Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-07-02
ghe 9astor's Daughter
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brushing away a tear. 'Eberhardt is
not an ardent lover who is always at
her feet, and who worships her as she
seems to expect her husband to do. He
has grown gloomy and silent since his
marriage, and often contradicts her
roughly, though l must confess he is
generally in the right. She was spoil
ed by her first husband, who knelt be-
fore his lovely wife like a slave, to
kiss her slipper. She misses this out.
ward submission, this constant delight
in all her whims and caprices, with
Eberhardt, who Is grave and earnest
man, who looks at life differently
from a frivolous half-Polish nobleman.
| believe this diet of sweets is quite
indispensable to the spoiled child; she
cannot endure not to have new decla-
ration of love morning and evening
from her husband, and it is not at all
his way If she were only back home
again!'
But it was long time before this
wish was fulfilled. November passed
away with its storms, and December
lovely countess stayed in Vienna.
"'My friends will not let me co. she
wrote to her mother And | want to
make the most Of this time too, for
who knows whether | shall ever come
again. Prince Bodresky seems to be
very friendly; he has placed the Sa-
tewski palace entirely at my disposal
during the time of my stay here. l am
living again in my old apartment, and
when I wake up in the morning it
sometimes seems to me as If l had
only dreamed all that has happened
since that time. A breath from that
delightful period when l was still the
admired Countess SateWski seems to
be waited toward me from every room,
and then forget for few hours that
in that narrow, dirty Prussian fortress
duties await me, of which can only
think with dread and aversion. Liberty
is too delightful, and l am still so
yOung!'
Frau Won Bendeleben read me this
part, and then she burst into tears.
was greatly moved at seeing the proud
woman so wretched.
This cannot go on she declared;
Eberhardt must interfere. She will
not listen to me. l have often begged
him earnestly to insist on her coming
home. He seems to have written very
use of bringing her back by force,
mammal" he would say. "She must
~ mil hn-
lieve that if he waits for that, she will
never come back. He must insist now,
if only to prevent scandal
"She sat down at once to her writ
ing-table and took up pen. had just
taken up my work when the baron en-
tered with the open letter in his hand.
"A letter from Eberhardt, Clotilde,'
he said, giving it to his wife. He
seems to have exhausted his patience,
and to have sent. for Ruth to come
home. He seems to have written very
coldly and decidedly, but, in my opfn-
ion, he will not gain much by 1t. She
does not want a master in her hus-
band; she wants a submissive sub
ject He writes: 81 have requested
Ruth to come back for the sake of her
child. Perhaps my appeal to her mother
ly love may have some power ovel
her, which her feeble affection for her
husband no longer exercises"
Frau Won Bendeleben sighed. 4
am glad he has written for her to
come back. I only wish l knew what
the result would be-
Ruth did come back, but her return
was almost more insulting to her hus-
band that if she had not come at all
She came Immediately after Christ
mas; she had spent the day itself in
her travelling-carriage and had not
cared to light the candles on the
Christmas tree for her child, or to de-
light in his smiles, and hear the little
ones shouts of pleasure as he stretch
ed out his little arms for the gay toys.
"She had left her husband alone On
that evening which even the poorest
day-laborer's wife celebrates, rejoic-
ing with her husband over the child
ren's happiness in the fragrant
Christmas-tree She had left him alone
on that evening when, perhaps, for
the child's sake, he would have met
her heartily and lovingly.
81 was quite overwhelmed when l
heard it from Frau Won BendeIeben |
She had been quite sure that Ruth
would come before Christmas. l al
most cried with indignation, but who
could do anything to help? Everything
went on in the same old way.
Again the spring had come round, |
and one afternoon, when I went I'D to
the castle, Herr and Frau Won Bende-
leben had just arrived. I was sorry
for this: it is true I had often seen
Eberhardt, but he always seemed anx-
ious to avoid me, just as I had often
gone back home when heard in time
that they were there.
They still dragged along together
under their yoke, as Ruth had said
to her mother, only now Ruth was
more impatient than before her jour
ney, and Eberhardt was gloomier than
ever.
To-day could not escape; was al
ready in the room with them. A sud
den silence followed my entrance,
only Ruth laughed strangely, and
Eberhardt made a sudden gesture as
if he would send me away again Frau
Won Bendeleben did not answer my
greeting and the baron LOOKED gloom
lily at me.
In Short resumed Ruth, getting
up so quickly from her chair that 1t
flew back on the carpet, 4 cannot feel |