Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-07-23
gke 9astor's Daughter
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ed a few quiet weeks, and I folded my
little son in my arms. I thought at
FIRST that when he came the mothers
heart would be turned to better
things. Hitherto | had thought a
mothers love the highest impulse Of
a Woman's nature, and | had built my
Highest hopes upon 1t. Happy as | had
never been before, l sat in my now
quiet home, and when the cry Of the
child came to my ears 1t was sweeter
20 me than any music which had
formerly regounded through these
rooms. But had not reckoned right
~. The birth of the child seemed to
have made no impression upon Ruth
than that afforded by the oppOrtun-
ity to give a brilliant christening
party. While she was still in bed she
wrote number of orders to mOdistes
and caterers, and talked with nerv-
Gus haste Of the godfathers and god
mothers, Of ordering a massive silver
christening basin, etc. Aunt Bendel-
chen gave her support to her charm
ing daughter. and SO the festivity was
given with all possible pomp. When
1t was over our old life began again;
8he danced, rode, and drove, and my
entreaties to her not to forget
mothers duties were received with
ErOwns, and we soon had little scenes
constantly. At last l thought l could
eonstrain her by refusing to escort
her to her balls and parties, especial
ly when the child was i'll. The first
time she stayed sulktly at home and
shut herself up in her bOUdOir, the
1ext time she went alone, and l had
gained nothing.
4 believe l did not always hit up
on the right way to guide her into
better paths, but, God knows! l have
always earnestly endeavored to do so.
With the other officers wives
she was for the most part on bad
terms; she had hooking air, and
chapter of housekeeping troubles and
nursery events was her abOminatiOn.
She made no secret Of the fact that
the coffee parties and ladies' societies
were tiresome to her in the highest
degree and she showed this so plain
ly even in the presence Of my su-
DeriOrs, that she became unpopular
everywhere. My entrea,tes that she
would be more civil to these ladies,
for my sake, she set aside contemptu-
OusIy with the remark that she hoped
that in Prussia the wives of the of1c-
ers did not also hold subordinate po-
sitiOns. | suffered greatly from these
circumstances; but she did not seem
to perceive it. Her beauty and her
CleYerness assured her great success
among men, and l was quite power
less to check her.
SO matters stood when Ruth
came one morning TO my room, at an
unusual hour. Hurriedly and exctedly
she announced to me that she was
obliged to go to Vienna at once, be-
cause the ci-devant mother-in-law was
dead. She had just had a letter, tell
her OF the fact. | at once refused my
consent, because the child was very
feyerish and was screaming in the
arms of his nurse. I wished her to
stay with him, although she never
troubled herself mucn about the child,
because l hoped that, If he should be
dangerously i'll, the natural affection
OF a mother might have some effect
on that shallow, frivolous nature, and
she would, perhaps, devote herself to
the care of the child.
My wife withdrew sulkiIy, and
soon | heard her maid ordering the
carriage. | went to the nursery The
child was quieter. and the nurse, who
was carrying him about, singing to
him, said it was his teeth that were
troubling him. Then Ruth came in,
ready for her drive. where are you
gOing?" | asked, as she was leaving
the room again after a passing glance
at the child. ITO Bendeleben," she
said, careiessly. Struggling her Shout
ders. Il wish to ask my parents ad-
vice in this matter, since | can get
uone from my husband"
Stop" I cried, feeling sure that
she would say nothing there Of the
chiJds Illness. Il will go with you in
one moment" She seemed unpleasant
" surprised, but could find no reason |
against it, and so we drove off.
When we reached Bendeleben
and entered the salon. I saw YOU, |
Gretchen, again for the nrst time:
your little face so pale. and IN deep
mourning; unprotected, without IA
Their or mother | was obliged to ex- |
erCise great self control in order to
hide my agitation. Then my wife !
brought out her accusations pitiIess- |
y, and it must have been clear to you
IN a moment how unhappy our mar
rtage was; how wretched I had be- |
come.
You have heard how she got her |
way. Oh, Gretchen. I have often been |
very unhappy, but on that evening. /
when I saw you and your sad eyes, |
and looked, on the other hand. at the
wife whom mad passion had chained |
ME to. all the waves OF sorrow seem
ed to go over me. was glad that she
did not drive home with me: glad that j
she went TO Vienna. You know how F!
long she remained, and how little she |
concerned herself about me and the |
child. Then she came back, with the |
firm determination 10 separate from |
ne.
Once she wrote to me from Vi |
emma to send her an ornament that /
she intended to have reset there by & !
celebrated jeweler. She told me how
to open her iewel-case, and added that
she hoped to have her wish attended |
70 at once. I went 10 her boudoir. /
opened the silver bound jewel case. |
which stood on the table beside her