The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-12-30
THE WIFE'S TREASURE.

BY THE AUTHOR OF PICTURES IN TYROL.
HEINRICH, run and see if they are
ready to change guard, and whether
father will soon be home to supper; the
porridge is ready, and the poor man needs
fattening sOrely, for what with standing
upright all day like a stick watching on
the ramparts, and dodging behind a
corner of tower when those base lIOhen-
staufeners make target of his honest
face, he needs good oatmeal to keep his
courage up. It's i'll fighting on an empty
stomach, and one needs eat and sleep,
whatever happens"
90, mother" cried little child from
her stool by the fire, "when will the
wicked soldiers go away? do so want
to run out into the fields again, and
gather the flowers, and see our poor cow.
1t would be so nice to have some beautiful
rich milk again; | don't like porridge
without any milk in it, and the poor dear
cow must be so sad and lonely without her
seeing us; she must long for some salt as
much as | long for the cream, mother; ;
and | want to show her my doll. Dolly
hasn't had n walk for ever so long"
"rll tell you what will happen if you
walk in the fields with your precious old
doll, cried Heinrich, "the soldiers will
catch you, and they'll make big fire. q
huge fire as big as a house, and they Ill lay
a spit across it where its hottest, and
they'll put the doll on it-so and then
it'll frz and smell horribly, like the shabby
bits of old fleece when mother burnt
them; and then won't you cryl oh! oh !
oh! what fun I'd go and walk in the
fields if were you, wouldn't | !" and Mas
ter Heinrich turned head over heels across
the kitchen table.
Go away, you naughty boy" said
little Elfrida, beginning to sob; chow
dare you say my doll would smell hOrri-
bly,? She's beautiful dear, and they
shouldn't burn her, they should burn me
first" and the little five years old maiden
stamped her tiny feet and shook her fist
dcfiantly
They'd burn you afterwards" teased
! Heinrich; when Dolly was frizzled
they'd cook you; you're SO fat you would
be first rate, and when you were done real
brown, they'd take you to the great fierce
| Conrad, and he would open his mouth
so-and swallow you at one gulp. They'd
give the doll to- the soldiers she'd be
| tough"
Heinrich made horrible cOntOrtion
and snapped expressively at the air. FL
frida cried, hot, angry tears chasing each
other down the round, pink checks, till
the mother, who had been gazing from the
door needless of the children's talk, turned
round, and seeing her little daughters dis
tress, and vaguely comprehending it. ad
ministcred swift justice to the culprit with
a sounding blow from the porridge spoon,
and taking the little one into her com
Portable arms, she kissed and cOnsOled
| her.
A plague on the boys, they are worse
than any one Haven't we trouble enough
outside the walls, but you must needs make
your sister cry, and worry my life out I,
What is it, my lamb tell mother where
he hurt you. Ah. here's father; now it's
all right, then, and father'll give her some
of his supper and We'll dry our eyes.
Well, my man, you must be tired enough
and hungry, too. What, faint hearted,
father! Why, never saw thee come
home with such hang down face before.
Hast left the walls in ruinss Why, pluck
up heart, man; as long as the old town
stands we'll show fight CHEEKY face
goes long way in this world, and glad
eyes make glad heart. I've no patience
with folks who declare it's always raining
because they are crying behind their own
windows Eat the porridge, father, and
then thou wilt shout Down with the Uo-
henstauten with the best of them"
"Eh, It's easy talking, wife," said the
burgher, as, drawing off his heavy cap, he
sank down wearily on the settle. "'Tis
hard to jest with heavy heart who'd
care to make fight for the saucepan when
the soup was eaten? Don't handy words
withme, but kiss thy: husband and give him
his supper; 'tis the last thing thoult do
for him in this world, unless may be thou
art up in time to cook me breakfast"
Now, sure as | live, the mans
gone clean daft in his head It's liker a
catf than Il issyou'll get if you come
home with such talk as that as relish fer
supper. Eat your food, and thank Heaven
for it and for giving you wife who will
dish you up another bowlful for the next
fortnight, an the meal hold out"
Nay, nay, then, Elspeth. 1t is no
joke of mine, or wanderings either. The
town sent flag of truce to the Hohen-
staufens at IL to-day, and Conrad's answer
was free pardon for the women and
children, who should depart unscathed,
each laden with her treasures; but for
the men, unconditional surrender and It's
thought it will go hard with us and the
town, for the soldiers are angered by our
long defence and their master is hard tO
|
"And you sit there and tell such n tale
az that to your own wife," cried Elspeth
"and think you can look me i'm the face
while you do it What do you take me for
father, who've looked after you, and loved
You, and mended, and cooked for YOU all
these years." and her voice shook"
whO've vowed to care for you this side
: of Heaven land precious hard you'd find
IL To get there without me-tO say nothinp
of the washing), and have stood by you
and the children. through thick and .hin 2
You are going to say, Good morning
Elspeth fine journey to you, and I'm
to go from my own home and my owr
house, and leave you and the Hohen
staufeners To sup off scltinken together
You've not got to the bottom of tn,
wfe's mind yet, my master. Ii | go from
Weinsberg 10 o-morrow morning, I'll tax,
you with mer'
The father only answered, Eh, ch
It's easy talking" and smothcring some
thing that sounded like a groan, he hcl,
out his arms to the child Elfrida seated
, herself costly on his knee, and stroked tn.
f sorrowful face and fed him with grea
, spoonfulls Of porridgc, as 1t was her night
ly pleasure to do She was a very fair lit
! tic maiden, SO short and 80 fat that, meas
; ure her where you would, she was tn
; same length all over her eyes were yer,
= large, round, and blue, just like the blues
D, sunmer sky when you have forgotten
{. there ca ever he clouds again and he
cheeks were round, also, and, summer an,
[ winter, two roses blOomed there frou
G morning till night. The child laid he
e face against her fathers shoulder, an
f whispered