The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-07-31


| have danced and leaped to the measure of
her song, and admired in my childish sim
plicitv the poor bird as masterpieces And
the sacred image of the Virgin, which one of
Won has broken, loved it for its beautiful
blue mantle. and because the little Jesus
child stretched its arms towards me. and
smiled as | smiled. Now is the chld-mv-
selt-almost sixty wears old. with gray hair
and turrowed countenanre. Four and thirty
years have | passed in the steppes of Russia,
and vet | remember the sacred IMAGE of Ma
w. and the cuckoo as if | had ONLY been
brought here by my father Yesterday"
You are from our village. them" said
Zanna.
Yes, certainly" answered the stranger
with JOYOUS precipitance. But this announce
ment had not the anticipated effect; the
girls only smiled familiarly; that was all
the intelligence seemed to give them neither
pleasure nor pain. The traveller turned to
the mother
well" said he. what has become of Baas
,Joos:cn :"
You mean Raas Jan" answered the host
esS 'he died about twenty wears ago
And his wife the goods Petronella o.
dead too" was the answer
I ! -: l. I Al.
the voung herl>man, Andrics. who made such
handsome baskets"
Also dead" replied the hostess.
The traveller dropped his head and gave
himself up to gloomy ,hourhtS In the mean
time the hostess went ont to the barn TO re-
late to her husband what had passed with tn,
unknown guest. The host entered the room
careless Y. and awokc bv his noisy woodcr
: shoes the stranger from his rcvcrc II,
: sprung up. and with an exclamation Of de-
LIGHT. rushed with out>trctrhcd arms towar,l
the host who coldlv tool, his hand, an almos
with Indifference looked at him
"Don't Won either know mo again. Petcr
.Ioostcns? ?" cried the stranrcr.qnitc confound
ed
"No, Don't vou know who il was tha
: v"nturcd his life under the lee to rescue vo,
from an otherwise inevitable death ,"
The host >hrngccl his shoulders Dcnpl,
wounded. the traveller continued, almost
moved to tears:
Have Won actually forgotten the vou;h who
defended Won AGAINST vGnr hi""cr comrades
and supplied Won with 50 many birds cor,
that Won might make a beautiful garland fo,
the Mavpolc? He who TAUGHT Won to max,
so MANY pipes of reed and who 50 often took
Won with him when he went with the tile
. burners cart to market -
: "Somethne Of the kind floats l;mlv in m,
: memory" answered the host nv late fathcr
used t" tell me that when was six wears ole
| was very near pcri>hin" under the ice: hu
t that tall Jan drew me out and that he wen
t away with the rest in the cmpcror> time t,
! serve for cannon fodder. Who knows nov
where his homes lie in uncon>ccratcd earth
| God be mcrciIl TO his poor soul"
| "Ah now at length YOU know me :" cx
t claimed the stranger ioyou>lv; II am tall Jan
or rather. Jan SlactS"
r As he did not receive an immediate answer
f he added in surprise
"You rccollert tn" good shot at the bird
: shooting, who for four miles round was rcck
oncd the best sportsman. who every time car
Il ricd off the prize and who was cnvicd hv tn
/ Young men hccau>c the girlS showed him tn
+ preference am he. Jan SlactS of the hill
"Nerv possible. said the host. incrcdulous
= ". .'at the same time ito not take it ami>S. m
" goo1 sir. if do not remember vou Our vii
! lagc has no longer a bird shooting: the shoot
{ inc ground is converted into private proncr
} tv, and for a year past has been unoccupicf
owing to the death of the posscssor."
II Deferred hv the cold reception of the hos
e the traveller gave up the attempt to max
Is himself known; but, as he prepared to Q
e further, he said calmly:
''Tn the village here there live a cool man
IL old friends who cannot have forgotten me-
You. Peter .Joostens. were very Young at tn;
Y. time am persuaded that the brick-lave
NJ Paul. will rush to my arms the moment h
Is sees me. Does he vet live in the clay dale:
n "The brck-vard became. many wears ag
W a prey to the flames !; the clav-tield is guilty;
ted, and bears now the finest hav The mea,
4 ow now belongs to the rich Mr. Tirt'
as And what has become of Paul ?"
y "Atter their misfortune, the whole famil
is went away. | do not know certainly. pc
l. hapS he too is dead But observe that vo
a. talk Of our grand-fathers' time. and it will
IL difficult to get answers to all your question
es unless YOU 90 to the grave-digeer. He ca
ot reckon for vou on his fingers what has ha
pcned for hundred years past. or moro"
er II can believe that; Peter must have reac
at ed his nintieth year
to "Petcr Jan? That is not the name of Il
)f grave-digger; his name is Lauw Stevens"
s. A clad smile Illuminated the countcnan
eh of the traveller.
1T "God be praised" he exclaimed, that
so has at leas. left one Of my comrades still
ID life"
C. "Indeed was Lauw your friend. SIR"
til ~ L. 49,. c:.l - ILL Il Z. .a