Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-09-16


honest his manners so respectful, and his black
ing so uncommonly good, that his customers
gradually increased One day gentleman who
traded with him made mistake, and gave him
a shilling instead of ten cent piece. Fritz did
not observe it at the moment, but next day, |
when the gentleman passed to his counting-house
he followed and touched him on the arm. The
merchant inquired what he wanted. Fritz show
ed the coin, saying Dat not mine" Neither
is it NINE" reoined the merchant; what do
YOU show it to me for!" The boy replied, in
his imperfect English, "Dat too mooch"
A friend who was with the merchant, address
him in German; and the poor emigrants coun-
tenance lighted up as if it was suddenly trans
parent, and lamp placed within it Heaying
sigh and blushng at his own emotion, he ex-
planned in his native tongue how he had taken
too much for his backing the day before, They
looked at him with right friendly glances and
inquired into his history. He told them his name
and parentage, and how Uncle Heinrich had at
tempted to bring him to America, and had been
devoured by shark on the way. He said he
had not single friend in this foreign land but
he meant to be honest and industrious, and he
hoped he should do we'll The gentlemen as
sured him that they should always remember
him as Fritz Shilling, and that they would Ger
tainly speak of him to their friends. He did
not understand the joke of his name; but he
did understand that they bought all his backing,
and that customers increased more rapidly after
that interview
1t would be tedious to follow the emigrant
through all the process of his gradually improv.
ing fortune. As soon as he could spare anything
from necessary food and clothing, he went to an
evening school, where he learned to read, write
and cipher, lie became first shop-boy, then a
clerk, and finally established neat grocery store
for himself Through all these changes he con-
tnued to sell his backing, which arrived at the
honor of poeucal advertisements, in The newspa-
pers, undes the name of Seedlings Best Boot
Polisher.
But his prosperity thus produced was not the
only result of his acquaintance with Father Ru-
dolph The drop stitches Of our life are some
times taken up strangely, through many inter
vening loops. One day, as Fritz was passing
through the streets when he was about sixteen
years old, he stopped and listened inlendy for
he heard far off the sound Of popular German
ballad, which his grandfather and the Pedlar
often used to sing together. Through all the
din and rattle Of the streets he could plainly
distinguish the monotonous minor cadence,
which had often brought tears to his eyes when
Il boy lie followed the tones, and soon came
within sight OF an old man and wife singing the
family melody.
A maiden, apparently somewhat younger than
himself played on a tambourine at intervals
When he spoke to her in German, her face kim
died as his own had, at the first sound of bis
native tongue in strange land "They call
me Roschen," she replied "these are my (a'E
er and mother We came from the ship last
night, and we sing for bread until we can gel
work to do" The soul looked simply and kind
Iy through her blue eyes, and reminded him o.
sister Gretchen. Her wooden shoes, short blue
pettlcoat, and little crimson jacket might seem
vulgar to the fashionable, and picturesque to the
artist but to him ii was merely the beloved
costume Of his native land 1t warmed his hear
with childish recolIections; and when they sang
again the quaint, sad melody, he seemed to heal
the old brook flow plainly by and see the fare
well moonlight on the mill. Thus began hi,
acquaintance with the maiden, who was after
wards his wife, and the mother Of his littlt
Gretchen
OF these, and other groups of emgrants, 70
@lny years he inquired concerning his parent
and his sister; but could obtain no tidlngs. A
| last priest in Germany, to whom he wrote, re
piled that Gretchen had died in childhood; an,
that the father and mother had also recent
died 1t was great disappointment to the al
fectionate heart Of Fritz Schelling; for throug
all his expanding fortunes he had cherished tn
hope of returning to them, or bringing them t
share his fortunes in the New World. Blu
when he received the mournluI news, he ha
Roschen to love, and her parents to care for, an
a little one that twned herself around his hear
with flower gallandS every day.
At thrty-fve be was happy and prosperou
man. SO prosperous he could afford to liy
well in the CITY, and yet to build for himself
snug cottage in the country. awe can go GU
every Saturday and return Monday" said he t
| Roschen. awe can have fresh cream, and GU
own sweet butter. 1t will do the children goo
to roll on the grass, and they shall have goa
to play with"
A "And perhaps, by-and-bye, we can go Their
10 live all the time, rejoined Roschen. at
so quiet and pleasant in the country; and wht
: is the use of being richer than enough|
= The site chosen for the cottage overIooke,
the broad, bright river, where high palisades {
t rock seemed almost like the ruins of an old cas-
! tie. Fritz said he would make a Aower-carpt
J on the rocks, for the goats to browse upon, an
' if "A stork would only come and build nest o
r his matched roof, he could almost fancy hin
self in Germany. AT times the idea of impor
ing sorks crossed his mind, but his good sens
Immediately rejected the plan 1t is difficult t
imagine how these venerable birds; with thei
: love of the antique and the Interchangeable cou
possibly live in America One might as we
try to import loyal Subjects or an ancient nobility