Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-07-23

use; Il Will not alter anything. We
hive got tired OF each other, haven't
we, Eberhardt?"
And your SON." asked the old
man, shocked at her frivolity. Would
you not rather have the son whom
God has given you grow up under the
protection of both parents? Must the
child be deprived of the blessing Of
well-ordered home? Oh, consider"
-" "Oh, my son will be loved more
by his father than he could be by ten
mothers. 1t is much better for him in
any case than living with parents who
can never agree-much better
She rose and put her hand on the
arm of the clergyman, who looked at
her quite shocked. Farewell, your
reverence-thanks for your trouble. |
must go and do some shopping now,
and then l have to see the judge-au
revoir, my friend!' she added, nod
ding to me, made her most gracious
bow, and left the room. The old man
stood still, with a face on which anger
and distress were both plainly de-
picted. He had had many a married
couple in this situation before him,
and had seen painful remorse and
hateful perversity but l am sure he
had never yet seen a disposition like
Ruth's. After a few minutes silence
he pressed my hand, and said in low
voice: sit rs better so, sir; she is
right"
Before the judge It was mucn the
same thing; my lawyer claimed the
child for me, and she yielded at once,
as you already know.
The day before yesterday, when,
after few minutes drive in silence
with my aunt, I walked through the
corridor of the castle to go TO my
uncle's room, we heard some one
playing on the piano a mazurka,
played as exactly, with the swing that
Ruth alone knew how to give to this
charming Polish dance. [ could see
her in my minds eye, sitting there
with flashing eyes and the enchanting
smile on her little mouth. Frau Won
| Bendeleben stopped involuntarily, and
pressed her hand against her breast
She was deathly pale; then she asked
the old Johann. who came to meet US,
how long it was since the young lady
! had returned, and whether there were
visitors in the salon. But before the
servant could reply, the piano stop
ped, and Ruth's silyery tones trilled
out one of those gay little French
| chans0ns which in a gay company are
absolutely enchanting from the lips OF
! lovely woman, but which was in
| hateful contrast to our present cir
| cumstances. A long trill which sound
ed like a mischievous laugh ended the
! song. knew this song by heart; Ruth
, had often sung it in her salon, and
! this laughing, coquettish ending had
always charmed her guests exceeding
! Iy. This time, however it had a very
different effect. Frau Won Bendeleben
, suddenly flung open the door and stood
before her daughter, with so threat
ening an air that the gay sunny ex-
preston vanished nom the youthful
face. | could only see how she flung
the book from the piano, and heard
Frau Won Bendeleben's breathless,
| trembling voice, as she cried: "YOu
can sing today?" Then the door was
shut; I walked on quickly and went in
to my uncle's room.
I gave him my hand, told him
from this day forward I was no longer
his son, that I was legally divorced
from Ruth; and begged him as my
uncle not to withdraw from me entirely
the affection which I had formerly
| possessed in SO tu.3 measure. He
looked worn, and replied in low
tone that he had hoped it would not
come to extremities; he had counted
on the existence of the child making
it too hard for us, neither Of us would
like to give it up. I saw that he did
not know yet what the decision had
been.
Have you not seen Ruth then,
since her return from the city," I in
quired.
To be continued.