The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-11-27
peofss0oe. taking one Of her soft hands
within biz wrinkled ones.

~"~ ~4S~
Then ny mother called in the Old
fa1dlyEdoctoka and be listened long
~anl4eshook his head.
'n~a4Dr. mubenieder. the young lady's
couain.' ne said. IL the man who
should be co0a1aated about her. case.
BE is now probably the greatest expert
In the country for troubles Of the heart
and is the n best able to cure her.
Therefore we came, to Q you, and
1 you. also listened long to that heart
and asked many questions and wrote
learned things on bits Of paper, but
when l sought to read them | could
not understand. You did not write
the few words that might have healed
my heart. and you surely never
thought to say them; hence 1 knew
when we were coming home that l
should not be cured"
The professor by this time had bent
down until his sharp elbows rested
upon his knees and his face vas In
the hollow of his hand.
"Once l heard you saying to my
mother that l did not respond to treat
ment. That was the little mistake.
Fritzel. dear. for indeed l would have
responded to a kiss from your dear
lips. How wonderfully the pressure of
your arms might have stilled the I'M
ruly throbbing Of that heart! Some
times in the morning you were sur
prised to find me looking ever so much
better. Do you know the reason.
Fritzel? 1t was because during the
long, long nights l dreamed that you
had come to me and whispered low.
sweet things more potent than drugs"
Poor little Lolita! Poor little girl!
cried the professor.
"Truly. dearest. l loved you until
the end and always understood. Mine
was only one among the myriad hearts
that were throbbing all the world W
for things that could not be. Yours
was that of a great man upon whose
lips the world hung in order to listen
to marvellous wisdom and from whose
pen flowed a stream that meant hope
and Joy and life renewed for suffering
mankind. ! was like q humble wOr-
shipper of a great sun. which burned
and scared me ere l could reach it.
Your strength was too great for the
child at your feet. your thoughts too
lofty, and it vas this that left a loop
hole for the little mistake. You could
not see that the unruly heart throb-
bed on your account; that every fiber
of it was entwined about you. How
; 0O,11H uO,, hovo l<nOruu a. 90
The professor could not answer. He
was listening. haggardly. to things into
which his philosophy had never delv-
ed. Within his breast were waking
regrets and longings from which he
had always thought himself immune.
"Fritzel. DEAR" she northumberland
from her lips his boyhood's name
sounded w%ondrously sweet-"you must
not grieve Over that little mistake,
for l have very long been recon-
cled to 1t. Sometimes l was pleased
to think that you were not able to see.
You were always SO good and kind to
me that perhaps IL your vision had been
clearer you might have been drawn
away from your great work.. Your af-
lection for the child companion Of
your boyhood days might have changed
into a great compassion. and that
might have led you to offer me the
great and only remedy-a place within
your heart. And then l should have
chung to you. Is the ivy around the
oak. and perhaps l should have hinder
ed your full development. Since my
head is only Al high as your breast.
you would have been compelled to look
at lower levels and to give to love
some Of the passion you have bestowed
upon research. The quiet Of your
workroom might even have been dis.
turbed by the music Of baby notes, by
the cries of a little thing that would
have been flesh Of your flesh, and
would also have claimed its share Of
your love and minutes out Of your
busy hours. Doubtless everything hap
pened for the best. since my heart was
only one of q series, ne you said. while
your personality was that Of one too
great to notice such little things"
1T was that of a blind person."
cried the old professor. with one hand
hard pressed upon his breast. 1T was
that Of n who could not see that q
love like yours is the very best and
greatest reward a man can strive for"
"Oh. Fritzel. dearest!" she exclaimed,
like u mother seeking to console a hurt
child II fear now that your goodness
IL leading you away and bringing to
you emotions that do not beft a learn
ed professor. Just see how much 1
have disturbed you in these few mo-
ments: should indeed have been a
great hindra nee to you. l am glad that
you eve saw that you were nev
compelled. to be the slave of two loves.
between which you might have fallen
to the level Of other men. l will go
now. dear Fritzel. and l implore you
to have no regrets. You have been
seeing me with the eyes Of forty years
ago and looking at my heavy tresses
and big. young eyes. But in truth you
ought to see ME as the old woman l
oh4.S1l 1o~-, h~ ia H. $500