The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-12-10


poor man. And the neighbors were much
edited with the charitable dispositions of
| their fellow-towns people.
The soldier had evinced small signs of life
when they stripped him of his mail, but
when they came to take off his heavy boots,
he opened his eyes, and made vehement but
Intellectual attempts to speak. At length, as
he saw the host carrying the boots from the
chamber in which he was placed. probably
with the friendly intention to clean and grease
them, the soldier contrived to utter sounds of
SO much uneasiness and anger, that the host
stood arrested at the doorway the soldier
then, with convulsive effort, staggered to
the host, clutched from him the right boot,
and, motioning to him that he might do what
he pleased with the left, reeed to tie bed pro-
vided for him. and making pillow of the
boot thus selected fell into the sleep or stupor
of exhaustion.
The boot excited the most profound interest
in the breasts both of host and hostess. They
retired little while from the chamber to
talk of the boot they pondered over the
boot-they discussed the boot-they agreed
in their surmises, that in that boot there was
more than met the eye.
They returned to the bedside of the soldier,
he seemed still asleep: the hostess tickled his
car, the soldier moved his head, and the host
SaNC q SSIIie lug al tuc DOOC the SOlu1eI
started, his brows met, and, though without
opening his eyes or waking, he seemed to feel
aware that the boot was in danger-he threw
his right arm tightly round it, and dropped
his head again upon the boot, with all that
weight and solidity which are the characters
tics of head obstinately in earnest.
Thousand devils p quoth the host
But, after all, the man can't live he seems
at deaths door, and then we shall know what
there is in the boot %
A clamor of voices below summoned the
landlord to a bevy of guests just arrived
The hostess remained to watch the stranger.
few hours afterwards the soldier woke
up. He had recovered his senses, but he was
extremely feeble and exhausted. The kind
hostess bent over him with a cordial in
which she had put full pint of the newest
and headiest wine which the Marquisate of
Brandebourg afforded to its inhabitants. The
soldier. was much moved by her attention,
and somewhat revived by the draught. What
with his gratitude, and what with the wiue,
the poor man became pathetic he forgot tho
caution proverbially habitual in military
veteran, and illness unpreceded by gun
wounds being thing extremity new to his ex-
perience, he really had a strong presentimenr
that he should never again rise to any trump
but the last With these thoughts ne faltered
out
"Ah, dear and charitable frau, it is COM
fort to have a woman near ones bedside ac
the hour of DEATH a woman, you see, feels
for little one about to be an orphan. You
have children, dear frau"
"Ih had one--a boy" said the hostess, lift
ing up her eyes, as much as to say, he is in
heaven - and indeed his last act had been in
heavenward direction, seeing that he had
been hanged on a tree as spy, by murder
Gus old Bohemian general
"Well," said the soldier, whining, " have
poor little girl at home in Heilbronn, where
l was going to spend the rest of my days.
l had been saving and scraping for my old
age, but God is pleased to cut me oH-the
money will go to her, and find her husband.
Wherefore, pray you, as YOU value your
soul to take care of this boot, and as soon as
the breath is out of my body, rip open the
with gold coin, Pay yourself charitable fra"
pay for my burial, and seven masses tor
my soul, and convey the rest to my little girl.
Bettine Karnerach, at the forge, opposite the
convent at Helibronn.'
"God be with you, friend" answered the
hostess wiping her eyes, land | hope you
will live this many year. But if 1t be other
wise, make your mind easy, not silver will
touch of your hoard and the boot shall go,
without need of a cobbler, to your little girl,
Bettine Karnerach at the forge, opposite the
convent at Heilbronn."
The soldier wrung the hostesss hand with
his dry hot palm, and the good woman con-
timed
! "But in case of the worst, seeing how the
priests and the leeches get round man when
| he is supposed to be dying-seeing. too, that
in public inn all sorts of characters, good
and bad, must abound, and that l cannot al
ways be at your Notwithstanding all this,
soldier friend, think you it might not be wis
est to give me the boot at once to take charge
of, I should never get over it, if the tinker,