Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-04

|
sity OF HochwaId was compelled to
make his way alone to the gasthaus OF
the Golden Eagle. where he invariably
limited himself to one half liter of the
creamy amber beer which, next to the
university, was the greatest institution
of the town. Once there. however. he
did not lack for company. being sur
rounded not only by other citizens lis
tening to soothing music, but also by a
host of the students. who, having been
attracted to Hochwald chiefly by the
professors fame. deemed themselves
honored by his permission to sit near
and hearken respectfully to the words
of his wisdom.
| 1t is we'll known that in all that con-
Germs maladies of the heart no one in
the world has worthily gained SO great
reputation as Professor DR.. Tauben-
FEEDER.
He went home one evening at the
usual hour and was received at the
door by Nina, his old housekeeper, who
took his overcoat and hat and babe
him good night. Then he made his
way to his room, which opened upon
his laboratory and his wonderful pri
vate collection. Sitting In his favorite
armchair near table covered with
glass jars containing specimens, he be-
| thought himself that sauerkraut was
possibly becoming slightly difficult of
digestion for his elderly stomach.
Picking up a pamphlet noteworthy
by virtue of some rather startling and
novel theories, he became much inter
ested, and his keen and critical intel
lect at once suggested certain contro-
verting facts. The booklet fell upon
his lap the while he meditated with
closed eyes.
Suddenly he was aroused from his
reverie by a light touch on the arm.
Looking up in some bewilderment, he
found that a young lady bad slipped
into the room--surely an unheard of
intrusion-and was standing beside his
chair He gazed at her in no little as
constituent. 1t seemed to his rather
inexperienced eyes that her dainty raj
ment was not of modern fashion and
that the dressing of her hair was of
the style of years and years ago.
''My dear Fritzel," she began bright
ly, 81 hope that you are very we'll"
lie COulu Ouiy Ill dSSeHI-
81 am very glad" she pursued. 81
knew you would be pleased to see your |
little second cousin. I see that you are |
still occupied with your old pursuits. |
Dear me- how wise and learned you /
ever We're. dear Fritzel. How wonder |
full that one man should be able to accu- |
mulate so much knowledgei 1t makes
me dreadfully insignificant"
Cautiously he raised one hand in
mute protest, but she continued:
"You know all that can be learned |
about hearts, with perhaps a tiny ex-
ception. No human being is wholly !
exempt from error, and even you made
a little mistake once. it seems to me-"
"a mistaken" cried the professor.
"Just a little one, dear Fritzel. 1 |
may be able to show you"
She passed into the laboratory, in
which were many big shelves covered
with glass jars. The light hardly pen
etrated the room, yet she went. I'M
erringly to a corner and put her hand
up quite high, rising on her toes. Then
she returned with Il wide necked re-
ceptacle in which hung a specimen.
There it isp' she cried. Il knew
where it was,"
The professor took the jar from her.
mo. 371,' he said. 1T is the heart
of Lolita, my little cousin
Yes she assented; lit is my heart
and must have been quite interesting.
1t must have passed under the eyes of
many eager students, and perhaps it
has taught them just a little"
But there was no mistake here"
stated the professor.
I'VE will call it your inability to
see everything" said the young wo-
man soothingly There always must
be some little thing that escapes us in
this world or we should no longer be
mere men and women. / was a little
younger than you. though we often
played together, and | was very I'M
happy when you went away to study
and become a great man. When you
returned during the holidays that al
ways seemed so dreadfully short the
child admired you. and you were al
ways very kind to her. At the ex-
pectaUon of your homecoming her
heart would beat u great deal faster.
As the seasons passed into years that
admiration and those heartbeats chang
I'd into something that was longing,
4 wonderful desire. yet you began to
,ome more seldom. and the time you
could spare to me grew less. Your !
thoughts travelled beyond me. from the ,
world at your feet to greater worlds ,
'ou meant to conquer. You seemed ! s
o me TO be growing greater and great
II and always going further away; |
'et as the distance between US increas-
ID the longing became keener until it q
became a pain that clutched that lit S
lie heart and hurt il so deeply that at i
light l had to weep with the pangs it S
brought ME. | was n big girl then. T
indeed, ! had become woman t
Poor little Lottchen"' said The old
professor. taking one or her soft hands
within his wrinkled ones.