Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-11-05

and spun while her childish old
grandparents nodded in their
chairs beside the fireplace, all was as
clean as 1t could have been in pal
ace, but she had hard work to fill
those two old mouths and her own
Also There was no one else to do it.
The lady at the great house bought
Der fax and paid well for 1t. But,
after all, Bettina had but two hands,
and two little brown hands cannot do
all the worlds work / used to say
to myself that the time should come
when Bettina should not work at all.
Bettina and had been betrothed two
years We were betrothed still, and
NO nearer marriage, though | had
striyen with all my strength.
"Wait patiently Bettina said to
me sometimes. "What does IT matter?
We love each other: we trust each
either; let us be content"
But could not be content Others
who were as poor as we married and
left their native land together to seek
better fortunes elsewhere. Bettina
would gladly have shared my fate,
whatever it might have been, but the
old grandparents bound her to her
cottage and her birthplace.
AS for me, I felt that if l would
ever. win Bettiha l must leave Savoy
and go to America, where so many Of
our country people had already gone
and whence they wrote letters that
made our hearts beat with hope for
the future. I told Bettina so, and
though she wept she said:
"Go. Go, Bernard, and 1 will pray
for you. 1t is all girl can do"
had no fear that Bettina would
forget me. knew that the rich
young farmer who so often rode many
miles to see her longed for her love,
and wooed her with all the art he had,
but Bettina loved me, and love Is
adamantine.
We crossed the sea in safety.
stood at last In a strange land and
among strange people, but found
them not unkind. I found work at
once. spent little. Week by week
the little heap in my moleskfn pouch
grew greater. was gloriously
happy. I wrote joyful letters to Bet
tina. She answered me as hopefully.
A year passed by-tWelve long
months. One more year and she
would come to me. should press my
lips to hers-all would be forgotten
but our meeting and while lived the
old people should share our happiness.
With such thoughts as these in my
mind entered the great factory
where. I work one day. I said to my
self, as 1 threw off my Jacket
"At noontime l will write to Bet
dina"
remember thinking this. remem-
Der crossing the long room. 1 remem-
Der a sudden flash and crash, and the
O9ths of men, and a girls mad scream.
After that nothing more, until sense
OF pain awakened me and / found
myself lying in the dark, with my OWE
hand, cold and clammy, lying in a
great, warm, soft hand that held it
&enderly.
"Where am IY' said, and my voice
sounded low and hoarse in my own
ears. "Who is this I"
''It is the DOCTOR" said voice. "Be
calm, my friend"
ais it night?" l asked.
at is night" said the voice.
~Why do you not light a lamp??"
He made no answer.
"What has happened"
sit was an explosion" he said after
a pause. "You were hurt only, while
others were killed outright
"Doctor," said lis it night?"
at is night" he said soemnly.
"But only for me-" l said. II know
A. am smitten blind"
"Try to be calm, my FRIEND" he
whispered. ut is hard-but try to
bear It,"
All was gone-all my hope CT life,
and even all that 1 had won in the
Inst year. Some wretch had stolen
the little moleskfn pouch from my
bosom. / was beggar and blind. [
prayed to die, but 1 lived, and at last
4 grew strong again.
One day, as / sat by the hospital
window, / formed resolution. I said
10 myself: | can ut least be brave
enough to spare Bettina something.
know that If she knew the truth she
would grieve bitterly and remain true
10 me. l know that If / were sent
home, as the doctor says might be,
Ahe would be constant forever-she
would even marry me and try to feed
ms as she does her helpless ones.