Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-13
someii.ing L.ks . story.

soIely, fof what aitn standing upright 81
day like ! stick watching on the ramparts
and lodging behind a corner Of the towe
when those base Hoherstaufeusrs make
target of his honest face, he needs good
oatmeal to keep his courage mp. Il Is il
fighting On an empty stomach, and on'
needs eat and sleep, whatever happens.
ooh, mother ~ cried little child from
her stool by the fire, when WHY tn
wicked soldiers go awayp | do SO Want
to run ont into the fields again, an,
gather the fowers, and see our poor COW
1t would be so nice to have some beautifu
rich milk again don't like porridg
without any milk in it, and the poor dea
COW must be so sad and lonely withou
ever seeing us she must long for som
salt as much as [ long for the cream
mother; and I want TO show her my doll
Dolly hasn't had walk for ever SO long
"I'll tell you what will happen if yol
walk in the fields with your precious old
DOLL" cried Heinrich "the soldiers will
catch you, and they'll make a big fire,
huge fire as big as house, and they'll la,
spit across it where it's hottest, anc
they'll put the doll on the spit-so-ant
it'll friz and smell horribly, like the shah
by bits of the old fleece when mothe
burnt them and then won't you cry
Oh oh oh what fun I'd go and wall
in the fields if were you, wouldn't I !
and Master Heinrich turned head owe
heels across the kitchen table.
"Go away, you naughty boy" said littl
Elfrida, beginning to sob; show dare yol
say my doll would smell horribly? She
beautiful little dear, and they shouldn'
burn her, they should burn me first" ant
the little five year old maiden stamped
her tiny feet and shook her fist defiantly
"They'd burn You afterwards" teasec
Heinrich ; "when Dolly was frizzed, they'c
cook you; you're SO fat you would be frs
rate, and when you were done real brown
they'd take you to the great fierce Conrad
and he would open his mouth-so-anC
swallow you at one gulp. They'd Civ
the doll to the soldiers; she'd be tough.
Heinrich made horrible contortion anC
snapped expressively at the air; Elfrid
cried, hot angry tears chasing each othe
down the round. pink cheeks, till tn
mother, who had been gazing from tn
door needless of the children's talk, turned
round, and seeing her little daughter
distress and vaguely comprehending i
administered swift justice on the culpri
with sounding blow from the porridg
spoon, and taking the little one into he
comfortable arms, she kissed and consoleC
her.
"a plague on the boys they are wors,
than any one. Haven't we trouble enough
outside the walls, but you must need
make your sister cry, and worry my lif
out What is it my lamb tell mothe
where lie hurt you. All here's father
now it's all right, then, and father'H Civ,
her some of his supper and wen dry oul
eyes. Well, my man, you must be tire6
enough and hungry too. What, faint
hearted, father! Why, never saw the,
come home with such hang-down fac,
before. Hast left the walls in ruins
Why, pluck up heart, man as long as the
old town stands We'll show fight CHEEKY
face goes a long way in this world, and
glad eyes make a glad heart. I've Nc
patience with folks who declare it's al
ways raining because they are crying be
hind their windows. Eat the porridge
father, and then thou wilt shout, "dowr
with the best of them"
'fEh, tits easy talking, wife, said ths
burgher, as drawing off his heavy cap, b.
sank down YEARLY ON the settle I'll
hard to Jest with heavy heart who'c
care to make fight for the saucepan wher
the soup was eaten? Don't handy word.
with me, but kiss thy husband and give
him his supper tits the last thing thou'lt
do for him in this world, unless may be
thou art up in time to cook me a break
fast"
"Now, thunder and lightning the
mans gone clean deft in his head Its
liker cuff than kiss you'll get if you'll
come home with such talk as that as rel.
ish for supper. Eat your food and thank
Heaven for it and for giving you q wife
who will give you 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 a flag of truce to the Hohenstaufens
at twelve to-day, and Conrad's answer
was free pardon for the women and chill.
dren. 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 oul
long defence, and their master is hard Il
deal with when his will has been crossed
"And you sit there and tell such tale
as that TO your own wife," cried Elspeth
"and think you can look me in 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
ii, who've vowed TO care for you this
side of heaven (and precious hard you'd
find it to get there without me-to say
nothing of the washing,) and have stood
by you and the children through thick
and thin? You are going to say, Good
morning, Elspeth; fine journey to you,
and I'm to go from my own home and my
own house, and leave you and the Hohen.
staufeners to sup off SchiRken together
You've not got to the bottom of the wife'i
mind yet, my master. If / go from
Weinsburg tomorrow morning, I'll take
you with me J"
The father only answered, 9Th, Ell
It's easy talking" and smothering some
thing that sounded like a groan, he held
out his arms to his child. Elrida seated
herself costly on his knee, and stroked
the sorrowful face and fed him with great
spoonfuls of porridge, as it was her night
ly pleasure to do. She was a very fair
little maiden, so short and so fat that
measure where You would she was the
same length all over her eyes were very
large, round and blue, just like the bluest
summer sky when you have forgotten
there can ever be clouds again and her
cheeks were round also, and summer and
winter, two roses bloomed there from
morning till night. The child laid heI
face against her fathers shoulder, and
whispered
"You won't let me go? Heinrich ssy,
they'll cook Dolly and me, and he say;
she's tough; it was very cruel of him
Oh, father, don't let them have Dolly and
mel"
A great sob came in her fathers -
he tried to look as if the por-' shsSa
choked him, and cleared hic, Ike aa
after all the words woula. NOT aoa aos ;: o. =
only held her very closely ard I;ssss - - !
shining hair. Aisseo ut
Meanwhile Elspeth Vas restlsss. sb
walked about the house with on a;r 81
strange excitement nac;ra hur.;aadn :,