Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-23
Continued.

II Inlnk not.
or is he so embittered agains
your mother that he will not ever
come to her funeral? Or-have you
had quarrel with him"
The young wife started; her hands
dropepd helplessly by her side, ant
with Mortified eyes she gazed into
Kortmers face Did he suspect, did be
already know this terrible thing that
nad happened?
He stood before her with ar
anxious face. Don't be angry with
me, dear Frau Ante he said. III
IS 15surd to say that, Of course. But
whatever it is that keeps him. it must
be put All Q. for the will requires his
presence
He felt so sorry for heI; he knew
Of course, that all was not right be
tween them, knew it from her mother
who had unburdened her anxious
heart to him. but the remark about
the quarrel had escaped his lips in
oluntarily.
Now he had hurt her, though he
lad probably Lot hit very wide of the
mark.
DO you telegraph, dear KortmeT,
said Ante, at length.
He left the room to write OFT the
dispatch. But she sank down into
the old armchair in front of the
writing table, and hid her face in her
hands. 1t was so frightfully hard
how should she excuse his absence to
all these people? He must not come
he could not. How soft and peaceful
was her grief for the dead, in com
parison with this grief which she y as
forced to hide away from the world
A gentle knock at the door static
her-what if he had come after alb
No, it was only Hanna, the house
keeper; she had long paper in her
hand on which minute directions for
the funeral were marked down in her
mothers handwriting.
Ante now had to go from the attic
to the cellar, to unlock chests and
cupboards. Everything was arranged
for all that would be necessary for
the sad ceremony. Even the mourn
ing aprons for the servant-maids, the
Grape bands which the bookkeepers
were to wear on their hats, were all
ready; 'for"-so said the paper-'I
know how hard it is when one has
these things to look after with a sad
heart. l found it so when my dear
husband died, and | wish to make it
easier for my dear Ante"
How touching is the care and love
of mother, extending even beyond
, he grave!
The young wife's breast heaved
With a sob as she read these words.
"Ah, dear me, Frau Jussnitz,"
sighed the old housekeeper, how
shall we ever get along in this house
without our Frau. Bergrath? Such
woman as your mother is not to be
found twice in all the world If you
were only going to stay here, Frau
Jussnitz!"
Antje was silent; she did not even
knew whether she might stay here in
the great, lonely house. She had nc
idea of what was to become of her,
she was only sure of one thing, that
she would be alone in the world
wherever she was. she and her child.
Antie went at length into the great
hall On the ground floor, in which her
mother was lying in state This room
had folding-doors which opened on the
garden terrace, and adjoined the so
called visitors room, which opened
into the Frau Bergrath's sitting-room,
whose windows looked out on the
great, smOke-blackened buildings of
the iron-works, and the houses of tho
wOrkmen. A row of fine old lindens
stood before these windows. the en-
bodiment of poetry in the midst of the
prose of this world of labor, of iron
industry.
Hanna was busy in this room. ar
ranging masses of wreaths at the
foot Of the coffin There was not a
house in the whole neighborhood
which had not sent at least a simple
wreath of evergreen, and they still
Kept coming. The coffin was sur
rounded by the Crange-trees which
had been the dead woman's pride. and
numberles white candles shone out Of
the dark green of their leaves.
Occasionally one of the workmens
wives would come in with soft and
reverent tread, leading a child with
terrified eyes by the hand. to gaze
a hn
handkerchief, and t. press Antics
hand. She, in her dull grief. went
through il all mechanically.
Cry a little, gracious lady" said
one withered old woman to her. ct
will ease your heart; death without
tears, that isn't good"
She nodded to the old woman. but
che did not in the least understand
what she had said to her. Then she
went quickly into the visitors room.
what is this?' she inquired, point
ing to a table covered with a black
clofh. On which were an ink-stand ami
two silver candlesticks, while a double
row of chairs stood in front of it.
The Frau Bergrath wished it to be
So" replied Hanna, who had lust been
fastening black Grape bows over the
pictures of Antics parents. Did you
not read it. Frau Jussnitz? The will
IS to be opened here after the
funeral, and on those two front chairs
you and Herr Jussnitz are to sit"
Ante turned quickly away and
went back into the great hall. With
clasped hands she went up to the
coffin