Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-10-17

strange girl, OIICA weeping adll tuS
night. so that one could not close an
eye, and if asked what was the mat
ter. was silent, or said gently:
"Oh, pardon! Did I disturb you? !
wept in my dreams; I often have bad
dreams"
In short, concluded the excited
brunette, raising her hand as if re-
cording a vow; Il tell you, l will not
room with her any longer, and if Frau
Degenhardt will not move her, L will
write to papa who will see taht-''
The whole of the eleven of us stood
in a circle around the speaker; num-
Der thirteen, Jascha Poniaska, sat by
the pond, beyond hearing; and we all
agreed with Lottie, who added; ''She
can sleep alone!"
THAT she will not do, Charlotte"
interrupted Frau Degenhardt's voice
as she suddenly came upon us. We
all turned quickly round and looked at
our beloved principal with confused
! faces.
you, Charlotte" she said mildly
but decidedly, will change beds with
Mary. | hope she will have more
patience"
At the mention of my name, all
eyes were turned on me, while /
stood as if stunned. 1t had been so
pleasant to room with my dear Dora
and now all that was at an end The
whispered chats after we were in bed
while the moon peeped through the
window; the secret reading of some
exciting novel, by the candle after
hours! We were just In the most ex-
citing part of one now; how would l
ever know what became of Lenore
Won Rothsathel?
Dora threw a sorrOwfuI glance at
me: | bowed my head and suppressed
a sob, for resistance was impossible.
Go at once, Mary" came the gen
tie voice of our principal, " and tell
Johanna to make the change; [ trust
it will turn out happily, for I know
your kind heart"
| left her presence quickly and
throwing myself on a garden seat,
| sObbed violently for some minutes at
this tyranny, then went with a sad
| heart, where Jascha was sure to be,
! by the pond. There she SAT as usuaI,
and | watched her for a moment
from behind the trees. Her hands lay
! clasped in her lap, and she was LOOK
| ing away off, over the water, into
the forest, through which only here
| and there the evening glow Of sunset
| penetrated. A faint rosy light was
reflected back from the surface of the
| gloomy water, and tinged the girls
otherwise palIid face. She wore a sim
| pie blue wooden dress, and a black
velvet ribbon was tied around her
! throat, having suspended on it a gold
cross set in turquoise.
She sat quite motioniess, not even
moving when I passed through the
thicket and approached her. Only
when [ spoke, did she look up, and
those sorrowful eyes affected me sc
deeply that I forgot the cross words
I had intended to say and only re-
marked:
eve will be room-mates in future
Jascha.
'Oh, you are very kind" she re-
piled inclining her head.
After that we stood together in 81
| lence for a good while, for apparent
| ly, neither one nor the other of us
had anything more to say. At last I
observed that the place was very
pretty.
"Oh, yes" she answered. TT is
peaceful here" Then another pause
| followed until the tea bell released
| us. Without a word we took the path
through the thicket, and followed the
| others, who were hurrying along
through the hall. All at once, bit my
| teeth tightly together for from among
| the bushes there fiuttered together,
| like two love birds-Dora and Lottie
| clasping each other around the waist
as if possessing but one heart and
soul. She had not missed me for mo-
| ment, the false one.
Acting on a sudden impulse, l put
my arm around Jascha, and forcing q
cheerful, Wait tor us!" from my
| lips, succeeded in making them turn
around and see Us going along thus.
The girl had suffered my action
without resistance, but did not return
it, and on reaching the house door
withdrew herself from ne. Dora no
ticed her movement and laughed, and
that made me vow to get more init
mate with Jascha and to win her il
possible for my friend. But that
proved easier to say than to do.
When We retired for the night,
set about my task, having resolved
| to tell her openly, that as fate had
thrown us together, we ought not to
be as strangers, but try to sympa
thize with and understand each other
1t was a warm July night; the
moonlight streamed through the win.
dows, and made the room almost as
bright as day. Jascha at once com
menced her preparations for the night
| while |, before undressing, took my
seat in a chair by the window, and
| watched her movements which were
| slow and faggard. Now she came over
to the mirror which stood between
| the two windows, thus standing very
close t ONE. Her coming thither seem
ed altogether mechanical, for she die