Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-09-16
5GIttt 0uIr9.
THE EMIGRANT BOY,
by l.. MARIA CHILD.


and two bIue-eyed children, named Fritz and
Gretchen A few cooking utensils, and wood
en- stools, constituted all their furniture and
one brown-and-whlte goat was all they had to
remind them of Aocks and herds. But these
poor children led happier life than those small
limitations of humanity, who are bred up in city
palaces, and drilled to walk through existence
in anguid drawing rooms. From moss-grown
arches in the old ruins they could watch boats
and vessels gliding over the sparkling Rhine and
see broad meadows golden with sunshine.
On the terrace of the castle the wind had
planted many flowers 1t was richly carpeted
with various kinds of moss, tufts Of grass, blue
bells, and little pinks. Here Karl often took
his goat to feed, and left the children to attend
to him There had been stork's nest on the
roof from time immemoral; and the little ones
were early taught to reverence the birds as
omens of blessing The simple young souls
were quite unconscious of poverty. The SPLEEN
did Rhine, with all its islands-the broad pas
ture lands, with herds peacefully grazng-hou-
ses nesting among woody hilIs-all seemed to
belong to them and, in reality, they possessed
them more truly than many rich man. who
"One moment gazes on his flowers,
The next they are forgo;
And eatetb of his rarest fruits
AS though he ate them not"
On their little heaps of straw, brother and sis
ter slept soundly in each others arms; and if
the hooting of an owl CHANGED to wake them,
some bright star looked in with friendly eye,
through chinks in the WALL and said, L" Go to
sleep, little ones for all children are dear to
the good God
Thus, with scanty food and coarse clothes
plenty of pure air and blue sky, Fritz and his
sister went hand in hand over the rugged, but
fowery-strewn, path of life, till he was nearly
seven wears old, Then came Uncle Heinrich,
his mothers brother, and said the boy could be
useful to him at the mill, where he worked and
if the parents were willing to bind him to his
service, he would supply him with food and
clothing, and give him an outfit when he came
of age. Tears were in Lesbets eyes; for she
thought how lonely it would seem to her and
little Gretchen when they should no longer
hear him hooking the birds, or singing aloud to
the high heaven. But they were very poor, and
the poor child must cam his bread SO, with
much sorrow to part with father, and mother,
and Gretchen, the goat and the stotk, and with
some gladness to 60 to new scenes, Fritz depart
ed from the old nest which had served him for
home. Mounted with Uncle Heinrish, on the
MilIer's donkey, he ambIed along thro rocky
paths, by deep ragines and castle-crowned hills
with here and there glimpses of the noble river
flowing bright and strong rejecting images of
spires, cottages, aud vine-covered slopes When
he arrived at his new home, the good mother
gave him right friendly welcome, aud promised
to set upon her knitting needle striped blue
cap for him to wear.
Uncle Heinrich was kindly in his rough way
but he thought it an excellent plan for boys to
eat little and work hard. Fritz, remembering
the blossom carpet Of the old castle, was always
delighted to spy cump Of flowers. His uncle
told him they looked well enough but he Won
dered any body would ever plant them, since they
were not useful either to eat or wear and when
he grew older, he would doubtless think more of
pence than posies. Thus the child began to be
ashamed, as of something wrong, when he was
caught planting flower. But his laborous and
economical relative taught MIN many orderly and
thrifty ways which alterward had great influence
on his success in lile and fortunately love for
the beautiful could not be pressed out of him.
hlnd, aIl-embraclng nature took him in her arms,
and whispered many things to prevent him from
becoming mere animal. All day long he was
hard at work; but the blossoming tree was his
friend and the bright little mill stream chatted
cozlly, and smiled when the good grandmother
gave it his clothes to wash. The mer's donkey
ambllng about through sun-lighted paths ovel
the hills, was picture to him From his sma
garnet window he could see the milI-wheel scat
terlng bright drops in the moonlight; and he fel
asleep to the gentle lullaby of eyer-Aowing water
Other education than this he had not
His only teachers had been woods and rills
The silence that is in the starry sky,
The sleep that is among the lonely hills"
An aged neighbor, contemporary with tn
grandmother, took great liking to Fritz AM
on Sundays when no work could be done, b
was often allowed to 90 and take dinner AM
supper there. The old man had traveised near
ly all Germany as a pedler, and had come to di
in the old homestead near the mill, where he ha
worked when boy. He knew by heart all tn
wild fairy legends of the country, and, in hi
character of pedar guest had acquired taen
for relating them in manner peculiarly amusing
aud interesting to children. In the course O
his travels, he had likewise collected man
things which seemed very remarkable to the in
experienced eyeof Fritz; such as curious smoli
ing pipes and drinking cups, and images in al
the various costumes of Germany. But wha
most attracted his attention was an ancient clock
brought from Copenhagen when the pedIar'
father was young man. When this clock wa
IN It's right mind, it could play twelve tune.
about as simple as Molly put the kettle on.
But the friction of many years had so worn OF
the cogs Of the wheels, that it was frightfnlI
out OF tune. This did not trouble the bow
strong nerves. and he was prodgously amuse
with the suffering, seething, Jumping, iabberin
sounds 1t made, when set in motion To aac