Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-09

the youthful Oberroders had ever
known; for these hearts shone out
from the great sitting-room of Frau
Bergrath Frey, in which every
Christmas the great tree appeared n
all the splendor Of it's lighted taper;
and with the gifts for each one Of
them laid underneath.
Yes, the workmen's children loved
the stately Frau Bergrath, who was,
moreover, godmother to the greater
number of them; and no village child
ever yentured to boast Of having re
| ceiyed any very great favors from
their Lady Bountiful, at the risk of
hearing from a workman's child: ooh,
| you needn't boast; she don't care for
you! We get all the good things; she
| is our Frau Bergrath! She only
gives you a little bit so you needn';
| feel left OUT"
But today the children were hud-
ding together in their own homes,
listening to the wild storm outside
and looking sadly across the broad
common at the flaming hearts in the
big house, and saying to their
mothers: will she really die, cur
Frau Bergrathin?" The mother,
wiped their eyes and nodded. Yes:
there is no hope; and what we shall
do then God only knows"
And the Work-people were saying
the same thing between the blows Of
the heavy hammers, before the red
glow of the forge fires. What would
they all do if she died?
The old superintendent, Kortmer,
asked the same question, in the sick
woman's sitting-room, of Dr. Maiberg,
who walked necessarily up and down
the dark oak floor. "Ah, if Frau
Jussnitz were only here, Herr
Doctor!''
''She may be here at any moment
now, Herr Kortmer."
Then her mother will get better.
You can have no idea of how anxious
she has been about the child ever
since they brought in her future son
in-law, about five years ago. You
know he met with an accident, Herr
Doctor, out shooting He was an
artist and came here to paint, and
took fancy to go shooting, and
thought gun was as easy to manage
as his mahlstick. Pardautzl He did
get into trouble! Well, as l was say
ing, from the moment that he was
brought in here, she has never had all
easy moment. Love is a curious
thing, and a girls heart is past my
understanding. Who would have
thought that our Ante would take
up with man like him."
My friend, my dear Herr Kortmer,
is just the sort Of a person to win
girls heart
your friend, Herr Doctor? Oh, IN
that case-I had better have held my
tongue"
Least said. soonest mended," re
piled Maiberg with a smile, looking at
the little old man, who was polishing
his spectacles with his red silk hand
kerchief, and then with a swift
movement put them back on his
hooked nose, which, in conjunction
with two bng round goggles and the
shock of white hair over the fore
head lent to the face some resem-
blance to parrot, though without de-
tracing at all from its amiabiIity.
The superintendent was a really
very nice old man and an absolutely
reliable official, who would have laid
down his life for any of the Frey
family, quite undisturbed by the fact
that his wife would thereby become a
widow
THAT is always best, Herr Kort-
mer. l have known Jussnitz a long
time now, ever since I was in the
first form. l have seen him play all
sorts of mad pranks, but have never
known him do anything that was bad.
He is eccentric, he is extravagant, he
is not an accountant, but he is a
really good fellow, and there is only
one thing that makes me anxious
about him.
you mean that his wife isn't
suited to him? Nay, dear Herr
Doctor that is no news; we all know
that, every child about the place
knows that"
mo, Herr Kortmer, that is not
what | was going to say. What | did
mean was that he is too prosperous
The other made no reply, for
Hanna, the old housekeeper, came in
just then, and reported that the
patient had gone to sleep after she
had taken her medicine.
To be Continued.