Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-05-28
DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN, FRIDAY MAY %, 1862

The doctor looked puzzled; feeling one
more the pulse, he said, after while:
"No pulse, no pulse. Karl make (
VOW, make VOW; perhaps there will b.
mercy from the mother, or else from thu
Son"
And the pious, good old doctor crossed
himself while saying this.
"My VOW is made long since," sale
Karl, with the same emphatic tone; "lonl
before came. l shall add nothing to it
but keep it shall,P, add ed he, the tear'
breaking forth "yea, shs1 keep it
whatever may happen"
And then there was long pause. A
length said Karl, "He knows best" FsF
am sure the doctor felt curious abou
the vow. So did I. But we both KEEP
silence, and watched that long night with
intense anxiety. At length the morning
came. The breathing had become slower
and slower. The hands were clammJ
cold, the feet were cold, and toward moor
the doctor said:
"God's will be done! Trudcaen is il
Paradise. For surely, such as she deserve
no other place."
1t came not unexpectedly. 1t was fore
seen. The mothers eye had watched sc
long that she was prepared for the bittel
loss Yet bitter, very bitter, was the cur
to drink for mothers love. Very bittel
for him whose soul seemed absorbed il
the contemplation of what remained o.
her whom he loved so long, so well; fol
whom he had toiled and suffered, ant
whom to make happy was the life OF hi
soul. ..a.-
Long they gazed upon the lovely being
lovely in her sleep, a sweet smile resting
on her still rosy lips-an image OF calm
repose, of blissf,ll expectation. Atlengtt
the matron was the first to rally from the
stupor wherein they both seemed to have
fallen.
"Karl," said she, "thou camest in time
She went loving thee. She is happy
Karl" she said, putting her arm with
motherly tenderness around his neck
"thou couldst not have made her happier
Let us ask God to give US strength to beal
this stroke" and then bursting out in
tears, she knelt beside the couch. The
young man knelt, the doctor knelt, my
self knelt down.
Soft and steady rose the voice of the
matron. What simplicity of language
What real coming to God! What sub
dued praying for strength What tender
remembrance of Trudchen's love and du
tiful piety.
And when she ceased the young man in
deep gutteral tones, said, "Thou knowest
Lord, what l vowed, Happy she is, fol
with Thee she is; thank Thee; even so
for it was Thy will: l shall do it, Lord,
shall do it."
After while the neighbors came, add
ing their mite of consolation; and then
they busted themselves with the last affec-
tionate care to be bestowed upon the re-
mains of one whom all seemed to love
l remained yet few hours, and in the af
ternoon took my leave of the sorrowing
mother and the mourning betrothed
| cast one more glance upon the beautiful
form which had contained the spirit ol
rrudchen, and mounting my horse, waved
a last auieu to my newly-made friends.
Three years had elapsed, and to re
cruit from severe duties, was again or
the road up the Rhine to Basle; thence tC
Berne. My trusty horse, the very same
had before, trotted nfmbly over the STEEP
and rocky pathway that led to the home
of my friends of Wetterbrunner.
No, had not forgotten them. Often
had thought of them-thought of the
brave matron, of the sturdy Karl, of the
angel form laid out for the silent grave
And when in sight of the snow-capped
could not help fastening
toward the spot where had left so much
sorrow, and so much true, simple-hearted
trust in God.
1t was noon when I reached the little
village, a true specimen of ancient Swiss
neatness and thrifty industry. | alighted
at the only inn, but which bore the impress
sive lgs,gn of Tells Hotf The Hostler who
took charge of my horse seemed preoccu
pied. 1t was week day, yet he had evi
IDENTIFY his Sunday suit He was polite a.
ever, and said while got off: "AcA den
Herr komaant zasna feste 7" C'Ah, my Lore
comes to the festival!
A little astonished, asked What fes
tival?"
q Ach ja !" said he in hurry, "you are
stranger? forgot" and off he went
I entered the large apartment whiet
served as common receptlon-room, II
America called a"bar-room," a but there
very different. Clean and we'll ventilated
the smooth floor slightly sanded, the win
dows adorned with pretty t1ower-pots
here and there a picture of Tells memor
able performance, the central part occu
pied by the stately hams aoarth, serving
wine and beer to the neat and rather
pretty-looking waitinggirls, as the guests
called for them two or three young men
neatly dressed in their Oberland costume
carrying off the plates and glasses, now
and then sweeping a corner clean; mer
and women, in festival dress, seated here
and there at small oaken-wood tables
children running to and fro, and playing
hide-and seek outside a crowd OF young
men and women sitting at small tables
and pouring now and then glass OF foam
ing beer: such were the principal feature;
which struck NE on entering.
1t was evidently a gala-day, a fest tag, as
they call it.
"What Saints day is this ?" I asked of 8
young damsel who smilingly tripped uI
to me. with the usual question g Nit aoas
kan er lch dienen p
mo Saints day." said she, laughing
"but great day, 1 assure you, sir stran
ger"
"What then?" said l.
"You must have come from far not tc
know" answered she; " from where?"
"FIom Interlachen," saidI.
"Ah, that is far indeed Well, this il
the Or phans' festival; Ach, Gott! you
come just in time! And did not know
it ?"
NO." said 1. "Tell me what is the
Orphans festival?"
"Ach der fremder I" she cried, with
amazement. "Knowest nothing of it
Well since month we spoke OF nothing
else. The Herr Land Amman has built a
large and beautiful house, where all the
orphans are received who can be found in
the Oberland. A beautiful house it is
Of h0xn and crirlS