Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-26

maker named Huber For years be !
had made watches in Lucerne, aud |
when he had saved enough of bis earn |
ings to live without work he bought |
chalet on the lake shore. near the !
city, where he could pass the rest Of
his life in ease and comfort.
His children bad grown to manhood
and womaphood and left the paternal
abode, except Katrina. lass of eight
cen. Huber, who was a vidower, held
on to her as one will keep his last dol
lar, dreading to have a man come near
her lest he take her away from him.
But so far as the old man knew there
was no one who wanted her or whom
she wanted.
The truth is that Katrina. knowing
her fathers wish that she should
discourage all suitors, assured him
that she would not leave him In his
old age. Indeed. when the matter of
marriage was preached it was by HUI
Der himself, Carl Gotthold, abont thir-
ty.five years old. who had succeeded to
the old mans watch business. went
to see his former partner one day and
asked for bis daughter. Huber told
him that Katrina was not to marry,
but remain with him always.
Gotthold, who had persuasive
tongue in his head. represented to Hu-
| Der that when he died Katrina would
! be a middle aged woman whom no
man would care to marry and would
thereafter live a lonely life. IF you
! 49, h,r 4, 4 az
come here to live with you, going into
the city every morning to business and
returning in the evening. You will
thus keep her with you. and when you
die she will not be alone In the world"
Now. Gotthold had considerable mon
ey that he had inherited from his IA
Their. besides his watch business. His
proposition struck Huber favorably.
though be did not admit Ii. But be-
fore Gotthold left him he promised to
think of the matter He did think of
it and made mp his mind that he had
better accept the proposition. He said
nothing for some time to his daughter,
for in Europe parents have for centu-
ries been accustomed TO arrange mar
riages for their children.
Katrina kept boat. and when she
wished to go to any place on or near
the margin of the lake she would GO
down to the little shed where she kept
it. take it out and pull out on the bos
ON of the water. One evening while
near the middle of the lake a sudden
squall came M and overturned heI
boat. She chung to it till another boat
approached her and a young man In II
took her aboard. righted her boat anc
pulled his. towing her boat, to the near
est point of land There be built fire
and she dried his clothing by it:
warmth.
The two remained there for some
time waiting for the storm to subside
then re-entered the young mans boat
and he pulled hor to her landing place
He asked her If be might come and SEA
her. and she refused her consent. tell
ing him that her father dreaded Il
have any young man call upon her
But there was another reason. Sht
did not intend 20 let her father know
that she had been capsized in the mid
J die of the lake. She had narrowly es
capped drowning. for, though a goo
swimmer. the water in these Swis
lakes is so cold that she could not hay
possibly swum ashore. Indeed, sh
was SO benumb bed when help reache
her that she was about to let go be
hold. Should her father know all thi
he wouldI never let her go out in he
boat again.
Who knows but that If Katrina ha
given this young man, Cnspar Bect
permission TO visit her he would neve
have awaited himself of 1t. Be thi
! as IL may, her refusal. which was nc
T.. dictated by an unwillingness on be
) part to receive him. at once filed hir
with desire to break through tn
: barrier that stood between them Blu
) be said nothing to her Of this. ar
parently accepting her refusal as ina
and with a goodby he pulled ont int
) the lake toward his home near Lucern.
' Katrina reached her fathers nous
when he wss absorbed In Gotthoid'
proposition. Consequently she did nj
receive as close questioning as {
: where she had been during the storr
as might have been expected. BIT
the old man had no idea of broachin
y the matter concerning her future unit
I he bad definitely made up his min
I on the subject. and his mind was IA
q from being made mp. Gotthold kne'
that If he got Katrina 1t would not h
soon and. having made his proposition
waited pattently~for the old man {
!. come to decision. The applicant be
nothing further TO do I'm thematter. Il
q Huber world not be influenced an
|. whichever way he decided bis decisIo
!. wonld be final.
q After bis rescue of Katrina Gasp;
Beck often went out on the. lake
his boat purposely 10 meet her. Or
evening shortly before sunset he sa
o he? pulling toward her boathouse an
a rowing with all his strength. he !
tercepted her. He asked her IL 81
I would not remain out n little longf
o and she consented. Helping her Wi
his boat. be took hers In tow al
pulled southwark In the direction
EleweIn.
? II was after dark when Katrina I