Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-09-23
miscellaneous.
THE WHITE APRON
Or,
The Fortunate Milkmaid

x
asking and ascertaining, of persons
whose names are famous in history or
prominent among the heroic traditions
ot war. how large is the proportion oi
those who have greatness thrust upon
them. compared to individuals who, by
toe virtues of true courage. perseverance,
boidness and sagaci,y, have achie' ed it
for themselves:
It's at all events orc that rises TO the
mind after hearing ,hs story OF Johanna
Stepcn. fortunate mikmaid of Lune-
berg. who. by no particular effort of her
own. save forced compliance. rose to
fame. innate elevation in rank, and
extreme prosperity.
In 1918 the French. greatly to the
disgust of the conquered, still occupied
Luneberg. A time, however, was at
hand wien the power that deemed itself
all but omnipotent. was to tot,er, and
presently fall down amidst the well.
earned execrations Of all Europe.
But it is the story of the fortunate
milknaid which is the object of this
paper, not the progress and termination
of the frs. Napoleon's wars.
On the outskirts of Luneberg there
stood then, and very possibly still re-
mains, little settlement Of mich farm
houses. The inhabitants of this village,
which is called Grimm, carried on a
brisk trade by supplying the lacteal
fluid in large quantities to Luneberg,
which city depended mainly on these
farms for that importan' article Of diet.
Our heroine johanna, was employed IN
one Of these rural Aries. and was, in
short Jus. milkmaid and nothing more.
Truth compells her biographer to state
that there was little enough Of the pic
turesoue in our Johanna's personal
appearance, and that she had even more
than the usual bucolic attributes of ro-
bus, health aud Aorid bloom, charms
accompanied moreover by locks whose
redncss was fact beyond all contradic-
ton.
But Fate. the mighty, can overcome
all; and. for anything we know. could
make even an empress, of short, stout,
redheaded, dairy-woman.
Little indeed Johanna dreamed when
her mill pals slung from her square
shoulders-she issued forth on certain
morning, the exact date of which the
present biographer fairly owns to have
been unable to ascertain; little did she
dream or thnk-supposlngs she was even
in the habl, of thinking, to which prac-
tice luckily for their health and vigor.
milk.maids are not prone-that fortune
was waiting still. in no far-of nook, to
invest her with all that the heart OF "o-
man is said-mind, only said-to love
best, viz: rank, homage, wealth, and
anne.
By Johannas side, on that memora-
lie morning. came forth at the same
time, similarly laden. being gentler
faiyer, though in all likelihood no better
nqftared or cultivated than her compan-
ION. Inns young person was an assistant
q ,ry y-mald, nd in the narrative. With
The courteous readers leave, shall be
called Caroline.
These girls were bound on their usual
errand, taking to Luneberg suppliers OF
rich creamy fluid. They chatted and
sang and laughed on their road from
Grimm to Luneberg, distance of pro-
badly not more than mile and a half.
Suddedly. as they were nearing the city,
Johanna halted.
"What dost thou stare at" says Caro-
line, in her gutteral German. 81 see
nothing
"Canst hear neither, perhaps" an
swered Johanna. rising her hand and
pointing.
And now indeed Caroline heard sharp
and loud reports. which gave her an idea.
expressed curtly enough.
Fighting; eh?' quoth Caroline.
"Come on" answered Johanna; "the
milk must go 10 Lppeberg. if Boney
himself be there We're late enough
now, l tell YOU" For Caroline showed
symptoms of turning back towards
Grimm, tendency to cowardism which
plainly proves her to have no pretensions
to be heroine, and which ought to re.
conci)e US to her ultimately. "Come on.
] tell you, fool they won't hurt US"