The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-05-13
The NI0ther.
ny HANS c. AEDEKsOs.


c. ANDERsoH.
There SAT a mother with little child.
She was so downcsst, 50 afraid that it should
die. IL was 50 pale; the small eyes had
closed themselves it drew its breath so
softly, and now and then with deep res
piration, as il il sighed; and the other look
ed still more sorrowfully on the little crea-
ture.
Then knocking was heard at the door,
and in came poor old man wrapped up as
in horse cloth, for il warns one, and he
needed il, as il was the cold winter season.
Everything out Of doors was covered with
ice and snow, and the wind blew so that it
cut the face.
As the old man trembled with cold, and
the little child slept moment, the mother
went and poured some ale into a pint pot,
and set 1t on the stove that il might be warm
ed for him; the old man sat and rocked
the cradle, and the mother sat down on a
chair close by him, looked at her little sick
child that drew its breath 50 deep, and rails
ed its little hand.
do you think that | shall save him.
said she our Lord will not take him from
mep
And the old man, It was Death himself,
nodded so strangely, it could Just as well
signify yes as no. And the mother looked
down in her lap, and the tears ran down
over her cheeks; her head became so heavy;
she had not closed her eyes for three days
and nights and now she slept, but only
for a minute, when she started up and trem-
bled with cold. What is thatr said she,
and looked on all sides; but the old man
was gone, and her little child was gone
he had taken it with him; and the old
clock in the corner buried, and blurred; the
great leaden weight ran down to the floor,
bump. and then the clock also stood still.
But the poor mother ran out of the house,
and cried aloud Tor her child.
Out there, in the midst of the snow,
there sat woman in lag, black clothes;
and she said-"Death has been in thy
chamber, and | saw him hasten away with
thy Little child; he goes faster than the wind,
and he never brings back whom be takesl'
Oh only tell me which way he went
said the mother; tell me the way, and 1
shall find him.
Il know it, said the woman in the black
clothes, but before tell il, thou must first
sing for me all the songs thou hast sung foi
thy child am fond of them; | have
heard them before, am Night | saw thy
tears whilst thou sangst them
1 will sing them all, all' said the moth
err but do not stop me now-I may over
take him-I may find my childP
But Night stood still and mute. Then
the mother wrung her hands, sang and
wept and there were many songs. but yet
many more tears and then Night said
Go to the night, into the dark pine forest
thither ] saw Death take his way with thy
chiIdP
The roads crossed each other in the
depths Of the forest, and she no longer
knew whittier she should go then there
stood thorn bush, there was neither leaf
nor flower on it, il was also In the cold
winter season, and ice-fakes hung on the
branches.
Hast thou not seen Death 20 past with
my Little childT said the mother.
Yes said the thorn bush; but I will
not tell thee which way he took, unless
thou wilt first warm me up at thy heart. [
am freezing to death; | shall become a
lump Of icel'
And she pressed the thorn bush TO her
breast 50 firmly, that il might be thoroughly
warmed, and the thoms went night into her
flesh, and her blood flowed in large drops.
but the thorn bush shot forth fresh green
leaves, and there came flowers on il in the
cold winter night, the heart Of the afflicted
mother was 50 warm; and the thorn bush
told her the way she should 90.
She then came to large lake, where
there was neither ship nor boat. The lake
was no, frozen sufficiently TO bear her. nei-
ther was il open, nor low enough that she
could wade through il and across il she
must 60 if she would find her child. Then
she lay down to drink up the lake, and
that was an impossibility for human be-
ing, but the afflicted mother thought that
miracle might happen nevertheless.
Oh, what would not give to come to
my child said the weeping mother and
she wept still more, and her eyes sunk
down in the depths Of the waters, and be-
came two precious pearls but the water
bore her up, as il she sat on a swing, and |
she few in the rocking waves to the shore
on the opposite side. where there stood
mile broad, strange house, one knew not If
II were mountain with forests and caverns.
or if il were built up; but the poor mother
could not see il, she had wept Der eyes out. |
Where shall find Death, who took
away my little childr said she.
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