Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-07-30
The CObbIer of Hamblrgh.

On fine summers evening as crowds OF arti
zans were passing along the streets of Hamburgh
to drink coffee and hear the music at the Elb ErhO-
lung, or Atona, shoemaker was busy cobbling his
shoe beneath an awning near his door. Above his
head was startling, which sang and chartered, and
seemed to keep busy talk with its kind-hearted
possessor,-no turning his head, and looking down
upon his bald pate with a most curious eye, as
master would watch and examine an apprentice at
his work: and then, as if quite satisfied would
rufHe his feathers, fly up to his perch, and pour
forth every note and bit of song and witty saying
which he had learned, to the great delight of old
Hans the cobbler. "Ach du he5el Uogel" Hans
would say half aloud-"Thou art happy bird
end well provided for; and why should not l be
happy Christian with such mercies?" and so he
would begin to sing one of the fine old German
| psalm tunes
While thus engaged on the said evening" hardly
looking up from the sole of the large shoe before
him, and needless of the crowded street, young
man who was passing by stopped aud addressed him,
saying, "Well friend-beg pardon-but you seem
a merry fellow!" The person who thus spake had
the look and dress of student. His features were
dark and Sombre with the full black eye the high
nose, and rather sallow skin, which marked the de-
scendant of Abraham. Hans looked up to him.
and replied with cheerful voice. "Merry to be
sure am right merry, my brother; and why should
| not be sO?" "All are not SOL" replied the student
with a sigh and shrug of his shoulder. "Why
should you not? you asked continued the student
II would reply that your own poverty might af-
a. e, IL.
have living thing, suppose, to take care of but
the bird up there, who seems, by the way to be as
jolly as yourself" "And why should he not be
merry? my little speckled-breast?" said Hans CHR
ripping to his starting. But he is not all my fam
lily, young man; for have wife and seven chill
dren to provide for with these hands, but you see
can sing at my work.
The student was silent; and he began to think of
all the sorrow he had experienced in the midst of
books and literature; and in spite of having youth
and health on his side, with fair prospects of sue
cess in the world, yet, he knew not why or how, a
sadness like the pail of the dead often rested on his
spirit and questionngs from the endless future and
from beyond the grave, to him in his solitary
hours, to which he could give no answer; and he
had no peace from thoughts of God, when he had
thoughts Of him at all; and he knew not Jesus
Christ! He was Jew; and felt that for his soul
old things had passed away but nothing had as yet
become new And so, while in one of these gloomy
moods, and when on his way to seek some response
from the music, and enjoyment from the company,
in the public gardens he arrested by the busy
and happy cobber and by sudden impulse was
induced to address him, in order to discover from
what source one so poor, and yet contented drew
his happiness
Again resuming the conversation he said, 81 con-
fess, friend, | am surprised to see poor artizan
| like YOU so cheerful" Poor" exclaimed Hans
"How knowest thou, friend, how my account stands
with the bank? Poor! | am richer than thou know
est" at may bet may be-" said the student
with a smile; Il must have heard, though | have
forgot, thy name in the Exchange, or hear of the
sailings of thy ships or when in the bank -"En-
ough" said Hans, "thou hast confessed thy igno-
| rance of me,"-and then stopping his work, laying
his hand on the students arm, and looking at him
with an expression of cOuntenance from which all
fun was banished, he said calmly and soenlnly
Stranger! am not poor. Don't pity me-envy
me; for be it known to you that | am Kings
som"
The student started-made low bow-and de-
parted "Poor feow-poOr fellow" he muttered
to himself "And art thou happy only because
thou art mad!-and thou able to rejoice only be
cause all realities are to thee but dreams, and all
dreams to thee realities! have sought strength
and comfort at thy mouth in vain"
A week passed; and again the student traversed
the same street; and there in the old place, was
Hans, busy as in his stall, and his starting as
happy as ever in his cage. The student, as he
passed him. took off his cap, and said, "Good eve
ming to your royal highness" "Halt, trlend!' crl-
ed Hans, with cheerful but firm voice; am glad
l have seen you again. You left me abruptly the
other evening. l suppose you thought me mad.-
But am not s0 but in sober earnest. | tell you
again am a Kings son; and when you interrupt
ed me l was singing song about my Kingdom
Would you like to hear it," "Surely, if it please
your royal highness, replied tie jew, with bene-
VIOLENT SMILE and anxious to crafty his strange ae-
quaintance whose insanity he never doubted. Hans
having provided 4 seat for the young jew, Segar
to sing hymn on "Thy kiugdom cOms;" and when
it was finished, perceiving that it listened tC
with apparently deep interest, he asked if he un
derstood its meaning. The jew shook his head
Upon which Hans proceeded to explain all h
knew-and it was much-about the kingdom o
Jesus Christ and the glory of its King. Begin
ming with the promise uttered in Eden of One VIII
should be conuueror and bruise the serpents head
he pointed out the growth Of prophecy, from az
to age, regarding the kingdom of the Redeemer-
showing how "all things must be fulfilled whic
. were written in the law of Moses, and the Psalms
concerning Christ" how "it behooved the Messia
to suffer these things and to enter into his glory:
> how all power was now given him; how he wa
now establishing on earth universal kingdom
| never to be moved" which embraced Jew an