Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-04-29

fortune, no misfortune. Every one can
do everything for himself If he knows
himself and others too, out only under one
condition: he must live alone. Otherwise
It Is Of no avail
From the deep and painrh Solitude Of
years Marann expressed herself to this
child just growing into msidenhood, only
in half words; the girl could not compre.
hend them; but who can Ten what impres
siun the half ineligible makes upon the
open attentive soul? After looking wild
ly about, Black Marann would continue:
"Oh, II could only be alone. Bat /
have given myscE away; part of me lies
buried In the earth, and another part runs
about In the earth, who knows where 2
| wish were that black goat there"
However cheerfeiiy Marsnn began, her
talk always ended In gloomy complaints
and sadness, and she wished to be lone,
to think Of nothing ane love nothing lived
indeed only in the thoughts of her son and
In her love for hfa
Ahrei took decided measure 70 re.
lease herself from this gloomy solitude.
She esired that Dami should be taken In
the house too, and Black Marann was 50
VIOLENTLY opposed to 1t that Amrei threat.
ene1 10 leave the house herself But she
ffsttsred Marann 80 innocently, and anti>
cipsted her wishes so cheerfully, that she
finally conquered.
Dami, who had been taught to knit by
Crow Zach; now was with them in his
parents home; and at night, when the
brosher asd sister had gone to the loft to
sleep, one would wake the other while
Black Marann would walk to and fro
down stairs.
Dami's seclusion at Marann's resulted
In new vexation. he Was much dissat>
isfied that he was obliged TO learn this
wretrhed trade, which was only ft for a
cripple; he oo..wished to be C mason, and
although Amrei Was much opposed to Il,
for she feared that her brothef would hot
coatinue long at it, Msrann on the other
hand encouraged him in 1t. She would
gladly have made all young men masons,
In order TO send them away, so thai she
might obtain intelligence of her son.
Black Marann seldom went to church,
bat II pleased her If any one borrowed
her psalmsbook; it appeared TO afford her
great pleasure that Ler psalm book was
there, and it gave her peculiar joy il a
foreign iourneyman workman in the
neighborhood borrowed Johns book for
that purpose; il SCENE 4 to her as IL John
was worshiping in his native church be-
cause the words were spoken and sung
from his book, and Dami was now obliged
to take the book twice on every Sunday to
church.
Butif Black Marann never went 10
church, she was yet present at every i'm,
poriant occasion in The village and neigh>
borhoud. No funeral, Tor instance, took
place at which she did not follow as
moufner, and drfing the sermon and ben<
cdsc.sos,csen at the grave of.aslittleschild,
she wept as biitealy as if she were the
nearest relative. Weeping seemed to be
t,cncft to her, and she appeared on her
return home to be quite feliSed. She
suppressed during the whole year so
n.ueh silent grief, that she was thankful
when she could really rry.
Were the people to blame then, because
they considered her dissgreable especi>
ally as they were keeping a secret from
her. Upon Amrci also part Of this aver
sion fell. and in many houses where she
went 10 assist or carry q message, they
plainly showed that they did not wish her
presence. especially as she already cxhib-
tied singularity which appeared won>
derful TO all in the village. She went, OK.
cept in the dead of winter, entirely bare>
footed. People said that she must pos>
sess q secret charm, as she did not become
si ok and die.
She was gladly received only in the
house Of the farmer of Rodel, for he was
her guardian. But his wife, who had all
ways taken an interest in her, and had
promised to take her when she had grown
up. did not realize her plan. She herself
was taken from the rest-death took her.
Usually earthly Affections are first known
later in life, as one friend after another
drops away, and only the memory of them
abides; but Amrei had already expert,
enced this in early youth, and she and
Black Marann wept more violently than
all the relations at the burial Of the fars
mer's wife.
The farmer OF Rodel ~as always conn
planning how hard II was that he must
now relinquish his estate. !. And yet
neither of his three children was yet mar
ried. But year had scarcely passed
Dami was entering his second year at the
stone quarry, when a double wedding
was celebrated in the village; for the far |
mer Of Rodel married off his eldest daugh |
ter cad his only son, TO whom on his wed
ding day be surrendered the farm; and it |
was upon this very day that Amrei re,
ccived new name aud entered upon q
new life.
The children were assembled In the
frcnt OF large dancing hall, initiating the
grown persons who were. shouting and |
dancing inside. But, strange to soy, not
a boy or girl would dance with Amrei, and |
one of them-it was not known winch
cried out: ''No one will dance with you
indeed, for you are little barefoot;" and
Barefoot! Little barefoot /" resounded
fFom all sides. The tears stood IN Amrei's
eyes, but she was quickly restored to that
power BY which she oyercams morti6ca-
ton and scorn; she suppressed her tears,
seized her apron BY lts ends, and danced
shout alone. SO elegan ly and SO graceful
llY that all the ,childrs stopped, and the
grown up people soon NODDED to each 9th.