Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-06-25
Continued.

ONLY person who would have been like
" to think of me, and he did not seem
80 friendly TO me as usual, and hao
once let fall something about stupid
behavior and 'ingratitude, because !
came so seldom to the castle. An!
certainly was not ungTatefuI
The wedding day-his wedding day
came. The golden sunshine flooded
ahe earth in its green spring vesture'
and the apple-trees were fuller than
ever Of pink blossoms. The whole vii
lage was in a state of excitement; the
women stood before the doors and
eossiped about the beautiful bride; the
children admired the triumphal aTcn
which had been erected at the en-
trance 10 the little churchyard !
could hear the distant roll OF the CIR
riages which were bringing the in
vited guests.
Hannah came to me for moment
She had tears in her eyes as she en-
byaced and kissed me-she suffered
with ne: I knew it. Calmly, attended
10 my little duties. Katharine gently
gtroked my hand now and then. When
II was dark, the church-ben rang, and
announced that it would soon be tune
to approach the altar
An irresistible longing to see him
once more arose within me. / put on
m shawl, and creeping past the
crowd that stood about the principal
entrance, I slipped into the church
through a side door. The light inside
was dazzling, and I shrank into the
darkest corner, behind the old wooden
pillars which supported the choir and
the organ, and which were twined
about with fragrant green leaves. A
brilliant company was assembled about
The little altar. The fra GRANGE Of the
flowers was almost oppressive in the
church. whose cold bare walls had
been almost smothered in green.
"Hannah's sweet face beamed upon
ne from among the brilliant company
like a friendly star. Frau Won Bendel-
chen looked round the church as If
she was searching for some one; in
voluntarily I shrauk deeper into the
shadow Then suddenly the slight
muvmur Of he crowd was silenced;
we could hear a carriage roll up.
fell as if m heart would stop beat
ing
Every eye was turned toward the
door I heard a low muTmuT Of admir-
alton. the organ burst forth, and they
walked up the aisle, the tall, slender
man in the brilliant uniform, and on
his arm the wonderful creature in her
white dress embroidered with silver,
with the brilIint diamonds in her dark
hair, in which ange-blossoms were
twined, the veil hung like a cloud
about the slender figure. I gazed at
her with dazzled eyes. All, Iovelier
bride never went to the altar!
u heard none Of the clergyman S
words. only saw the bridal pair But
when they knelt, I rushed out of the
church in wild haste; I could not stay
TO hear the yes his lips were about
to utter. I fed into our little garden,
into the old green arbor, where I had
SO often sat as a child, and there I
stayed for half the night. The air was
so soft and soothing, the nightingales
sang in their full, Iong-drawn notes,
the liIacs shed their fragrance abroad,
and there was a mysterious life and
movement in nature in this soft May
night; spring sang her old magic song
of love and happiness. With a feeling
Of indescribable longing, I stretched
M arms out after the happiness had
once possessed and had now lost for
ever. over there in the castle the wed
ding celebration was going on-at
times the sound of music penetrated
10 my ears-and I was forsaken-for-
Eaken.
This also passed The bitter grief
hat had its sway that May night
grew more bearable. I felt as # I had
wound in my heart which bIed at
The slightest touch. NV life passed
quietly and mOnOtonousIy: nv father
sat over his books, and I was left to
the company of old Katharine. The in.
tercourse with the castle was only
slight, as it had been before. When
Frau Won Bendeleben needed me. she
sent for me, or offered my services.
What should do there?
With the inmates of the parsonage
kept up a friendly exchange of
visits; the little old lady had an es-
pecial fOndness for me now. The
young pastor kept in the background.
but he was very thoughtful of me. To
him was indebted for my reading;
he got fowerseeds for my garden: he
visited my father in the long winter
evenings. when the latter, tired out.
laid down his pen and chatted with
him.
Shortly after Ruth's wedding, Ber-
gen was sent to NJ, as adjutaut Of a
brigade. 1t was a sad day when the
9wo friends said farewell to me.
Do come again soon All. don't
quite forget me- I begged, going to
the great stairs of the castle. I would
have gone in with them had not a
small carriage turned into the avenue
Just then. hastily turned
into side path: as I did so I could
hear the carriage stop and Eberhardt
say:
Here We are, after all. Ruth got
over her sulks and thought better of
it
Then Ruth's laugh sounded in nv
ear; one last wave of the hand from
Hannah, and then she too was lost to
me.
Then there came a morning. when
l stood in despair by my fathers bed.
calling him BY name again and again