True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-12-22
(FRoA THE DOLLAR SEwsPArER--PHiEAD. ~
a5iaq %, FRANC Dutchkin! r4 soma
BY ]. GILLoN.

slnailq ool Franz Datchkin! ,r3 5onaz
BY J. GILLoN.
..'a. n.i# ,-.|.l. ~. .dJG .f, q.
Franz Dutchkin was little old man
who lived in little old house, on the
banks Of the Rhine, and it would have
puzzled a wiser person than you or |,
kind reader, to tell which was the elder
the dry brown old house or brown dry.
looking old man who lived in it. Both
seemed as though they might have chal
lenged King Time 10 a trial of strength
and patience, and have come off the
victor. ID 81. .''.i'.. ' '''"'..t '.."
The little old house stood in the mids,
of great eosy-looking barns and outhouses
Two or three times as large as itself, and
evening and morning The air was filled
with the lowing of cattle, the blealing Of
sheep, the busy cackIe Of poultry and all
the SQUADS which speak Of home comfort
and happiness; but ii Franz Dutchkin's
cattle lowed of any such thing. they for.
ever forfeited their character for veracity,
for Franz was guiltless of having shed
one beam of joy or gladness on human
soul, since the days when he lay on his
mothers breast and woke in her hear
the sweet joy Of maternity. One thing
only Franz Dutchkin loved-money
That he loved truly, and bowed himself,
body, soul and spirit, in the dus, before
ii. 1t was all he had to love ; the smiling
face of a wife had never frightened the
brown old house, nor the merry voices oil
children woke its sleeping echoes since
Franz Dutchkin called himself it's master
he said women had grown lazy and ex
travagant, and he was to poor himself tc
keep wife in idleness. But if you had
seen how scornfully the Rhineland maid.
ems tossed their heads, anl curled theil
bright red lips, you would have sworn i
was because no one would have him fol
all his gold. Franz had brother, Ru
dolph, who resembled him but in. one
thing, the name of Dutchkin.. They hat
started in life with equal stores Of this
worlds goods, but while gold flowed in ;
steady stream into the strong box of Franz
and stuck there as if wedged and welded
fast, Rudolph seemed gifted with tn,
fatal power of turning every coin he
touched to air, for none ever remained il
his hands, and his fortune dwindled II
spite Of all bis efforts to turn the tide the
other way. Such was his i'll luck that
doubt not, had he been set down in the
valley of Golconda. the diamonds would
have turned to worthless pebbles at hi.
feet. Though poor in the wealth Of thi,
world, Rudolph was rich in heart treas
ures. He had rosy-cheeked, rougl
handed, but tender-hearted wife, who
tolled with him early and late, Away,
cheerful and contented, and eight lust,
little ones, who made the house merr,
with their gambols. Nevertheless it mus
be admitted that, highly as these hear
treasures are priced by their possessors
and | have heard very poor men sal
worlds could not buy them, they are bet
ter calculated to drag man down II
poveriy's dark vale, rather than eleva,,
him to the fair and sunny placid of aflu
ence. Down the grim descent Rudolph
slipped, slipped, slipped, despite all hi
struggles. till he landed at the bottom
sick and penniless. The true-hearte,
wife, rosy.cheeked no longer, wept, an,
labored, and prayed, but ten mouths wer
hard 10 fill, and one clustering Novem5e
day found them keeping forced fas,
with no prospect of a feast to top off with
Then the poor wife threw her coars
shawl over her head, and with a sinkin,
heart sailed forth amid the rain and sleel
to try if Franz could be prevailed on, b,
the pleading Of suffering kindred, to par
with some Of his boarded wealth. Alon,
the muddy road she toied /; the blusterin
wind almost blew her away. the rain an
sleet beat in her face, but she heede
them not; her heart was at home viii
her sick husband and starving children
By and by the window Of the little BROW
house glimmered in the distance, an,
soon the poor woman, timidly peepin
in, saw Franz Dutcbkin sitting in hi
armchair before blazing fire, smokin,
his pipe in cheering comfort. While sh
gazed, there was whirr among tn
wheels Of the quaint old clock that sloo,
on the mantle shelf, blinking in the fir
light, Out popped little man in re-
night cap, who held a bag, marked gold
in each hand; he clanked them togethe
six times. nodding and rolling his hea,
all the time at Franz. who nodded too
and then popped back into the old clock
and all was silent. Six o'clock, yes, 81,
o'clock, and the deepening gloom warne,
her to hesitate no longer. Her timi,
knock brought Franz to the door; an
as she began with trembling voice an
sinking heart to pour forth her sorrowfu
tale, he made motion as II be woul
push her away with his hands, saying
"Go. 60, | cannot help it if my brothe
is lazy, and has great pack Of children
he must feed himself"
The hot tears streamed over her cheeks
.
washing off The cold fog and sleel, as sh
said, turning sadly away: "Pray Jesu
The gold you have refused the poor ma