Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-03-19
Ske PASTORS Daughter
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the blue curtains were closely drawn
before the windows, the lamp burned
brightly, and with cheeks glowing
with eagerness we worked at our
Christmas gifts, or one Of US read
aloud from the books which the baron
ess always carefully chose for US.
sometimes, she came up herself TO see
what We were about, or to bring
letter from Ruth, which she read
aloud TO us. The dainty letter usually
contained only a description OF the
last large party, an illusion TO the
great admiration she received, and the
assurance that the writer was very
happy, and sent her love to dear papa,
to darling mamma, and TO dearest
Hannah. She never sent any mes
cages to me. Hannah took this to
heart more than I did, and when she
wrote TO Ruth, she usually put in:
Gretchen Is like sister to me. /
get fonder of Gretchen every day; we
are very happy together, and she
sends YOU her love- The last was
strongly underlined, but no notice was
ever taken of it.
I'm spite of this, l lived very
happy life, and if the sharp gables of
my fathers house had not looked out
warningly at me from behind the
branches Of the old Iindens, I might
have believed I had been born at
Castle Bendeleben.
"a year had passed since our confirm
alton, and as no kind aunt came for
ward to introduce Hannah into the
great world, an effort was made to let
her enjoy all there was to enjoy. Her
parents took us on a round Of visits
to the noble families in the neigh
bOrhood, and serious plans were made
for attending the casino balls in our
neighboring city the following winter.
Ruth had never been home but she
was expected in the coming summer,
and we should then have plenty of
Rmusements for the pleasant weather.
The autumn manoeuvTeS were to be
IN our neighbOrhood; we were pre-
pared for a large influx of officers;
and this would afford an opportunity
for several entertainments which
should celebrate Hannah's entrance
into society.
81 dreaded Ruth's return. She had
always been my enemy, and now that
she was grown up she would still less
conceal her antipathy to me.
But it turned out otherwise.
ut was very warm day toward
the end of March when Hannah and /
returned home from a ride. The sky
was covered with lght-gray clouds,
the trees were already full of dark
brown buds Our road lay along the
little river, which, swollen to the very
edge of its banks, rushing along be
side us with it's dark, muddy waters
kissing and foaming. The willows
along the banks dropped their yellow
catkins almost into the waves. The air
was so mild that the eye inyOluntarily
sought the ground to look for blue
viOlets.
Our horses moved slowly together,
We did not speak-the spring air
makes one Ianguid. The little groom
behind us had already yaWned twice,
very audibly. l looked at Hannah; her
light hair fiuffed out from under the
black hat and fell in long locks over
the dark riding-habit; the blue veil
played caressingly about the rosy
cheeks; the little hands carelessly held
the bride and the riding-whip and her
eyes gazed dreamily into the water.
"All at once the thought came over
me, how would it be when Ruth came
back? A feeling of dread arose within
me that everything must then be
changed; some day it would be made
plain to me that l was no longer
needed here, that the two sisters were
sufficient for each other; l could al
ready see myself in the dismal parlor
in my fathers house, Katharine, with
her spinning-wheel, at the window, the
sand on the white boards crunched
under my feet, the brown Coffee-pot
stood ON the table. Involuntarily l
drew the reins tighter, my horse made
a little jump to one side.
What is the matter, Gretel?' Han
nah inquired, quite startled out of her
dreams. You look quite pale
oh, nothing, Hannah I said
was only wondering how l should ever
find it possible to live at the parson-
age without you. I am afraid of Ruth,
I added, as Hannah looked at me in
surprise.
She soothed me with a thousand
sweet batteries, told me how much she
loved me, how fond her parents were
of me, how she could not live with
out me: and that Ruth certainly
would not stand the quiet and dizziness
here very long.
"'You don't know how fond papa is
of you, for one, she said. Only yester-
day. when you came in through the
garden with the snowdrops, he said:
How pretty the little witch has
grown, she actually outshines my own
daughters
Il could not help laughing and was
comforted; it was never my way to
brood long over anything. l was the
most careless, light-hearted being in
the world, and / very seldom had
moods that made me sorrowful
80 I bent over Hannah, gave her
a kiss on her cheek, put my horse in
to a gallop. and cried. laughingly:
" Follow me, Whoever reaches the
great staircase first shall be king!'
Il flew through the broad avenue:
my horse, a small, handsome black,
did not need any spur, he heard the
i ". 4 III,