The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-08-07
hastily and with tenderness, and said in a

ly endow him. 1t shall be blessing to him s
to have recognized me-" t
JOY and amazement overwhelmed the pa
rents. The man stammered forth 8
"Ah' you are too good. We ourselves /
thought that we knew you, but we were not ,
certain of it, because Rosa told us that YOU I
were not so rich a gentleman ,
And you too knew me, you good people,, i
exclaimed the traveller. Il find myself
amongst friends. Here have relations and
a'family, while hitherto have only found
death and forgetfulness."
The wife pointed to a smoky image of the
Virgin, which stood upon the chimney piece,
and said-"Here every Saturday evening
burns light for the return of Jan Slaets, or
for the repose of his soul W
The traveller turned his eyes in devotion
towards heaven, and with voice full Of emo
ton, said
Thanks be to thee, O God, rich in love,
that thou hast made affection more powerful
than hate Ny enemy has shut my name
within his heart with the dark feeling of his
spite, but my friend has lived in memory of
me, has inspired all around her with her
= love. has kept me here present. and made
me the fayorite of this child, while eighteen
hundred miles separated me from her o
t God be praised, am rewarded to the full :"
, A long silence followed before Jan Slaets
: could sublue MS emotion, which inspired the
= people of the house with respect. The hvs
( band returned to his work, but held himself
o in readiness to hasten to the service of his
r guest. He, with little Pcterken still upon his
Il knee, asked quite calmly
:. "Good mother. has Rosa lived lOnr with
- Won :"
The wife as if preparing herself for a long
" explanations took her wheel. and sat it hv his
side, and began -
II will tell YOU. good sir. how it has gone
on. Yon should know that when old Mcu-
-, linck died he divided his property amongst
i
world could induce to marrv-I need not
, tell Won tire reason-gavc her share wholly up
: to her brother, and only asked in return TO
live with him during her life time At the
same time she employed herself in making
=, ornamental articles, and bv this means ac-
ou:rcd herself great deal of money. There
was no need to leave this to her brother. ant
she employed all her gains in doing good
- She attended the sick, and paid for docto
nj when it was necessary. She had always
rs pleasant word to encourage the suffering ant
some delcacv to offer the sicklv. W. h''
. scarcely hcon married siv .nunth>. when m,
40 husband camo hume one day dreadfuly Ill o'
-, ;ra.,nmaton of the lungs: the cough whc'
oh you now hear is the consequence Of it. W
t. have to thank our mcrciful God and the goo
in Rosa that our poor Nelis is not now lying i
he the church-vard. If YOU could but have seer
cb dear sir. what she wholly and solely out c
m pure love. did for US, She brought us add
be tional bed-clothes, for it was cold. and "
,ed were wretchedly poor. She sent for tv
sat physicians from the next parish. and HI
nj them consult with the doctor here on my hu
,ak bands condition She watched by him, {
in leviated his sufferngs and my trouble by {;
nto fectionate conversation, and she paid all til
sed was necessary for food and medicine
ON Rosa was a favoritc with everybody. a
the when she requested the ladies of the estate
in the peasantrv to assist the poor, she was ne
een or refused Six whole weeks was our Nc
confined to his bed, and Rosa protected a
her assisted us till he, by degrees, could resu
Id" his work again"
this GLOW long to see the poor blind one
of sighed the traveller.
,cer The husband raised his eyes from his VOL
nta- tears glanced in his eyes, and he said "
emotion
doom "If nv blood could give her her ght ag;
will would freely spend the last drop of
This exclamation powerfully affected
took Slaets: the wife Observed and, with
and hand, gave sign to her husband to be sill
and She then continued:
some "Three months after. God gave US CT
the the same that sits upon vonr knee X
OF On who bore it to the font. desired that 1t m
zach be christened ,Johan, but Peter. my husba
brother. who was godfather. a good man.
n no somewhat self-willcd. insisted that 1t sh
$ his be called Peter, after him After long
cussion, the boy received the name OF J'
head Peter. We call him Peterken, after his
MANY father. who still insists on its being so
calls him constantly Jannekin. The
start IS proud of it, and knows that she calls
; pro- ,Janneken because it is Your name good
start The traveller pressed the boy with t
ed the port to his breast. and kissed him pass'oh'
leeply With silent admiration he sazed into the
friendly ewes and his heart was deeplym
ed an. The wife went on
efore "Rosa's brother had engaged with p
in Antwerp to collect provisions in the
try round, and ship them to England
Known was to make him rich, it was said; tor
,th en-. week he sent two carts to Antwerp.
beginning all went we'll; but bankru
Peter Antwerp reduced all the gain to nothl'
she al Door Tirt Meulinck. who was bound tor
ou are scarcely could he pay halfhis debts n
lat YOU grief on this account he is dead. u
III such mercifu to his soul