Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-03-12
9ke 9astor's Daughter
10. Tstmburs
u. Fetmburs

fathers study, with an air Of deter
mination. I followed her in great
anxiety lest she should overthrow all
my fine prospects.
My father was sitting at his books
again; Frau Won Bendeleben was gone.
Herr Pastor began Katharine,
are you going to send Gretel away to
the CASTER
&" Yes replied my father rather i'm
patiently, at this second disturbance.
You will take her over there this
evening; but see that she is dressed
clean
Bless my soul, Herr Pastor, you
won't send the only thing out Of the
house that gives a body a little
pleasure?
"The old woman's voice trembled
as she said this.
If my sainted mistress had
known this she never would have al
lowed it.
MY father stood up
Listen to ME, Katharine he said,
4 want to tell you something. The
child is six years old now and is grow
ing up like a wild thing. She can do
nothing, she knows nothing, and she
learns nothing. You are a good soul,
but you can't bring up young girl,
and don't understand it either. Frau
Won BendeIeben is sorry to see the
child grow so wild and she has offered
to bring up Gretchyn with her own
daughters, and that is position which
{ must accept with the greatest
gratitude for the child's sake. You
can see her as often as you like; she
viii visit US very often; won't you,
Gretchen And you, Katharine, viii
still have all your pleasure in her. And
now stop crying, and don't disturb me
any longer
Katharine had put her apron up
to her face, and from behind it came
sobbing wall:
" Itn never come to good, I know.
She neveru like it here again,
"She took me by the hand, and
went downstairs with me. Then she
took me on her lap and cried as if I
were going to be killed.
In the evening she washed and
cOmbed me, amidst streams Of tears,
and then, after I, though dancing with
Impotence, had said goodbye to my
father, she took me to the castle.
Gretchen, she said, on the way,
even though you find every one kind
to you there, never forget that you
belong in our little parsonage, and
that some day you must come back
here; then don't get proud, child. Oh,
my gracious, if only no harm comes Of
itn
cat that time l hardly thought that
any of the old woman's gloomy pro-
phecies could prove true. I was kindly
welcomed and made at home, and l
grew up with the daughters of the
house, Ruth and Hannah. Our educa-
ton was very careful one, and my
father, who continued to lead his
hermits life, and only now and then
inquired concerning my diligence and
my progress, was at length exceeding
Iy proud of his little daughter.
Katharine was always anxiousIy
searching for traces of haughtiness in
my face, but as I continued pleasant
and loving to her as before, and, when
l was at home, listened for hours to-
gether to her stories of how sweet and
good my mother was, and always
heard the Oft-repeated tale with undi-
minished interest, she gradually be-
came treasured, though l always got
some warning advice on the way back.
But now, my dear child, must
make you acquainted with the persons
and the condition of things at Castle
Bendeleben.
"The master of the house was tall,
stately man, the perfect type of Ger
man country nobleman, with blond
hair and beard, and blue eyes which
were rather insignificant, but we're
full of goodness. He was not highly
intellectual, and his wife lowered
head and shoulders above him In this
respect. Only one thing the couple
had in common, they both looked with
sovereign contempt on every one who
was not noble.
Generally calm and cool by nature,
the baron would get quite furious, if
for instance, he read in the newspaper
that an old noble estate had passed
into the hands of some one Of the
middle class; the marriage of noble
man with a girl Of the middle class !
would excite him to a long speech,
which he would generally close by
saying: God only knows what will be
come of the country if this difference
or race ever ceases; everything will
be turned topsy-turvy. I hope I may |
never live to see it
Frau Won BendeIeben had mora
tact, and did not air her views so
openly as the baron, but that her opin- !
ions were the same was proved by !
several little traits which I had occa- !
sion to observe in our life together; it !
is true they were all very kind to me, !
I was treated almost like their own
daughter; but afterwards l made the
bitterest discoveries in this direction, |
and the difference in rank was
brought home to me just at a time
when I was very unhappy, and was
very much in need of tenderness, and
protection; but will not speak Of that
now.
For the rest, Frau Won Bendeleben
was a noble, high-minded woman, and
if she once did me an injustice, it hap |
DpDad in CONSEQUENCE pf hor DbOrn