Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-05-16
his FIRST LOVE

A( AO-NLLI passenger stood on the
i/S\ promenade deck of the Deutsch-
land as the great liner cut its
way through the stormy waves of the
Atlantic. He seemed lost in thought
as be stood leaning against the rail-
Ing gazing at the waves which broke
themselves into seething foam against
the side of the vessel.
suddenly young girls sweet voice
aroused him from his dreams.
so here you are, doctor! If Miss
Hess knew that you prefer listening
to the waves instead of to her sing
ing it would be all over between you
She laughed a delightful siIvery
laugh and her pretty little face looked
teasingly at the doctor, who evidently
tried not to meet her eyes. 1t was u
moment before he answered:
You asked me to-day. Miss Lingen,
i1f 1t was only longing for my old home
which takes me back to Germany after
SIX years in America. At that time l
eyaded your questions. Now 1 feel
like telling you what drives me back,
If you do not think it will be too tire
some to listen to a story, which is
probably of no interest to you"
No, l am sure your story will inter
est me, DOCTOR" she replied softly.
1T was seven years ago. had just
been graduated from college, and was
doing hospital service at Berlin. AS
thought myself the son of a wealthy
father l enjoyed life in full measure,
never thinking of where the money
was to come from which 1 so reck-
lessly spent. One evening l accepted
the invitation of friend to be his
guest at a supper in company with
some chorus girls from the Thalia
lTheater.
"One of these, a sweet, quiet girl of
I16, attracted my attention because of
her dignified behavior, which was in
marked contrast to that of the others,
who were anything but conventional in
their manners. She seemed to me the
embodiment of all womanly beauty
and virtues. l soon found out that
she bad gone Oh the stage only to sup
and that she was anything but happy
at the life behind the footlights.
ITO make long story short, fell
deeply in love with her with all the
fervor Of my - years. Then my n
ther died suddenly, and instead OF
fortune left nothing but debts. This
upset all my plans. l saw that from
now on l must rely only upon myself,
and to marry a poor girl under these
circumstances appeared to be wholly
out of the question.
Il would not give up my Paula,
however, but told her that we would
have to postpone our wedding, al she
promised to wait for me. She had left
the stage when we became engaged,
and now took a position in an office
at a miserable salary, while l went to
America to seek my fortune.
"In the beginning, we correspondent
every three days, and every steamer
brought me long letters from her. but
in the foreign country my love seemed
to wane, and soon l wrote less regu-
larry and at last stopped entirely,
though her letters to me told me of
her despair at losing me.
and OF last her letters also ceased.
She had become convinced of my
faithlessness, the tie was broken and
l must admit that l felt it as a great
relief.
Then. one evening. about 1S months
ago. | was called TO the deathbed of
poor young girl who had taken poison
+ cause her lover had proved faith
less. Never shall l forget the terrible
sufferingS of that poor creature. When
she had died and l went home I felt
like a murderer in my own eyes-I.
who had behaved in the same out
rageous manner to sweet girl who
loved me with all her heart. The mem
orv of Paula followed me everywhere.
1t almost drove me insane. and now I
am on my way back to try TO find
her"
He had finished his story and the
young girl, who had not interrupted
him once, remained silent. After a
few moments silence he said softly:
Have l lost your good opinion,
Miss Lingen? VIII you now think of
me as a heartless Scoundrel, who has
ruined the life of an innocent glrl?"
She looked into his eyes for mo-
ment, and said, evidently deeply touch
ed at what she had just heard:
mo. doctor. AS | see how much
Won suffer now cannot condemn you.
You have made grave mistake, but
hope that You viii not find it too late
to make it good again. wish you
luck with all my heart"