Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-06-04


is no hope for it now; God only
knows how it will all turn out
Owe entered, and my eyes glanced
round the room; Frau Won Bendele-
ben was sitting in a chair by the fire
the baron was at the table, drumming
On it with his fingers; Eberhardt was
not there. I received hearty greetings
especially from the baron.
Z" You look quite pale, little one;
the air Of the sick-room is not good
for you. You must ride often, or you
will forget how. Zuleika has missed
you very much; you must go and
make her a call he said, kindly
looking at me anXiously.
q" Where is Eberhardt?' inquired
Hannah, who had sat down opposite
her mother and was now busily knit
ting a stocking.
"He went to Ruth to beg her to take
supper with u.s. said Frau Won Bendel-
chen, with sigh. How is Katharine"
she said turning to me. is it true that
she will never be well again.
81 was just going to reply, when
Pastor Renner told US Of his success
in the new school he had established,
which interested her, and so passed
nearly an hour-horribIy tedious for
me, as my thoughts were all the time
with Eberhardt and Ruth.
Johann announced supper, and
every one got up.
Shall We sit down without Eber-
hardt and Ruth?' asked Hannah.
" oh, no. said Frau Won Bendeleb-
en-; please 90 and call them
" Come with me, Crete said Han
nah; we will give them a good scold-
ing, she added drawing me with her
GO alone, Hannah
oh, no; I am afraid in the long
corridor
Send Johann 7 entreated.
" NO, no; do YOU come, and we will
brighten them I trembled with agita-
ton, but she drew me on. Hank! They
are talking, she said, in a low tone,
as we stood in the countess's dimly
! lighted salon. A CLEAN of light shone
out Of the little boudOir through the
! heavy crimson curtains, and there I
could hear Ruth's silvery laugh as
she said:
! What face you make at 1t, cOuS-
in. I think the arrangement is very
suitable. I only wish the solemn step
had been formally taken, bat Heaven
| only knows how long it will be first.
This village beauty really thinks it is
the thing to put off her public be-
trothal with her sanctimonious lover,
though LieseI tells me they are al
ready secretly engaged. Well, she was
always rather uplifted, and copied the
manners Of the beau monde, as far as
she knew how. For the rest, it is time
for you to go, Wilhelm, for it is sup
per time I wish you bon appetit, and
an amusing evening. Bergen viii take
care that the conversation is in
stTuctive.'
You must come too, Ruth said
Eberhardt.
Not t. she cried. 7 cannot en-
dure such common ways. Fraulein
Gretel will be there with her eyerlast-
ing Madonna face; the young pastor
will Of course, gaze at her with ad-
miTatiOn, and she at him. Immediately
after supper, Hannah will take a
wooden stocking out of her pocket, an
ell long, and will sit down on the So
ia with the air of an experienced
housewife. No, that I cannot endure:
it drives me wild only to think of it
And will you be so cruel as to
let me die of longing down there?
'Oui, mon cher, aIlez vous seuI.
But what shall I do all alone?
Uncle and aunt, Bergen and Hannah,
and-and-' His voice all at once
sounded hollow and constrained. 4
beg of YOU he said, almost violently.
come with me, or I will stay here.
Shall I go there and look on or will I
stay here. Shall go there and look on
at something that I cannot share?
Come with me- he laughed, and then
we shall be just three couples, and
could set up a little medieval cour
d'amour and you being one If the
initiated could decide which knight
hOnOrs his lady most tenderIy.'
Hannah pressed my hand, her face
had turned scarlet, and my knees
trembled so that l could scarcely
stand; but all my thoughts were fixed
on the scene which was going on be-
hind the crimson portieres.
" 'Eh, bein! said Ruth. I will come
with you, but on one condition-vou
will be careful not to overlook this
black Grape cap, my dear-cousin!'
She spoke the last word with a pc
Culiar information.
"A strange, almost convuIsive.
laugh from Wilhelm followed this
speech.
Mon Dieu. how anxious these
women are about their regulations! I
am convinced that that gentle. limo
cent child at the parsonage has made
her tender clerical swain promise
something Of the same kind. 1t is
really farcical, this comedy; one is a
widow, and the other isl have a
great respect for this woman's witt
His laughter sounded in my ears
as fed away like on. pursued. Al
most senseIess I sank into q chair in
in the little salon. Happily, there was
no one left there; they had all gone
into the dining room. I lay there
crushed, perfect chaos of thoughts
whirling about in my brain. I drew
my hand across my forehead.
What shall I do? To whom shall
I so? All. God, help me. help met
"Fraulein Gretchen, where are YOU?