Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-15


And when the child had repeated her sim
pie prayers, in which she did not forget
this new, friend whom Heaven had semi her,
and laid down in her nea: little bed, with
its snowy .hanings, she felt too happy to
sleep and begged that Margaret would not
loavo her just yet. That night Lotte rela-
ted the simple and touching history of her
young life; bus we prefer, giving it in our
own words. p s.e -. :z....zs- z......--
The only home she could remember was
a lonely hutssituated on the banks of riv-
er, with dense wood behind, where she
used to go and gather flowers, and listen to
the singing of the birds. But she never
,ventured farin; for there were stories told
among the fisherman Of people being lost
there, or eaten up by the wild beasts; and
it was very gloomy, the sun never shining
even in summer, by reason of the thick
trees that weuld not suffer its beams to PEN
citrate. Sometimes she went with her mo-
ther to search for amber, but it was fire.
euently weeks and weeks before they met
with any success. The fishermen trading
on the coast were always glad TO purchase
it of them, when they found any. She rec
objected once finding a piece as large as an
egg, which sold for great deal-or what
seemed great deal to them. .....
Lotto never saw her father, but under.
stood that he died soon after she was born;
and her mother, finding it lonely without
him, had gone home to reside with her aged
parent. She never heard her called any
Thing but Lotte, like herself. She was lit
tie Lo,te or Lotchen, then, to distinguish
them apart. The poor woman was never
well; and, latterly, the child could almost
see her growing paler and paler, and thin
ner and thinner, day by day-but she new
er complained. Sometimes she would weep
all of sudden, shuddering and wringing
her hands, and might frequently be heard
to cry out in her troubled sleep-"My IA
ther! my poor father!'' She was very
gentle with the old man, and had a strange
influence over him in his widest moods
Just before she died, she called Lotte to
her bedside, and made her promise to sup
ply her place, as far as she was able,to her
aged grand father; and love and bear with
him, for he had suffered much, and was an
injured man, whom God would avenge in
his own good time. -l .....
But somehow, after her mothers death,
o change come over him, and he grew pee
yisl, and querulous; while the child remem-
hered her promise, and bore with him, for
her sake who was no more; never leaving
hins-ev to look for amber, or flowers, or
hear the birds singing in the old wood; for
she was afraid lest any harm should come
to him in her absence; for he had grown
feeble and restless, and would walk up a nd
down their little chandler, muttering wild.
Iv to himself, by the hour together. One
day he told her that they were going a long
journey, and she mus, pack up what little
things she thought might be useful, and
not too heavy, and he should dispose of the
rest among his neighbors; which was &C
cordingly done; those who could afford i
paying him for what they took, while the
wives Of the poorer classes sought to make
| it up by numberless kind offices and sage
advice to the poor motherless child. Th'
house looked so desolate OF length, tina
Lotte was glad to quit it; having first knel
and prayed beside her mothers grave, tht
only thing she regretted leaving.
For many days they walked straight on
by the banks ofthe river where she uset
10 90 and look for amber; resting at nigh
in some lonely hoyel. And then, by hel
grandfather's instructions, Lotte began te
ask the nearest way to the city of Danzig
A great many had never heard Of such a
place; while others looked compassionate
ly upon the blind man and his little guide
and never thought that either would live te
reach the far.of place oftheir destination
But Lotte was stronger than she seemed
and had q stout heart; while stern deter
mination of purpose lent fresh energy t.
the feeble frame of her aged grandfather
Just at first Lotte's feet were sadly Gu
with the stones, so that she could scarcel
manageto limp along by the side of he
companion; and was often half tempted t
i rejoice that he was spared the pain of see
ing this, with many things beside that tn
little child cherefully endured; but after
: time they got hardened, as she called il
and she contriyed to get along pretty wei
, She was obliged to have her wits abot
ther, in order to recollect the various direc
tons she was constantly receiving; and 70
all that had frequently the rnortifcatio
that they had come many and many wea
Try mile out of the right road. Whole day
; were often lost thus; while her grandfath
er's restless impatience at such delays. brok
} wildly forth. Occasionally, too, he was i
for weeks together; and once she though
& she would have lost him; but he struggle
through it, and they again pursued the
sad pilgramage-sometmesiin in a canal BOZ
sometimes on foot-or assisted by Ii
in an empty cart or wagon. AS Lot
said, every one was kind to them-wt
could help being so?-and her gratef'
: heart pronounced it to be good and bea'
} tiful world, adding with sweet and simp
. piety, that, doubtless, God put it into the
minds to help her and her poor old gram
. father.
! She never heard the name of the cou
| try from which they originally started, ar
t, did not think that the old man knew it cit
d er. Neither had she any idea what ma,
3 him undertake SO long and perilous iou
70 ney, or what he purposed doing now tn
j. they had at length reached the place
their destination; for he had told her on
n that very evening, in answer to her inqr
IS ries on the subject, that they had no frien
1T at Danzig, or any where else on earth!.
st During their journey they had subsisted
,r most entirely on charity; although, as t
r.,