Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-10

the more distinctly came to her ears
hearty laugh from her brother, and,
with the laugh, the sound of her own
name.
Anna Maria, do you say? My own
aunt, it is perfectly ridiculous."
Laugh, then, you unbeliever, you
will soon be convinced of the truth
of my conjecture. We women, espe.
cially we old maids, Klauschen, look
at such things more sharply. Soon
some one will come and carry away
your darling, and then we too may
sit here and have the dumps, my be-
loved boy! What will become of us?''
Some one, aunt? You speak in
riddles"
well, since you are so dreadfully
smitten with blindness, mon cher, it
is a Christian duty on my part to
open your eyes. Do you not see the
girls entirely altered manner? Have
you never But to what purpose is
all this? In short. Anna Maria loves
Sturmer."
Another hearty laugh interrupted
closed eyes, leaned against the door
post; the ground seemed to give way
beneath her feet.
Kurt Sturmer? Uncle Sturmer:
But, my dear aunt" cried the young
man, "he might almost be her father!'
rs that a hindrance, Klaus?''
mo! | don't believe it, however.
Shall we bet?"
Anna Maria Strengthened up. She
was on the point of going in and
saying, why do you argue? do
love him-yes! a thousand times,
yesi" But she stood still; her
brothers. voice sounded SO strangely
altered
Aunt Rosamond, l cannot believe
it,"
/ KLAUS! Have you not thought for
long time that it must happen some
day."
Yes, yes! But-Ah. | have stood
in fear of this hour, since the child
is the only one to whom my heart
clings; you do not know how much,
perhaps, aunt!''
KLAUS, the old lady's voice was
melting with tenderness-"M dear
old lad you are still young: why
should there not be happiness yet in
store for you? l have often told you
you ought to marry"
Marry? You say that to me,
aunt? and you know that | have been
a wretched being for years, be,
cause"
But, Klaus, do you still think oil
that?" sounded the anxious voice of
the aunt.
"Still?" he repeated ironically.
Am | not daily reminded of it? Do
you think. because | live so peace
/ fully now and can join in a laugh, be-
cause food and wine taste good to
home whenever | go to the window,
me- | see the tower OF her family
| see Anna Maria, cannot pass that
fatal spot in the garden without the
word she then spoke reechoing in my
! soul. | know them by heart, aunt,
| have called and whispered them for
weeks in fever; and ever again her
enchanting figure stands before my
eyes, as seductive as Satan himself:
Put that obstinate, disagreeable child
out of your house; she interferes with
our happiness!
He laughed scornfully. And be-
cause | would not consent to that,
and did not break promise given to
my dying mother, then-she cast me
off like a garment that does not fiji
comfortably enough-then-then-
Klaus, Klausl for Gods sake!"
The anxious voice of the old lady in
terruped his speaking, which had
risen to vehemence.
But in the little room lay Anna
Maria on her knees, her head almost
touching the floor. 1t had become
still in the next room, except for the
sound of rapid steps as the young
man paced the floor.
And now-yes, yes, it had to
happen!" said he softly. Il am no
egoist, certainly not, but it will be un.
speakably hard for me to give her up.
Oh, yes, | shall see her often. / can
ride over any minute; she will como
to us too-certainly. But see, aunt
but | am fool. really, FOOL 1t is
the way of the world. and | do not
understand why l did not see long
ago that Sturmer is fond of Anna
Maria; 1t is. indeed, SO natural
How good it is that l am prepared;
not the slightest shadow shall fall on
Anna Maria's happiness. Your eyes
ask that, Aunt Rose? No, be quiet,
be quiet"
Anna Maria remained motionless
on the cold floor, leaning her head
against the door-post. She no longer
understood what they were saying in
the next room; she kept hearing only
/ that one dreadful speech Put the
child out of the house: she i2terferes
/ with our happiness His happiness:
/ Klaus's happiness! She passed her
| cold hand over her forehead, as il
( she must convince herself whether or
not it was a dream. No. no; she
was awake, she could move her feet
/ as Wet she cOuld walk out nj the