Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-07-29

ner earnestly opposed II. Then / IN
sisted on speaking to Friedei, TO hear
from her own lips and in what way
the horrible catastrophe had come
about. But he was already gone, and
Frau Renner told me, in a voice
choked by tears, that Eberhardt had
ridden out on a young horse, that II
had run away and had fallen with him.
He had been thrown with his head
against a curbstone, and killed on the
spot.
Il shuddered, and my heart con-
tracted within me. His image was be-
fore me-the beautiful face disfigured
the dark eyes closed. stared vacantly
before me, but then came the thought
that l must see him once more, for
the last time. l calmly put on black
dress, which l had worn as mourning
for my father; then l asked for the
child. They had taken it to the Rem
ners.
1T was brought to me, the little
orphan. My heart was full OF pain IN
describable, and l could not cry; alb,
not tear came to my eyes! The little
one was afraid of the black dress and
my pale face, and cried for Katharine.
whom the shock had made quite
speechless. | took the child's hat and
cloak and put them on; put a black
shawl on, took the child on my arm
and walked past the astounded Frau
Of door thrnnU n
the park to the castre.
Exactly what wanted to do was not
clear. even to myself. The child clap
ped it's hands at flock of birds which
were flying above us in the blue sky
but 1 saw nothing; before my eyes
stood always that dreadful picture OF
death.
Mechanically kept on my way and
reached the castle without seeing any
one. Frau Won Bendeleben was sitting
at her writing table as l entered. She
sprang up and grasped the arm of her
chair with trembling hands, with her
pale lips uttered a shocked exclama'
ton: 'Merciful God!'
Here is the little child l said; !
must give it up to you now, for it nc
longer has a father'
81 came a step nearer, and was
about to put the child in her arms
but it chung round my neck with both
arms, and looked defiantly at the pale
woman who stood there, unfeignedly
shocked.
Gretchen she said huskily, what
are you saying? Who no longer has a
father?
Wilhelm Won Eberhardt is dead,
l replied; but had to support myself
with my hand on the table, and
could hardly hold the child.
Frau Won Bendeleben sank back in
her chair. A long pause ensued; then
l set the child on her lap, and said:
BE good with the lady, she loves you.
"Then l passed my hand again ovel
the dark curly head, and turned to go
but | staggered as l went. What ex
perienced at that moment was the
hardest of all; no one can judge OF il
but me.
when I shut the door behind me
l heard a cry: 'Gretchen!' and imme
diately after, the violent crying of the
child.
cit seemed to drag me back with
powerful force. l struggled hard for {
moment with my inclinations, and
then tore myself away and went tC
the baron's room. He hao a letter in
! his hand, and his face was hidden in
handkerchief When he saw me he
came up to me, and casting a glance
at my distressed face, he said gently:
I know it already, my child. Have
you nything to ask of me-?
Only to see him once MORE l en-
treated; only once more
He was very near to you at the
last, Margaret he asked.
He was my betrothed,' I replied
in low tone.
"The baron started, and then he
said
You can go with me; l have al
ready ordered the carriage. Wait one
moment; l only want to tell my wife
the sad news
ouS huOWO IL oil Cduy, hSN'
Knows it already? Through
whom?'
Through me. 1 brought her the
child
1.-THE last words sounded like a cry
of anguish, and l pressed my hand to
my heart The baron drew his hand
caressingly over my hair, and a tear
ran slowly down his cheek as he muir
mured:
" Poor, poor child!'
"a short time after we were rolling
rapidly along the road to G.. They
had put a cloak and fur robes in the
carriage for me; but l was not cold,
in spite of the icy Army grief made
me quite insensible to everything. We
drove up to the stately house in which
Wilhelm had lived with Ruth, and
where he had remained afterward.
Friedel opened the door for US; his
eyes were red and swollen, and when