Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-11-19

"he raked the chalf, she scratch ed the ground,
And cleaned the spacious yard around. "
Gays Fables
Once upon a tine there lived at place
called Rambin, in Germany. a poor weaver,
who was a good and pious man. blessed with
truly Christian wife, and many dear chill
dren. Their youngest and iavOrte child was
a little maiden eight years old, whom they
had named Christiana. Now she was not
only beautiful, but very good and obcdient
also; and her mind was liked on htaven, so
that her childish understanding WAS prompt
to take in high aud holy thou th., and never
forgot what had once been explained to her
respecting them. Her greatest delight was to
hear the Bible read, and she could learn yer.
ses out Of her hymn-book by heart much cas-
icr than any thing else. Little Christiana
was very quiet chill J, and kept much TO her
self; 50 that when the warm days of spring
and summer came, she could plny for weeks
together in the garden, without even wishing
for another payfel!ows than the flowers and
trees, or the little birds that sang in the branch
es With them the child would play and
chatter, as # they had been living people; and
at sunset she always returned to the house
with cheerful and happy face. and having
eat piece Of bread and butter for her sup
per. folded her little hands in prayer to God
and then fell into deep and peaceful slum
Der.
Now it happened that one evening, when
the child came into the cottage as usual, she
carried something in her apron. She folded
her apron closely up so that no one. could see
what was in it, and bid her brothers and sis,
ters guess what it might be, and her mother
was asked too; but no one could tell what il
was And when Christina had waited long
time and saw they would not try to CUES,
her patience gave way, and she exclaimed
"Well, them look here, must unfold my
riddle!" and she shook her apron as she spoke
and out dropped pretty snow white CHECKER
with specklcd tuft on its head. Then he
mother wondered where Christina could hav,
got the chicken. But she said
/ 81 cannot tell where the chicken came from
1t came up to me in the garden, and hopped
r upon my lap and played with me the whoi'
afternoon. When got up to go away, il raj
after me, so put it into my apron and bro
it home for 1t would have been a sad pity
it had been starved to death sitting all alone
in the cool night hir; and besides wrasle o
sloat might very likely have come and kille'
it. Tha' was why brought you in, my swee
darling little chicken!" And then the chilt
picked up her little chicken and kissed AM
coaxed it, pressing il to her bosom, while sh
said to it,
"Do not be frightened little creature, yo
shall have a happy life with me, and sleep b
my side at night, and we will not hurt eac
other
Christmas mother was very much afrait
Christmas story might not be true; for
seemed strange to her tha' the chicken shou
come in that way and she feared the chill
might have got it from some neighbor; an
exhor!ed her strenuously to tell the exac
truth about it. But the little girl declares
her story was true, and played merrily wit
her chicken until bed time, and when she wa
in bed, the little creature, which she laid Of
her bosom, spread out its wings as if to kee
her warm, and slept there quietly the Who'll
night.
Next morning the weavers wife sent roun
the village to all her neighbors. asking if any
body had lost "a white chicken with specklc
top.knot. But none If them had any whit
hens or chickens, nor had they heard of an
body losing one. When the messenger cam
back, Christina danced for JOY that she Nigh
now keep her chicken and her mother wa
still more joyful, for her heart had a,hed a
the thought Of the bare possibility that Chris
tina might have taken the chicken from some
whore, and told her a lie besides,
There was soon the greatest friendship tina
ever was known between those two youn
creatures, the little girl and the little chicher
Christina was nowhere 10 be seen without be