The hydraulic press., 1861-07-06
The white sparrow

4hc w AItc
There was an old farmer with whom
everything appeared to grow worse from
year to year. His cattle died one by one, and
The produce of his land was not the half
that it cnght to be; in fact, all his property
was, to use very familiar expression,
'tgolng to the dogsi" In short, scarcely a
week passed by, that either the tax gathercr
or the pawnbroker did not come to his win
dow. address him with a courteous bow, and
say: sI am really very sorry, Herr Ruck-
wart, to be compelled to put you to incon-
venience, but am Obliged to do my duty
The old friends of Herr Ruckwart also tried
to do their dety to him. They advised
thew entreated. aud they helped him, but all
in vain and so one after another gave him
ND in despair, declaring with sigh, that AS
for poor Ruckwart, there was no use an try
ing to help hi!n-he was past being helped
He had one friend, however, whose heart
was in the right place, and VINO was not
only a good man, but very clear-sighted
one. This friend thought he wou,1 not give
Herr Ruckwart up altogether without making
one more sstcrapt to save him. So one day,
he led the conversation, as though accident
ally, to the subject of sparrows, relating
many anecdotes of these birds. and observ-
ing how greatly they had multiplied of late,
and how very cunning and voracious they
had become.
Herr Ruckwart shook his head gravely in
answer to this observation, and said:
"They are indeed, most destructive
creatures. For my part, | have not the
slightest doubt that it is mainly owing to
their depredations that my harvest has of
late years been so unproductive."
To this conjecture his old friend made no
reioinder but after a moments pause he
continued the conversation by another in
terr .gatory.
"Neighbor, have You ever seen a white
sp ow?'
"No," replied Ruckwart; "the sparrows
which aligsat in my field are all the common
gray sort"
"This is very probable, too" rejoined his
friend. "The habits of the white sparrow
are peculiar to itself. Only one comes into
the world every year; and being so different
from its fellows, the other sparrows take
dislike to it, and peck it when it appears
among them. For this reason it seeks its
food early in the morning, before the rest of
the feathered tribe are astir, and then goes
back to its nest, where it remains for the
rest of the day."
"That lis very strange J" exclaimed Ruck-
wart II must really try and get sight at
that sparrow and, If possible: | will catch
it, too"
On the morning following this conveIsa-
ton the farmer rose with the sun, and sailed
forth into his field He walked around his
farm, searched his farm-yard IN every cor
ner, examined the roofs Of his garners ana
the trees of his orchards, to see whether ne
could discover any traces of the wonderful
white sparrow! But the white sparrow, to
the great disappointment of the farmer.
would not show itself or stir from its imagi-
mary nest! What vexed the farmer, how
ever, still more, was that, although the sun
stood high in the heavens by the time he
had completed his round, not one of the
farm laborers was astir-they, too, seemed
resolved not to leave their nests. Mean
while the cattle were believing in their stalls
with hunger, and not a soul was near to feed
them.
Herr Ruckwart was rejecting on the dis
advantage Of this state of things. when sud
denly he perceived lad coming out of the
house, carrying sack of wheat on his
shoulders. He seemed to be in great haste
to get out of the precincts of the farm, and
Herr Ruckwart soon perceived that his steps
were not bent towards the mill, but towards
a public house, where Casper had unhappily
q long score to pay. He FASTENED after the
astonished youth, who believed his master
to be still in the enjoyment of his morning
nap, and quickly relieved him of his burden
The farmer next bent his steps to the cow
house, and peeping to see whether the white
sparrow had perchance taken refuge there,
he discovered, to his dismay, that the milk
maid was handing liberal portion of milk
Through the window to her neighbor, 70 mix
with her morning cup of coffee
"a pretty sort of housekeeping this Is"
thought the farmer TO himself, as he hasten
ed to his wife's apartment and reused her
from her slumbers. "As sure as my name
is Ruckwart," he exclaimed in an angry
tone, "there must be an end to these lazy
habits. Every thing is going wrong for the
want of somebody to look after them. So
far as am conc thought the good
farmer to himself, III rise from my bed
'every day at the hour / rose this
morning, and then hall get my farm
cleared of those who do not intend to do their
duty properly. Besides who knows but some
fine morning or other l may succeed in
catching the white sparrow p
Days and weeks passedon. The farmer
adhered to his resolution, but he soon forgot
the white sparrow, and only looked after
the cattle and his corn fields. Soon every
thing around him wore a flourishing aspect,
and men began to observe that Herr Ruck-
warts CRackward) now well deserved to be
sasssd Herr vowart (Forwardl. In. due
.a -, time bis old friend again came, to
,,s snead the day VIII him, and inquire, in
humorous tone, nwell, my :ssne fellow, how
are YOU getting OF, now have you succeeded
in getting glimpse of the white sparrow
The farmer smiled, and, holding out MS