The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-23
HtseelIaneous.
THE SENATOR OF BREMEN.
A POPULAR TRADITION


One summer evening, in the year 1749, the
family Of Mr.. Sebaldus Beerlen, senator of the
free imperial city of Bremen, were seated to-
gether Willing away the hour between eight
and nine in conversation, and the Juniors ami
sing themselves with various innocent games.
The apartment which they were in was spa
cious, panelled, according to the custom of that
time with carved odwork, and decorated
with oil paintings of some value, which Mr.. Sc
baldus had picked up in his travels in Holland.
His aged grandmother was seated at the win
dow, in a chair covered with leather, embossed
with flowers of gold, looking, as usual, at the
steepes of the distant churches, tinged with the
radiance of sunset She hummed at the same
time to herself an old hymn Of Paul Gerherd's,
which treats OF the repose of the cody after
death, and the happiness of those who have
fought the good fight, and are delivered from all
the trials and tribulations of this mortal life
She numbered full eighty years, and so she had
good reason to hum such hymn. Catherine,
the senator's wife, still young and comely wo-
man, of the most respectable family of Ruhberg
of Hidesheim, sat not far from the window at
a small table, playing game at lansquenet with
her nephew Ruhberg, copying clerk TO the sen /.
ate, an almost boyi>h-looking young man. She
mistook the cards in the twilight the youth
took advantage of this, and purposely cheated
his aunt, and she reproved him with good
humored severity for his knavish tricks. A
group of children were sitting together in the
middle of the room, and Sgismunda the eldest
daughter, twelve years old, was telling her bro
theirs nd sisters, in a low tone, a long story,
to which they listened in silent attention. Theo-
bald Aplevert. an old and faithful servant of the
family, was standing at the corner of the stove,
calculating the last weeks receipts from a little
shop which his wife kept, and, as he had reason
to apprehend, not TO the best account Thus
each Of the members of the family was engaged
his own way, and not attending TO what the
others were about
Mr. Sebadus Beerlein himself was sitting
on the sofa, with hand in his waslcoat peck
ct, and his head propped by the other, he looked
straight before him, listening with pleasure to
the play full tones Of his wife, and the soft whis
pering voice Of his daughter, and now and then
casting glance al the dark form Of his grand
mother, whose shaking head and sharply formed,
noble features were defined upon the evening
sky. Such moments are of great value to the
father of family. He takes survey Of his
past life. He thinks Of all the comforts and bles
sings that Providence has bestowed on him, and
he forms plans for the further improvement of
his circumstances, for the sake of those who are
dearest to his heart.
The clock of the neighborng church now
struck nine. As the sound Of the last stroke
died away, the Senator rose, took his hat and
cane, and hastily left the room.
Scbald," cried his wife, "art thou going TO
the counting house? Shall light be brought
down to thee?o
The Senator gave no answer. They heard
him going down stairs, and presently the house
door shutting heavily after him.
Where can he he going TOT" asked the
grandmother.
g Indeed don't know, replied his wife ; she
meant to spend the evening with us. Some
thing must have suddenly occurred to him.
The old lady shook her head light was
brought, and the family sat down at the round
table to their simple supper A place was left
for the master of the house, as everybody felt
convinced that he would presently