Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-04-02
CHAPTER Nv,

tH-tII ".
There was never rose without thorn
as Siegbert found, when, by his mother.
=. directions, he set to work to root up thu
5 rank and tangled weeds which oyerran tn,
long neglected garden, whilst bis elder
brothers ane sisters we're at school and the
, little ones with their mother in the house
The poor boys back ached with the con
slant STOPPING; his fingers smarted with
tugging at the stubborn weeds, and Lis
legs coutd 60 to sleep from the cramped
position in which he stood Hot and tired
as he was, he worked resolutely on, until
he heard the sweet voice of child in the
neighboring garden, calling Out-"Chick,
chick, chick 3! bunny, bunny come, come"
The garden from whence the sounds pro-
ceeded belonged to Herr Muller, the mas,
ter of the school which stood opposite to
his house, and was the same that Seig-
bert's brothers and sisters attended.
Schools were not then what they are now
The art of printing was not yet invented +;
books were consequently scarce and very
dear. The youth Of those days were only
very imperfectly taught reading, writing,
singing, and accounts. Many branches
of knowledge, which are LOW considered i
necessary part of education, we're then un-
heard Of. Herr Muller had one child, Il
daughter Of nine years of age, who bad
from her earliest infancy been weak and
delicate. The poor child suffered from
contraction Of the muscles of one leg, (which
prevented her fran walking. and at times
gave her great pain. Little Johanna's
bodily Deficiencies were, however, more
than compensated by the powers of her
mind. She was quick and intelligent be-
yond her years, aud her education had
been carefully attended to by her fond
father Johanna also possessed pcculi
arly sweet and pleasing voice, whica her
father had diligently cultivated.
There followed upon her calls of invita-.
tion to her pets, such a futtering, ,rustling,
and tapping of wings,as excited the young
gardeners curiosity, and induced him to
peep through hole in the wooded parti-
tion which separated the two gardens He
could distinctly see the little girl seated
in an easy chair, which was set upon
wheels, and surrounded by multifarious
ssemblage Of animals, consisting of hens
and chickens, white and colored doves,
55RRd Brig s2aaE{gsyst 2aSg, stlay Attic qabsss;'
splendid peacock with two peahens; all
scrambling for the food which johanna
distributed amongst them with liberal
hand. The schoolmastcr's garden RESENT
blcd paradise, in which the various ami
mails feared neither man nor each other.
On J Johanna's right shoulder pretty little
finch was perched, and on her left snow
white dove sat wiping her beak. Two spar
rows and tiny goldfuch were pccking the
crumbs from her lap, whilst three playful
rabbits nibtled cabbage leaves from her
hand. When the peacock had eaten
enough, he spread his magnificent tail,
which glittered in the SUD, and the geese
and ducks gabbled in noisy chorus.
Scigbert could not take his eyes off this
lovely picture. He entirely forgot his
work and his mothers injunctions. "HOw
should like to have one of those beauti
full peaccck's feathers ~ said he, ,wistfully-
"How rich the schoolmaster must be- be
able to buy such an expensive creature Is
not the peacock prince among the birds!
No, king, the emperor himself, for does
not he wear crown upon his head? and
are not the blue feathers on his neck far
more gorgeous than the emperor's purple .
mantle, and his tail more splendid than
the sceptre and the imperial globe ? But
that bulfuch is really quite shameless
1t is throwing the corn about in the basket .
as if it were all bis own, like rich farmer
in his granary. If were in Johanna's
place, l could easily catch him aud put
him in cage, and make him sing to me
all the year round"
At this moment Johanna opened her
pale lips, and, with clear sweet voice,
sang:
"IuouId were little bird with light and airy wing
Far Ter the sea swiftly fly, and merrily III sing
But vain the wish and here sit, lone and helpless
And dream Of joys not share, by foolish thoughts
beguilrd.
Yet Lord there is place above, the mansion Of the
b.st, .
Where David longed with dovelikc wings to flee and be
at rest;
Tbther wouii l. too, speed my for Thou art ever
there,
And in that home pure delight forget sorrows here
Seigbert listened with delight until the
sweet sounds had ceased. lie then said
to himself: "I should really think it bet
ter to be rich Herr Muller's daughter, than
a poor little bird that the first bird-catchcr
that comes may take in his net, and twist
its head of. And | would rather be here
than across the sea, into which many a
bird, tired with flying, must fall and be