal was intact, and
began:
In the name of God.
Since | have become convinced my
self and my physician has assured
me- that | have not much longer tt
live. | have determined to draw up m!
last will and testament. | have
property after grave consideration
and in full agreement with the view:
of my late husband. often expressed
to me, as to what would be for The
best good of our daughter BY the
will of my dear husband l have beef
made his sole heir, with power from
him to dispose of the entire property
according TO my good will and pleas
ure He knew that he could trust N,
entirely, and this confidence has giveI
me more happiness than all The
worldly goods which he bequeated tt
me
Therefore. l designate our onl,
child, Anna Clara Jussnitz, born Frey
as the heiress of all our worldl
goods, but especially of the iron-work
'Gottessegen,' established by my lat,
father-inlaw, Christopher Gottlol
Frey; with the exception of a capita
of sixty thousand marks. which is t
go to our nephew, Ferdinand Frey, O
N, whom we have always loved a:
q son.
My daughter, Anna Clara Jussnitz
will enter upon this inheritance o.
the following conditions:
cd She will be obliged to take u
her residence at the iron-works Go
tessegen'
"(2) She is to undertake the cor
duct of the business. Without he