The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-13

nard received not only from his brothers,
but also from our play-fellows, the name Thir-
teenth--in allusion, of course, to his beng
my mothers thirteenth child. At first this
offended him grievously, and many were the
sound thrashings he inflicted in his endeavors
to get rid of the obnoxious title.
FINALLY he succeeded; but scarcely had
he done so, when, from some strange pervers-
ity af character, he adopted, as an honorable
distinction, the very name he had taken such
pains to suppress.
1--WE were playing one Sunday afternoon
IL the large court of our house; several OF the
neighbors' children were there, and it CHANGED
that we were exactly twelve in number We
had wooden swords, and were having sort
OF tournament, from which, however, we had
managed to exclude Bernard, who in such
games, was accustomed to hit rather too hard
Suddenly he bounded over a wall, and fell
amongst us like a thunderbolt. He had paint
ed his face in red and black stripes;and made
himself pair of wings out of an old leathern
apren; and thus equipped, and armed with the
largest broomstick he had been able to find,
he showered his blows around him, driving us
right and left, and shouting out
g Room, room for the mad Thirteenth =
'Soon after this incident my father died.
Bernard, who had been his favorite, was as
violent in his grief as he had already shown
himself to be in everything else. He wept
and screamed like a mad creature, tore his
hair, bit his hands till they bled, and struck
his head against the wall; raved and flew at
everybody whocam near him, and was obhg-
ed to be shut up when his fathers coffin was
carried out of the house, or he would inevita-
bly, have done himself or somebody else mis-
chief
my mother had an unmarried brother in
the town of Marienburg, wealthy man, and
who was Demands godfather On learning
my fathers death he came to Geyer, and in
vited his sister and her children to go and
take up their abode with him.
''But the worthy manlittle knew the plague
he was receiving into his house in the person
of bis godson. Himself of mild, quiet dis
position, he was greatly scandalized by the
wild pranks of his nephew, and made vain at
tempts to restrain him within some bounds
but by so doing he became the aversion ofmy
brother, who showed his dislike in every pos
ible way. He gave him nicllnames, broke his
china cups and saucers, by which the old gen
tleman set great store, splashed his white sill;
stockings with mud as he went to church, put
the house clock an hour forward or back, and
tormented his kind godfather in every way he
could devise.
Bernard had not forgotten his title Of the
Thirteenth but it was probable he would soon
have got tired of it, for it was not his custom
to adhere long to anything, had not my I'm
Gle, who was a little superstitious, strictly for
hidden him to adopt it. The opposition was
all that was wanting to make my brother
bring forward the unlucl1y number upon eve
ry possible occasion. When anybody men
toned the number twelve before him, or call
ed anything the twelfth, Bernard would i'm
mediately cry out
"'And am the Thirteenth y
''No matter when it was, or before whom
tine, place, and persons were to him alike in
different. For instance, one Sunday ia church,
when the clergyman in the course of the ser
vice said, Let us sing a portion OF such a
psalm, beginning at the twelfth verse, Der
nard Immediately screamed out
'''And am the Thirteenth! !"
''This was a grievous scandal to my IN
Gle, and Bernard was called that evening be-
fore a tibunal, composed of his godfather, my
mother, and the old clergyman whom he had
so gracelessly interrupted, and who was also
teacher of Latin and theology at the school
to which Bernard and | went
''But all their reproaches and remonstran-
ces were lost upon my brother, who had evil
IDENTIFY much difficulty to keep himself from
laughing in their faces My mother wept, my
uncle paced the room in great perplexity, and
the worthy old dominic clasped his hands to-
gether, and exclaimed
My child! fear me- Gods chastisement
will be needed to amend YOU
The event proved that he was right.
1T was on the Friday before Christmas-day
and we were assembled in school. The neal
approach of the holidays had made the boys
somewhat turbulent, and the poor old domin-
lie had much to suffer during the whole day
from their tricks and unruliness. My broth
er, of course, had contributed largely to the
disorder, much to the delight of his bosom
friend and companion, the only sonof the mas
ter This boy whose name was Albert, was
a blue-eyed, fair-haired lad, gentle aa girl.
Bernard had conceived violent friendship for
him, and had taken him under his protection.
Albert's father, as may be supposed, was little
pleased at this intimacy, but yet out OF con-
sideration for my uncle, he did not entirely
forbid it; and the more so as he perceived that
his son in no respect initiated his wild play
mate, but contented himself with admiring
him beyond all created beings, and repaying
with the warmest affection Demands watch
full and jealous guardianship.
''On the afternoon in question, my brother
surpassed himself in hayward conceits and
mischeivous tricks, to the infinite delight OF
Albert, who rocked with laughter at each new
prank. The good dominic who was indulg-
ence itself, was instructing us in Bible histo-
ry, and had to interrupt himself every mo-
ment to repress the unruliness of his pupils,
and especially of Bernard.
at seemed pre-ordained that the lesson
should be an unlucky one. Everything CON
Cured to make it so. Our instructor had oc
casion to speak of the twelve tribes of Israel,
of the twelve patriarchs, Of the twelve gates
of the holy city.
each of these served as a cue to my broth
Ell, who Immediately shouted out, and | am
the Thirteenth = and each time Albert threw
himself back, shrieking with laughter, thus
encouraging Bernard to give full scope to his
mad humor.
'The poor dominic demonstrated, menaced,
duplicated but all in vain | saw the blood
rising into his pale face, at last his bald head,
in spite of the powder which sprinkled it, be-
came red all over He contained himself,
however, and proceeded to the account OF the
Lords Supper. He began
. And when the hour was come, he sat
down, and the twelve apostles with him. I
g 'And I am the Thirteenth" yelled Ber-
nard.
Scarcely were the words uttered, when a
Bible flew across the school-the noise of a
blow and cry of anguish followed and the
old man fell senseless to the ground, The
heavy Bible, the corners Of which were bound
with silver and that he had hurled in mo
ment of uncomfortable passion at my brother,
had missed its mark, and struck his own son
on the head
albert lay bleeding on the floor, while
Bernard hung over him like one beside him
self, weeping, and kissing his wounds
''The boys ran .one and all, out Of the school
ranrn shriekincr for assistance Our cries