Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-11-20
His Wasted
.CourtShip&

/ from his desk IN the bureau o.
| finance. eaten his dinner. and
stretched himself on the sofa TO en-
Joy a cigar and French novel, his
young brother Hans burst into the
room and said;
Alma Holdesheim asked me to re-
turn this book with Adrienne'
thanks"
why didn't you give it to me at
ouce?'
'What was the hurry?"
"That is my affair. Now get out"
Hans "got out and banged the
door. Arnold opened the book at
page ten and copied on a piece OF
paper certain letters which he found
marked by almost imperceptible PEN
ell dots. The transcription read:
Il must see you tomorrow. Meet
me at Haller's at four"
The Scheruers were a family OF Of
icials. The father was a bureau
chief. the oldest sor, Gustav, q Trovin-
eial governor in Dalmatia; Arnold
was in the ministry Of finance, and
Hans was preparing for a govern
ment position. The only daughter
had married an official,
Arnold was very ambitious. Social
rank and consideration he had, what
he wanted was money. 1t had never
been too abundant with the Scher-
ncrs, and Arnold fully realized its
power. Hence, he had resolved to
marry it. As his friend Rudolf used
to say: 1T is possible TO love girl,
even If she is rich"
He had the entree to the best fam
lies in Vienna, but il he should go
to a rich man and demand his dough
ter's hand. il was doubtful whether
his own prospects of official advance
ment would counterbalauee the lack
Of present fortune. Clearly, then, the
thing 10 do was to capture the heart
Of a rich girl, preferably n very
young one, and so enlist the aid Of
love in overcoming parental opposi-
ton.
His first budding sweetheart was
carried of by a predestined cousin,
the second was dazzled by a lieuten-
ants epaulets. Then, on the ice
everybody skates in Nienna-he met
Alma Holdesheim, and on his first
visit 10 her house he met her 16-
year-old sister Adrienne, and marked
her for his own. Pretty, modest, we'll
bred, and most important Of all, I'M
sophisticated, and not yet "out," she
seemed the very girl for him. In
the Vienna equivalent Of Bradstreet,
old Holdeshein was thus labeled:
Gowns a large spinning mill, an es-
tate in Bohemia, and a town house
in Vienna. Estimated to be worth
100000 gulden; income, $4,000"
This was satisfactory. There were
three children, and Adrienne's
dowry could be reckoned at 10000
gulden. Arnold's wooing began on
the ice. Hitherto Adrienne had
skated only with girl friends, and a
few Of their young-very young
brothers, who didn't count"
And as he was handsome, witty and
well-bred, it was no wonder that "lit-
tie Adrienne" fell in love with him.
During the summer his memory was
kept green by the IFS souvenir post
cards which he sent her.
The ensuing summer strength
ened the bond between the lovers.
Arnold had induced his father to
spend the vacation in the vicinity Of
the Holdesheims. The young man
might have done so alone. but he
was unwilling to attract the atten-
tion Of Adrienne's parents too strong
~ until he had made sure Of her
love.
This certainly came in the course of
the summer, and the first vows Of love
were exchanged "The third day
comes a frost, a killing frost" and
the third winter Adrienne caught cold
and was not allowed to skate or dance.
The lovers met rarely, and hence the
device Of borrowed books and marked
letters
But this was not the first frost.
Early in the season Adrieune had dis
covered that DR.. Scherner was not
the only young man who cared for her
society. and social success made her
coquettish. She meant no harm.
Arnold, she thought, ought to recog-
nize cheerfully her right TO hold a lit
tie court, like other girls. But Arnold
did nothing of the sort, but made the
mistake Of yielding to jealousy
Resolved to nip the growing evil in
the bud he scoided her, and thereby
made matters worse.
Adrienne was offended that he could
think her a flirt, and waited for him
TO make overtures toward reconcilia-
tion. But he obstiuately maintained
the role Of the offended party, and was
very cold and distant.
"Firmness is necessary with a wom-
an" he said TO himself. "When she
sees that she can play with you. your
/ influence over her is gone forever"
Meanwhile. something that Adrienne
would never have discovered had be-
I come very evident to her mother
namely, that Arnold Schcrner was
simply in quest Of a weli-dowered
I bride. She knew that the Scherners
were comparatively poor. and was not