The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-23

| She would spring along the railing, and before one could realize it was on the landing above. She had different forms of salutation for each individual. For Wilhelm she had of late adopted the salutation of arms crossed upon her breast Every morning she went early | to mass Wilhelm followed her upon one occasion and saw her kneeling with her
 rosary in a dusky corner of the church and praying devoutly.
 | Henry Molina, having concluded his in- vestigation of the effects of the defunct | theatrical company, proposed bluntly to
 Wilhelm that the young man redeem the | properties and become the "angel' of
 new company to be formed out of the
 stranded actors and actresses now en- ! camped about him. At first this made | Wilhelm think seriously of setting off about his business, but no sooner had he written a letter to Werner-a business | letter-than he tore 1t up and thought Tor | a little while longer to enjoy the 'artlstic atmosphere with which he was sur rounded.
 | When Wilhelm had first met Philina
 she had waiting upon her fiaxen-haired
 boy called Frederick. Soon after the ar
 rival of Wilhelm the boy and his mis- tress auarrelled violently and he left her employ. But not a week had passed
 when the boy returned again and re- | sumed his former vocations-waiting
 upon the table and running the errands of Philina. Frederick easily established
 himself as one of the company which
 now circled about Wilhelm Meister.
 | In spite of the intrigues of Philina
 who wished Wilhelm to buy the pawned
 theatrical properties for herself, Will
 helm bought them for Herr Molina and
 regular theatrical company was form ed Wilhem now felt himself the pa | tron of art" and made his satellites read his poems and his incompetent plays It was a cruel revenge, al though the callow youth had not the least idea that it was so. Just as the new company had been formed there | came to the town the Count great noble, master of the castle which rear | ed itself on the hill. With him were l his brother-in-law the Baron, and the | Countess and the Baroness, as well as 1 host of retainers. There was war | then going on and the Prince-master of a petty German state-Was to pass through with his army, and the Count | was to entertain him at the castle The Count and Countess engaged the theatrical company to lend their aid to the entertainment of his Serene Trans narency. Wilhelm, of course, went along with his artistic friends to the | castle.
 Wilhelm was rather better enter tained than the other members of the company-if we except Philina. Ihat artful young woman so ingratiated her | self into the favor of the Countess that | she became a constant attendant upon | her ladyship As matter of fact, the Countess fell in love with Wilhelm. | Rut she was a virtuous lady and for the wealth of all the Indies would | forget not her marriage vows. still. | she liked to hear Philina speak of tha excellent qualities of the young merchant, and Phlina quickly compre bendinp. smoke often of him. The Bar 0nPSS and she and Philina understood each other perfectly.
 The day the Count and his guests
 were out hunting. and the Baroness and the actress planned little practical
 joke. They lured Wilhelm to the apart ment of the Count, cajoled him into
 nuttinp on the Counts dressing gown
 and seating himself in the Counts arm chair. Then they ran to the Countess and told her to go to her husbands s room. he had unexpectedly returned and wanted to see her. "I know that he has returned" replied the Countess. "I inst saw him ride into the courtyard ' In alarm the conspirators ran to. warn Wilhelm. But they were too late. The Count, feeling i'll, had indeed unex- pectedly returned from the hunt He went at once to his own apartments. When he opened @stlie door Wilhelm stared at him hxedly, speecHless from