"I could
not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend
possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about
Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It
would grieve me sadly to think that."
"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with
Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart
was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her."
"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow.
But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?"
"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and
she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a
bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was
rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of
it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate,
and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now
one tender little girl,--a little Wiseli,--who is not much larger than
our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health
has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that
it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in
consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her.
Pages:
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170