Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-04-09

pOrtunlIleS OF seeing you; ana now
let me look once more into your dear
eyes; We are close to the castle
''At this moment we stopped at the
steps; he lifted me from the saddle
and pressed me to his breast.
"'Oh, We stars Of heaven, if it might
always be thus!' he whispered to me
softly, then he pressed my hand again,
and said: BE prudent, my love, and
conceal our happiness
May not tell my father?' 1 asked
softly.
No, Gretchen as soon Ss it is
possible l will tell him myself.
'Hannah's approach put an end to
our conversation, and knew bat little
more until I found myself upstairs in
our room, where, kneeling before my
bed with my head buried in the pillow,
I thanked the good God for this great,
this undeserved happiness. l felt so
proud, so sure. oh, what would my
father say, and Katharine? Katharine,
what evil things you thought of men,
and how unjust you were. Oh, this IN
speakable happiness!
Then l ran to the glass and smiled
at myself; it seemed to me so won
derful that he had looked into my eyes
and kissed my lips. If / could only tell
somebody Of this joy! How Katharine
would open her eyes if l could say to
her: Katharine, have you ever seen a
bride? Look at me; am one, too, and
the very happiest in the whole world
But it was delightful, too, that no
one knew. would be very discreet,
and only give him a glance now and
then. And now must go down; where
was Hannah?
Il did my best to put on an indiffer-
ent look. Whether 1 succeeded or not
| do not know. But no one took any
notice Of me, for as | entered the lit
tie salon | found every one in great
state of excitement. For one moment
there was a silence as I entered. The
baron was walking up and down with
a hasty stride; Frau Won Bendeleben
was sitting by the freside looking
pale, and pIucking with nervous haste
at the fringe on her dress; and there
on a low chair sat Hannah, her face
hidden in her handkerchief, her whole
figure looking crushed.
''He was not there.
BE reasonable, Hannah said the
baron, and consider. How can YOU eX-
pect me to say yes and amen al at
once? 1t is such a foolish affair, that
nothing but your youth can excuse it.
You have only known him fortni ght;
how can l put your fate in the hands
of a man who is still a stranger to us
happiness?
"'Ah, Bernard interrupted Frau
Won BendeIeben, don't waste any more
words; Hannah must and will be SEN
sible, and give up this extraordinary
idea. I cannot understand how it hap
pened that I did not perceive anything
Of this growing infatuation. But Herr
Won Bergen seemed so sensible to
me-
"'Oh, mamma, sobbed Hannah,
don't talk so, we are really SO fond of
each other
LII IAAC LA1CGNAIC 4L11C A1ctI SoOlO hH ~
Hannah and was going to put my arm
round her neck, when she started up,
and with an energy that I should
never have given such a delicate,
yielding creature credit for, she said,
SO that even Wilhelm Won Eberhardt,
who had just entered, stopped at the
door in amaZement:
Yes, mamma, will spare you my
complaints, but I tell you, and you,
too, papa, that I will never give up my
love for Bergen, never! And / have
now not only the pain of an unhappy
love to bear, but l can see again how
Ruth has always been preferred to me.
You gave your consent to Count SateW-
ski before he had been an hour
in the house. 1t was no necessary in
his case to inquire and examine; he
was a count, and that was enough.
Lieutenant Won Bergen is sent away
because he is a poor lieutenant But
I will never give him up; l swear it,
most sOlemnIy?'
To he continued