Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-06-18

read her bible. thought Of him and of
his beautiful bride, and wondered
whether his conscience would ever re-
proach him for having kissed an
other whose life was now poisoned
and whose youth was broken. 1t grew
dark In my thoughts saw him stand
ing here again in the room as he had
done the year before, and saw katha-
rine's astonished face Then | heard
the church-bells ring, and | got up
quickly and took my hat and shawl.
" Goodbye, Katharine | said.
" Pray for me, too said the old wo-
man, looking up from her Bible.
I walked along the path where he
had gone with me; | looked again at
my mothers grave and knelt down be-
fore it, but alone, and burning tears
rolled down upon the mound. In the
church they were singing now, as
then:
To us Child of hope is born
Then I sat down in the old minis
ter's pew, and could at last pray, real
ly pray, with childlike faith, as l used
to do, for his happiness, for his we'll
being; and the mild tones of the
young pastor sounded through my
prayer: Glory to God in the highest,
peace on earth, goodwill toward men,
"From our windows the candles Oh
: the little Christmas-tree blaZed out a
welcome; my father and Katharine
were waiting for me with their little
surprises and with their hearts full of
love. My father told me about the
Christmas eve he had celebrated the
year before alone in the south, and
how he had longed for the German
Christmas-tree and the German Christ
mas hymns, and how sad he had felt
"Afterward I crept into my fathers
II said, softly nesting up to him; al
study and gazed across at the castle
and its lighted windows May God
that evening, so far from his home
ways till We die
and his child
q Now we will always be together,
guard you!' I murmured. May TO mo-
ment of regret ever come to you! The
pain for me, the happiness for youl
thank you for having once loved me;
you have taught me how to love-
| thank you, and I will never forget
you!
CHAPTER TX.
Thine passed, and we hardly per.
ceived its fight in the little village
and in our quiet house. The days were
lonely and monotonous, and vet the
winter passed. Spring time came, and
one day Hannah, radiant with smiles,
walked into my room with her little
daughter on her arm, the very person
ification of happiness. The sweetest
little creature, with its mothers blue
eyes, smiled at me, and We spent some
happy hours together.
Il had been to the castle very sell
dom since the beautiful countess had
been engaged to Eberhardt, and then
only when I was sure I should not
meet him. After he had finished his
duties at POtsdam he had come back
: to G., and intended to take his young
wife there. Hannah said very little
about it to me, only that she was com
ing to the wedding. I learned, greatly
| against my will, through Frau Renner,
who talked rather importantly about
the coming event, that the wedding
was to take place in the little church
at seven o'clock in the evening; that
the little church would be decked with
orange-trees and flowers, and would
be lighted up with numberless
candles.
And everything is to be very
splendid in the castle, too she went
on to say. The guests are coming
from far and near, and it will be a
sight to see. You will go to see the
bride, too; won't you, Fraulein Gretel,
or are you to be at the wedding?'
To be continued.