The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-01

saw you up there in the looking-glass, looking
so sorry, that pulled away from Uncle Ben,
and came to sit with you"
Hans glanced up at the narrow horizontal
mirror above his head, but the glass smiled on
him now. The old German loved children,
and had a hundred little ways of gaining their
affections. He pulled out his huge, motherly-
looking silver watch, and held it to LINES ear,
telling her at the Same time an old German
legend of the little fairy blacksmith inside of it.
He told her, too, of his old home, and the little
children with rosy cheeks and fiaxen hair who
played before the door. He told her, as if she
could understand him, Of the quiet old German
university where he had held professorship,
and the golden dream of ambition that had ex-
tended even to him, and tempted him into cold,
practical, modern America. The little girl, too,
prattled innocently of their homo on the banks
of the far-off Hudson, of her mother, uncle, and
playmates, until she had talked herself into a
doze; and then, laying her curls on the Ger
mans threadbare coat, she fell fast asleep.
Why old Hans chuckled so to himself, and why
he held her so carefully and brushed away the
tormenting flies, and why he did not again re-
lapse into that dependency which had been
caused by his complete isolation, are queries
for children-haters to muse upon.
The huge red moon, rising slowly from the
horizon, dashed swiftly along with the cars,
now beaming through the tree-tops, now hid
behind some barn or natural eminence, and at
length soaring, smaller and brighter than be-
fore, into the evening sky. And the little stars
came out, one by one, in their marshalled or
der, until the whole sky was broken out into
consultations.
Still the child slept on. A tall, gentlemanly-
looking parsonage, with huge whiskers and a
good-natured expression, now approached, and,
accosting Hans, was about to take away LIME,
when he perceived that she was asleep.
"Well, this is unlucky, certainly" said the
gentleman, sitting down on the vacant seat
next Hans. I" am afraid she has troubled you,
my friend"
"Oh no." interrupted Hans, eagerly; she
ish very quiet shild, assure you"
"You ought to see her when she is provo
ked, said the gentleman, laughing, " and you
would probably alter your opinion. However, if
she is the least trouble to you -
"Not in der least" cried Hans, I viii hold
her safe, very SAFE"
GAS Twas about to say" continued the gen.
tleman, smiling, perhaps the remnant of his
laugh, perhaps at the Germans anxious express
sion, if such is not the case, shall have to
trouble you to keep the child until she wakes,
for the Doctor recommends that she should not
be abruptly aroused from sleep"
"Oh yes Will hold her very safe" repeated
Hans.
~ am much obliged to you, to be sure" said
the gentleman, sauntering carclessly away.
Hans regarded him with jealous look, as
one who was about to deprive him of the only
friend he possessed in all America. For it was
as if Hans-alone on vast cold and dreary
sea--had Suddenly found a buoy which every
| succeeding wave threatened to sweep from his
grasp, and leave him again weltering in the un-
congenial element.
\ Very sweet looked LIME, as she slept on,
!! dreaming of aught but the dark fate that was
dragging them on to such terrible destination.
But although he knew not why, yet gloomy
| presentiment, that something which betokens
| to the soul of man a coming disaster, as a cloud
in the sky tells of storm, that peculiar feeling
now cast shadow over the face of poor Hans.
| a vehement shrek from the locomotive aroused
him from his dreamy lethargy.
"My God," exclaimed a voice near him a
| collision 4"
| 1t was but the echo of his Utmost heart. 1t
| was the bursting of the storm upon them. An
| alectrie shock of wild fear ran like lightning
| through the car and the paleness of death was
| Swallowed on the horror-froxen countenances OF
| The passengers. heavy shock, followed by a
desperate yell of frantic terror, awoke the child
Hans clasped her, and chung convulsively to his
seat. moment they we're hurting and bump
ing along the road, and then, topping for an
instant, with an awful shrek Of women, they all
went crashing and rolling downtown into the
deep ravine. Still, in deadly fear, Hans herocally
clings to the child and to his seat. A huge tree
comes banging and splintering through the shat
tered car, right upon the German and his
charge. A moment more and their fate is inev-
.table-when quick, quick as thought, the noble
fellow shields her with his body, and the hard,
| memorable death does not touch her. Hans is
atruck-but the child is saved.
The moon hung clear and vivid in the centre
pf the blue vault, and the gray landscape lay
| cold and faded beneath, as lay the mangled body
of poor Hans. A silent group stood around,
and, while gazing upon him, inwardly thanked
God that their lives and the lives of their friends
were not the sacrifice required. For the bulk
of the car hung arrested by the opposing tree,
and all save one were thus providentially res
cued from the fate of that poor emigrant.