Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-04-02

/ II. Inc count uuSL NC dNlullJ LlCu ,
but Ruth acts as if she were confer.
ring a great favor upon him by marry
ing him. You don't know how cold
she is in the midst Of all this splen-
dor Perhaps 1t is all pretenc9, but
she always has that condescending
look. Auntie says, she might have
been a princess if she had wanted to-
But she is wonderfully lovely.
And then l related my experiences
when Hannah heard that my
father had gone away, she said:
" And if he never comes back, you
will stay with me-
II smiled, for I had other plans.
! CHAPTER III.
| The summer was approaching its
close: the harvests had been reaped
the time for the manoenVres had
come, and several otucers were quart
cred in our castle; a colonel, his ad
jUtant, a captain, and two lieutenants.
The guest-cnambers were thrown open
and Fran Won Bendeleben went
| through them once more, to assure
| herself that everything was in OrdeI.
| From the kitchen in the basement
| rose the OdOrs Of a good dinner; the
+ table in the dining-room shOne in all
the spIendor of the old family silver {;
servants ran busily here and there;
and upstairs in our turret-room we
were busy with our toilet.
Z" Tt is half-past three, said Hannah J;
they must be coming now. What
sort Of people do you think they are
GreteI?' AS she spoke she fastened a
light-blue bow in her blonde curLs;
she looked lovely in her white dress.
Il was in high spirits today, and
stood before the glass and fastened a
late white rose in my dark hair, that
looked very pretty with the lighC-blue
dress, which had just matched the
color of my eyes; for every girl is a
little bit vain.
Come, do not stop adjoining your
self cried Hannah, pettishly. You
want to outshine me, and that's easy
enough for YOU in any case; do let me
have a little chance She stepped up
to the glass: Do you know Gretchen,
you are a whole head taller, she
cried in surprise. All the poor lieu
tenants, Gretel Gretel!
An at once I heard music. Han
/ nah, they are coming!' In q twinkling
we were out on the balcony. From the
direction of the high road great
cloud of dust was visible, from which
now and then cleaned the steel of
the guns; the notes Of the music came
! distinctly to our ears.
Now, come down quick, Gretchen;
we can see better from the terrace
There we found the baron and his
wife and several servants at the foot
of the staircase. Frau Won BendeIeben
sent us up again. TT is quite easy
enough if you appear at dinner I shall
not stay here. either; they will not
like to be received by ladies, and it
is not the thing. SO we went up again.
A quarter of an hour passed III chat
ting and in conjectures concerning the
stranger guests, then servant came
and summoned US to the baroness in
the little salon. We were just going
down, after having cast one more look
in the glass. when the hOusemaid
came up to me: FrauIein Gretchen, a
letter for YOU she cried when she saw
me, and held up rather thick packet
In my delight l seized it with both
hands and knowing that I shO I'D get
no chance to read it downstairs,
begged Hannah to go alone, and to
tell her mother why remained be-
hind and to say that l would follow
very soon.
Il sat down by the window and read
my letter. My father wrote that he was
in Munich at present, but that he
should probably go to Italy; that
must therefore stay without him a
while longer. On the whole, ne was
very well, although he sometimes
worked till far into the night, md he
missed his comfortable armchair at
home. The letter closed with the assur-
ance that he would be glad if I would
write to him that I was happy and
we'll, and with many greetings to the
BendeIebens, to Pastor Renner and his
mother and to Katharine.
Greatly disappointed, I dropped the
letter. There were all my delightful
dreams scattered. I had hoped to re-
ceiye my father in the late autumn,
now months must still pass; he could
not have any desire to see me: l
could not understand it. And I was to
carry a message to the pastor. Never!
had never gone to see his mother
again, and wheneve. he came to the
castle I had kept carefully out of his
way Only once had he met me, and
was helping to take care of tho child
of the castle gardner, who was very
i'll. The mother watched with the
child every night, and I relieved her
by day, so she could get little sleep.
The pastor had suddenly come into
the sick room. had greeted me pleas
antly, without seeming surprised to
see me there. and then had bent down
over the little bed and laid his hand
on the Child's burning forehead. I
was embarrassed. and [ recalled how
this man, who was now speaking such
gentle soothing words to this little
fellow. had given me so sharp re-
proof in such ironical tones. The blood
rushed to my cheeks. and as the
child's mother came in just then. |
got up and said: Now Anne Marie, you
can take your place again: it Is just
four, the hour when we always take
ILL. r.;an nra thn hnrnrn l. r,raitirer