Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-13
CHAPTER XIV.

hushing the dogs into silence and
bidding the maids walk softly. for the
gentleman upstairs was dying.
Husband, he will certainly die
this evening; he cannot more than
live through this day. No one could
go through so much,' she would
whisper to the forester, and the tear
dimmed eyes, which were of the color
of reddish-brown velvet, looked shy1y
up at the window of the sick-room
you will see, Wilhelm, when you
come back from your snipe-shooting
it will be all over. I heard a screen
owl boot last night, and that has
never happened up here before III all
my life"
Dora, you have always slept 50
soundly."
'Oh, Wilhelm, it is not that. l am
sure he is going to die
Il am almost sure of it. too. Dora
house and there you are in the midst
His poor wife, Wilhelm, She
looks perfectly wretched, and she
! hasn't slept an hour for a whole
fortnight She will hardly let me
take her place by his bedside Tor a
few minutes, even by day
"Ah, yes-h'm. God gives extra
strength to you women, so you do
| not feel any WEAKNESS from that
sort OF thing. You would have had
to put me underground long ago,
Dora, if l had gone a fortnight With
| out sleep, and yet she is a dencate
| woman. But she never utters a COM
plant or makes any useless means
! You might learn something from her
| Dora"
| And her husband walked out Into
| the dim spring woods, his dog follow
| ing at his heels, and his young wife
stood on the stone steps before the
door and looked after him ''Ah,
| only begin to realize how I love you
| when [ think of that poor man up
| stairs" she murmured and vowed 20
herself by all she held sacred never
to veX Wilhelm again; and then she
| blushed for he never was vexed ex-
cept when she chartered too much
and coquetted with the artists who
haunted the little forest-house. She
| cast a glance up at the gable win
dows which stood wide open to let in
the air which was soft and moist
and spring-like as one seldom finds
| it in the mountains at that season OF
the year.
1t was the nineteenth of April; the
| beeches were growing feathery and
the buds might burst open any day
now. 1t was already green in the
valleys the manor-house of "Gottes-
segen" was already surrounded oy
the light emerald green of spring and
| the viOlets were blooming along the
garden wall in great masses The
doctor had said so yesterday. He
| had been down at the house and had
brought up a great bunch of them for
Frau Antje and the whole room smelt
like bank of violets.
The Frau Forsterin glanced up
again. There stood Ante by the win
dow pale and exhausted, looking out
into the fragrant world outside with
sad eyes.
Frau Jussnitz, Frau Jussnitz, it is
such lovely evening. Do go and
take a little walk and / will take
your place upstairs" cried Dorchen,
in whisper.
Aut Antej shook her head and turn
ed back into the room.
"She will kill herself, l am sure
said Frau Dorchen. But, good
Heavens, what will you have? He IS
her husband"
And then she seated herself on the
threshold and began to knit on a
huge greenish-gray stocking for
Wilhelm.
Upstairs Antje was sitting in her
armenian again. The sick man was
sleeping for the first time quiet
sleep, without the constant means
and the painting breath that had
hitherto disturbed him. Ante had
wiped his damp forehead, and herI
hands now lay lightly clasped in her
lap; her eyes were shut, an intoIer-
able WEAKNESS had overpowered her. |
She started up once or twice, and |
then her weary eyes closed again and |
her head fell over against the back OF |
the chair and she slept. Everything |
was silent as death; only the cry Of !
starting flying to her nest broke the |
profound stiffness. The twilight was
just tinged with a faint rosy CLEAN, I
which had a wonderful effect in |
beautifying the poor little room.
The sick man stirred; he opened |
his eyes and closed them again, till |
at length he opened them wide. look
ing about him with the first CLEAN Of
recovered consciousness. He gazed |
around the room in surprise but
presently the slightly raised head
sank back upon the pillows with a
low moan. Still his eyes remained
fixed upon the figure in the armchair
She was still sound asleep He
gazed at her as if to impress upon
his mind that it was really this
slender, dark figure that had been
watching him. nursing him and car
ing for him during these last miser-
able days.
Ante? Was it really she? No:
the Ante whom he knew was a beau
tiful blooming woman, and this face,
leaning against the cushion had
grown years older through grief and
anxiety, and the firmly compressed
lips wore al expression Of pain, and
the REDEEMED eyes looked as if they
had shed an abundance Of tears.
The remembrance Of everything
suddenly returned and with it anger