Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-22
THE MAID OF THE MILL.

tie hamlet of Udorf, near the Rhine shore,
between the villages of Hersel and Ursel on
the left bank below Bonn. This mill is said
to have been the scene Of the following
story: 1t was on a Sunday morning, ages
long ago. that the miller of this mill, and
his whole family, went forth to hear the holy
mass at the nearest church, in the village of
Hersel The mill, which was also his resi-
dence, was left III charge OF u servant girl
named Hannchen, or Jenny, "a stout hearted
lass, who had long lived with him in that ca
pacity. An infant child, of an age unfit for
church, was left in her charge likewise. The
girl was busily employed in preparing dinner
for the return of her master and his family,
when who should enter all of q sudden but an
old sweetheart of hers, named Heinrich Bot
telor. He was an idle, graceless fellow, whom
the miller had forbidden his house, but whom
Jenny, with the amiable perversity peculiar
to her sex, only liked, perhaps, all the better
because others gave him no countenance.-
She was glad to see him. and she told him so
too; and although i'll 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 gossip, while he despatched
the food she set before him. AS he ate,
however, he let fall his knife.
ing manner, TO the good natured girl.
''Nay, Heinrich" she replied, ''your back
should be more supple than mine, for you
have less work to make it stiff. l labor all
day long, and YOU do nothing. But never
mind, 'twOuld 90 hard with me an [ refused
to do more than that for you bad though YOU
may be-
This was spoken half sportively and half
in good earnest; for kind hearted as the girl
was, and much as she liked the scapcgracc,
she was too honest and industrious herself to
encourage and approve of idleness and IA sus-
picious course of life in any one else, however
dear to her. She stopped down accordingly,
to pick up the knife. As she was in the act
of rising, however, the treacherous villain
drew dagger from under his coat, and
caught her by the napc of the neck, gripping
her throat firmly with his fingers to prevent
her screaming the while.
Now, lass" he said swearing out bad
oath at the same time, "whcre is your mas
ters money: I'll have that or your life :. so
take your choice"
The terrified girl would fain have parleyed
with the ruilian, but he would hear nothing
she could say.
Masters money or your life, lass y was
all the answer he vouchsafcd to her cntreaties
only alternative he offered her; " the grave
or the gold -
She saw there was no hope of mercy at
his hands; and, as she saw it, her native res
olution awoke in her bosom. Like the gen
crafty of her gentle sex, she was timid at
trifes; a scratch was subject of fear to her
drop of blood caused her to faint; an I'M
wonted sound filed her soul with fear III the
night. But when her energies were aroused
by an adequate cause, she proved, as her SEX
nave ever done, that III courage, in endurance
in presence of mind, and III resources of
emergency she far surpassed the braycst and
coolest men.
"Weil, well, Heinrich, she said, rcsignedly,
"what is to be- must be. But if You take
the money, | shall even go along with We.
This will be no home for me any more
But ease your grippe OF my neck littlc-dOn't
squeeze so hard | can't move, YOU hug me
so tight and if | can't stir, YOU can't 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 rufian relaxed his grippe, and finally
let go his hold. Her reasons were all cogrnt
with his cupidity.
Come" she said "quicIl, quick no
She tripped up stairs, gayly as a lark; he
followed closely at her heels. She led the
way into her masters bedroom, and pointed
secured.
"Here," she said, wrench it open at once :;
and while YOU are tying the money / shall
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 ruffian was thrown off his guard by her
openness and apparent anxiety to accompa-
ny him. Like all cyclists, he deceived him
self, when self-deceit was most certain to be
his destruction.
''Go lass" was all he said; ''but be not
long. This job will be done in a twinklng."
She disappeared at the words. lie imme-
diately broke open the chest, and was soon
engaged in rummaging its contents. As he
was thus employed, however, absorbed in the
contemplation of his prey, and eagerly occu-
pied in securing it on his person, the brave
hearted girl stole down the stairs on tip toe.
Creeping softly along the passages, she speed
ily gained 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 In
the wards and lock him in. This done, she
and gave the alarm.
ely hy," she shrieked to the child, heI
masters little boy an infant five years Old
the only being within sight or sound of her
ssFly, fiv to thy father fly on your life Tel
him we shall all be murdered if 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 he
knew his parents would return from church
Hannchen cheered him onward, and inspiriteC
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 taper OF
the altar of our lady of Kreutzberg, b,
Bonn"
She sat down on the stone bench by the
mill door TO ease her oyer-excited spirits
and she wept, as she sat, at the thought o
her happy delverance.
'eThank God =! she calculated, "thank Coo
for this escape. ooh, the deadly villain :
and I so fond Of him, too y
A shrill whistle, from the grated window o
the chamber in which she had shut up the
ruffian Heinrich, caught her ear, and made he
start at once to her feet.
'Diether Diether!" she heard him shout
"catch the child and come hither! I an
fast. Come hither. Bring the boy here anC
kill the girl"
She glanced hastily up at the casemen
from which the imprisoned villains hand beck
oned to some one in the distance, and theI