Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-10-27
The Disasters IF Jan Nadeltreiber
BT WILLIAM HOwETT.

become known to soul beyond their own
ten miles Of circumference, except in those
universal discoveries, the tax-gatherers,
were it not for some spark of genius which .
suddenly kindles there, and carries their
fame through all countries and all gene |
rations. This has been the case many |
times, and will be the case again. We
are destined to hear the. sound of names
that our fathers never dreamt of; and there |
are other spots now baSking in Gods
blessed sunshine, of which the world
knows and cares nothing, that shall, to
our children, become places of worship
and pilgrimage.
Something of this sort of glory was
cast upon the little town of Raps, in Bo-
hemia, by the hero whose name stands
conspicuously at the head of this story
and whose pleasant adventures l fattcr
myself l am destined still further to diff
fuse. Jan Nedeltreiber was the son of
old Strauss Nadeltreiber, who had as
well as his ancestors before him, for six
generations, practised, in the same little
place, the most gentlemanly Of all profes-
sions-that of tailor, seeing that it was,
before all others, used and sanctioned by
our father Adam.
Now Jan was, from his boyhood, a.
remarkable person. His father had known
his share of trouble and, having two
sons, both older than Jan, naturally look
ed, in his old age, to reap some comfort
and assistance from their united labors
but they had successively fled from the
shop-board One had gone for soldier,
and was shot; the other had learned the
craft of weaver, but, being too fond of
his pot, had broken his neck by falling
into a quarry as he returned home one
night from a carousal. Jan was left the
sole staff for the old man to lean upon,
and truly worthy son he proved himself.
lie was as gentle as dove, and as tender
as lamb. A cross word from his father
when he made cross stitch, would al
most break his heart but half word Of
kindness revived him again, and he sell
dom went long without it; for the old
man, though rendered rather testy and
grabbed in his temper by his many trout
hles and disappointments, was naturally
of loving, compassionate disposition ;
and, moreover, regarded Jan as the ap-
apple of his eye. Jan was of rcmarlla-
bly, light, slender, active make full of life
and mettle. This moment he was on the
board, stitching away with as much We
locity as if he was working for a funeral
or wedding at an hours notice; the
next he was deSpatching his dinner at the
same rate and the third bcheld him run
ming, leaping, and playing among his
companions us blithe as Il young KID. II
he had fault, it was being too fond o
his tiddlc-it was his everlasting delight
One would have thought that his elbow
had labor enough with jerking his needle
some thirty thousand times in day; bu
it was in him a sort of universal joint
never seemed to know what wcarness was
His fiddle stood always On the board in {
corner by him; and no sooner had ht
ceased to brandish the needle than he be
gan to brandish the tiddlestick. If h
could ever be said to be lazy, it was whel
his father was gone out to measure, or tr,
on, and his fiddle being too strong a temp
tation for him, he would seize upon it, ant
labor at it with all his might till he spice
his father turning the next corner home
wards. However, he was pattern Of I'll
ial duty with this triaing exception ant
now the time was come that his tathe
must die-his mother was dead long be
fore, and he was alone in the world wit
his fiddle the whole house, board, trad
what there was of it-all was his
When he came to take stock, and max
an inventory in his head of what he wa
worth, it was precious little. His fathe
had seldom had much beforehand whe
he had the whole place to himself an
now, behold another had come from nc
body knew where had taken a gres
house opposite, hoisted tremendous sigr
and threatened to carry away every she
of JAMS business. In the depth of hi
trouble he took to his fiddle from HI
fiddle to his bed and in his bed he had
dream, by which he was assured that coul
he once save the sum of fifty dollars
would be the seed of fortune-that /
should flourish far beyond the scale Of ol
Strauss should drive his antagonist
utSpdlI lloul lllC SlOtilu nuoulIi, III oilol
arrive at no less dignity than mayor {
Rapps.
Jan was, as I have said, soon set u
with the smallest spice of encouragement
he was, moreover, as light and nimble 6
grasshopper, and that little animal woul
exactly represent him, could it be made
stand on end his dream, therefore, wa
enough; he vowed a VOW of unconquer'
BILE might, and to it he went. Day an
night he wrought-work came--it WI
done he wanted little--a crust of brec
and merry tune were all he needed III
money grew, the sum was nearly accon
plished, when, returning one evening fro
carrying out some work, behold his do
was open behold the lid of his pc
where he deposited his treasure, was of
the money was gone! This was teri
BILE blow. Jan raised a vast commotiol
he did not even fail to insinuate that
might be the interloper opposite who
likely as he who had his eye continual
on JAMS door? But no matter, the thi
was clear off, and the only comfort he 6
from his neighbors was being rated for h
stinginess. "Ay!" said they, 18Th
comes of living like curmudgeon in
great house by yourself, working yo
eyes out to hoard up money. What mu