The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-04-30
The Maid of Will.

There rs q lonely mn clOSe peeiA0 IN ~
tie hamlet of Udorf, near the Rhine shore, be
tween the villages of Hersel and Ursel, on tn
left bank, below Bonn. This mill Is SAID u
have been the scene of the following story;
1t was on a Sunday morning, lagos lons
ago." that the miller of this mill, and hi
whole family, went forth to hear the holy mas
at the nearest church, III the village OF Hersel
1.-THE mill, which was also his residence, wa
left in the charge of servant girl nance
Hannchen, or Jenny, a ~stout-hearted lass, wht
had long lived with him in that capacity. Al
infant child, of an age unfit for church, wa'
left in her charge likewise. Ihe girl was
busily employed in preparing dinner for the
return of her master and his family, when who
should enter all of a sudden but an old sweet
heart of hers, named Heinrich Bottelor. lie
was an idle, graceless fellow, whom the mil
Ter had forbidden his house, but whom Jenny,
with the amiable perversity peculiar to hel
sex, only liked, perhaps, all the better because
others gave no countenance. She was glao
to see him, and she told him so, too: and al
though in the midst of her work, she not only
got him something to eat at once, but also
found time to sit down with him and have q
lgossip, while he dispatched the food she set be-
fore him. AS he ate, however, he let fall his
knife.
'Pick that up, my lass" said he, in a jok-
ing way, to the,g~ood-natured girl.
FNay, Heinrich" she replied, your back
should be more supple than mine, for you
have less work to make it stiff. labor all
day long, and you do nothing. But, never
mind! 'twould go heard with me an l refused
to do more than that for you, bad though
you be-"
This was spoken half sportively, and half in
good earnest for, kind-hearted as the girl
was, and much as she liked the scapegrace,
she was too honest and industrious herself to
encourage and approve Of idleness and a sus-
picious course of life in any one else, howev-
er dear to her. She stopped down, according,
ly, to pick up the knife. AS she was in the
act of rising, however, the treacherous villain
drew q dagger from under his coat, and
caught her by the nap Of the neck, gripping
her throat firmly with his fingers to prevent
her screaming the while.
'Now, lass" he said, swearing out a bad
oath at the same time, ''where is your mas
ter's money? I'll have that or your life, SO
take your choice
The terrified girl would fain have parleyed
with the ~ruffian, but he would hear nothing
she could say.
UldSlCEh luOIltN VI JOul llC, IdoS. was
all the answer he vouchsafed to her entreaties
and adjurations. Choose at once" was the
only alternative he offered her 'the grave OF
rhe gold!"
She saw there was no hope Of mercy at his
hands; and, as she saw it, her native resolu-
ton awoke in her bosom. Like the generali-
ty of her gentle sex, she was timid at trihes I;
| a drop of blood caused her to faint an IN
wonted sound filled her soul with fear in the
night. But when her energies were aroused
by an adequate cause, she proved, as her sex
have ever done, that in courage, in endurance,
in presence of mind, and in resources of mer-
gency, she far surpassed the bravest and cool
est men.
'FNEell, well, Heinrich, she said, resigned
ly, ''wilat is to be, must be. But if you take
the money, l shall even go aloug with ye.-
This will be no acme for me any more. But
ease your grippe of my neck a little-dou't
squeeze so hard | can't move, you hug me
SO tight and if | can't stir, you cannot get
the money-that's clear, you know. Besides,
time presses and if it be done at all, it must
be done quickly, as the family will shortly be
back from Hersel."
The ruf1ian relaxed his grippe and finally let
go his hold. Her reasons were all cogent
with his cupidity.
Come" She said, "quick, quick!-no delay;
the money is in masters bedroom
She tripped up stairs, gayly as a lark; he
followed closely at her heels. She led the
way into her masters bedroom, and pointed
out the Golfer in which his money was secur-
ed.
''Here,' she said, wrench it open at once !;
and while you are tying the money up, lshall
just step up stairs to my own apartment, and
get a few things ready for our flight, as well
as my own little savings for the last five
years"
The ruf1ian was throw n off his guard by
her openness and apparent anxiety to accom-
pany him. Like all cyclists, he deceived him
self, when self-deceit was most certain to be
his destruction.
$50, lass" was all he said ''but be not
long. This job will be done in a ~twinkling."
She disappeared at the words. He imme-
diately broke open the chests and was soon en-
gagged i'll rummaging its contents, As he was
thus employed, however, absorbed in the con
temptation of his prey, aud eagerly occupied
in securing it on his person, the brave-heart-
ed girl stole down the stairs on tip-toe. Creep
ing softly along the passage, she speedily gain
ed the door of the chamber unseen by HIM.
and likewise unheard. 1t was but the work
of a moment for her to turn the key III the
wards and lock him in. This done, she rush
ed forth to the outer door of the mill, and
gave the alarm.
'FIy, hy!' she shrieked to the child, her
masters boy, an infant five years old, the on
ly being within sight or sound of her. ely,
6y to thy father! fly on your life! Tell him
we shall all be murdered an he haste not back.
Fly, fly"
The child, who was at play before the door,
at once obeyed the energetic command OF the
brave girl, and sped as fast as his tiny legs
could carry him on the road by which nc knew
his parents would return from church. HAM
| chen cheered him onward, and inspirited his
little heart as he ran.
sBless thee, boy-bless thee she exclaim-
ed. IN the gladness of her heart. AN mas
ter arrives in time, | will offer up a taper on
the altar of our blessed lady Of Kreutzberg,
by Bonn"
She sat down on the stone bench by the
mill door to ease her over-excited spirit and
she wept, as she sat, at the thought Of her
tThank God :" she calculated, thank God
for this escape. Oh, the deadly villain !-and
[ so fond of him, tool"
A shriII whistle, from the grated window OF
the chamber in which she had shut up the ruff
fan Heinrich, caught her ear, and made her
start at once to her feet.
'Diether! Diether p she heard him shout,
''catch that child and come hither! | am
fast. Come hither. Bring the boy hither.-
Bring the boy here, and kill the GIRL"
She glanced hastily up at the easement from
which the imprisoned villains hand beckon-
ed to some one in the distance, and then look
ed anxiousIy after her infant emissary. The
little messenger held on his way unframed,
however, and she thought to herself that the
alarm was a false one, raised TO excite her
fear, and overcome her resolution. Just, how
lever, as the child reached a hollow spot in the
next feld-the channel of a natural drain, then
dry with the heats of summer-she saw anotfl-
er rufian start up from the bed Of the drain,
and, catching him in his arms, hasten toward
the mill, in accordance with the directions OF