Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-06-05


come back again after n month or Two, and
youi' be sure TO find my door open 10 you
May, nay, III not go away, and then |
shall not want to come back
No Joking, Hans-l'm in earnest-you
must go.'
Well, there's one way to force me !; go up
INTO my room, pack my things into bundle,
aht' throw them into the road oiherw Use |
promise you Ill not bulge from the spot
You are Il downright good-tor-nothing
ieiow, anc that's The truth but what am
TO do with you7'
Marry me
The answer to this was another box on the
ear but this time it was administered much
more gently than at the dance. As soon as
the andIady's back was turned, Hans took
his fiddle, and struck up lively tune.
| From time to time the hostess OF the Sun
REQUIRED to the subject of Hans removal,
urging him to go but his answer was al
ways ready-aIways the same Marry me ?
One day, in conversation, she Io,d him
that The police would he sure 10 interfere aud
forbid his remaining longer, as he had no
proper certificate, and SO forth. Hans an
swered not word. but cooking his hat
knowingly on the left side, he whislled a
merry tune, and SET OUT for the castle OF the
count, distant few miles. The village at
the Time belonged 10 the Count Won s..
That evening, as the laudlady was sIand-
ing by The kitchen fire, her cheeks glowing
with the reflection from The hearth, Haas
entered, and without moving a mu>re OF his
lace, handed 10 her paper, aud said, Look
We, there's Our marriage-hcrnse The conDt
dIspenses with publishing Il t bans. This
is Frday-Sunday is our wedding day
IN h1f dn u, 50 l,tl I
hope
HolO, MIR. Schoolmaster y Interrupted
Hans, as he saw the worthy functiouary
passing the window just at that Instant
| Do step III here, aud read this paper
| Hans held The landady tight by the arm.
while the scbooInasIer read the document,
and at the conclusion, rendered his cou4ralu-
laIons and good wishes.
We'll, weil-wtb all my heartn said The
landlady, AT length. Since 'rls 10 he So to
tell The truth, I've long had liking for YOU,
Hans; but Twas only on account OF the praie
aud gossip
Sunday morning, then" !"
Ay, ay-you rogue
A merry scene was that, when, on the fol-
lowing Sunday morning Hans the Fiddler.
or, 10 give hls i'r";,er style, johann Gruben-
mulIer-paraded 10 church by the side OF
ms heuoled tiddling The wedding -march,
partly Tor his SELF qualification. partly to give
tne ceremony certain solemn harity.-
For n short space he deposited his instrument
on the hapllsnal font; but the ceremony
heing ended, lie shoudered il again struck up
an unusually brisk tune, and played mar
veously, that the folks were lairly dying
with Laughter.
Ever since that time, Hans resided in the
village, and that is as much as TO say thai
mIrih and jollity abode there. For some
years past, however, Hans was often subject
10 fits of detection, for the authorities had
decreed that there should be no more dan
eng without the special permission OF The
magistrate. Trumpts aud other wind-nsru.
uens supplanted the fiddle, and our friend
Hans could no longer play his merry jlgs,
except to the children under the old oak Tree,
until his reverence, in the exercise of bis
clerical powers forbade even this musruent,
as preJudlcIal 10 sound school discipline.
Hans lost his wife Just three years ago,
with whom he lived W uninterrupted llarrno-
ny. Brightly and loyously as lie had looked
on life al the outset of his career, lis C ose
seemed often clolided, sad aud burlhensone,
more than he was himself aware. "A man
ought not TO grow SO old = he so often
repeated-an expression Which escaped from
a long tram OF thought that was passing un.
conscious y in The old mans MUD, in which
he acknowledged 10 himself that young limbs
and visor of youth properly belonged 10 the
careless lIie OF wandering musician. The
hay does not grow as sweet as it did thirty
years ago J he stoutly maintained.
The new village magistrate, who had
peculiarly kind feeling towards old Hans.
set about devIslng means OF securing hin
from want The rest of his days. The sum(no
inconsdrrable one) for which the house wns
| insured in the fire-ofce, was by law not pay
able IN full until another house should I've
built IN lis place. Ii happened thar the par
| ish had tor long time been looking out for
spot OH which 10 erect new schoOl-house
in the village aud, at the suggestion of the
worthy magistrate, the authorities now
bought from Hans the ground on which his
collage had stood, with all that had remained
upon il. But the old man did not wish 10
he paid any sum down, and an anu,Iity was
settled upon hitn instead, amply sufficient TO
provide for all his wants. This plan quite
took his fancy he chuckled at The thought
| (as he expressed it) that he W as eating hum
self up, and draining the gass TO The last
drop.
Hans, moreover, was permitted again TO
play 10 the children under the village ok on
a summer evening. Thus he lived quite
new life and his former spirit seemed 10
some measure to return. In the summer,
when the building Of the new school house
was commenced, old Hans was riveled to
the spol as if by magic; there he sat upon
| The Iimbers, or on pile OF stones, watching
The digging aud hammering with fixed alien
ton. Early in the morning. when The build-
ers went To ;heir work, they always found
Hans already on the spot. AT breakfast aud
noon, when the men stopped work to take
their meals, which were brought them by
their wives and children, old Hans found
himself sealed in the midst of the circle, aud
| played 10 them as they are and talked. Many
of The villagers came aud joined the party !;
| and the whole was one contluu. scene of
| merflmenl. II ms often said that l.e never
| before knew his own importance, Tor he
seemed to he wanted ever, Ybere-whetl,er
folks danced or res,ed, his fiddle bad lis
par: 10 play and music could turn the thin
uest potato-molh into a savoury feast.
| But IN unforeseen misfortune awaited our
friend Hans, of which the worthy nagis-
traie, notwithsta nding bis kindness TO The
old man was uninlenrIonaly the cause.-
His worship came one day, accompanied by
u young man, who had all The look of a ge-
MUS. The latter stood for some minules,
with his arms folded, gazing al Hans, who
was busy hddllng to the work people al their
dinner. ra
There stands the last of the fidders, of
whom l told you,' SAID the magistrate !;
want yon TO paint hinl-he is the only relic
ot old tunes whom we have iefi.' .--.