Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-08-11
From the Riverside Magazine. ]
Observation-Disclosures.
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON.

brother Frederick's little son came in
the family, he was promoted, and got t
title of "Great-grandfather." He oou
/ not expect to get any higher.
He was very fond of US all, but o,
times he did not seem fond of. 'Old tim
were good times" he used to say, "qui
and steady going they were; in the
days there is such a hurrying and tur
ing upside-down of everything. II
young people lay down the law, and spes
OF the kings, even, as if they were the
equals. Any good-for-nothing fellow ca
dip rag in rotten water, and wiring
out over the head of an honorable man
i Great-grandfather would get quit
engry and red in the face, when he talke
OF these things; but very soon he woul
smile his kind, genial smile, and say
"Well, well l may be mistaken bl
long to the old times, and can't quite &c
a foot-hold in the new! May God lea
and guide US Alright"
| When great-grandfsther got to talkin.
OF old times, it seemed to ne that | wa
living in them, so clearly did see it all
Then 1 fancied myself driving along in
gilt coach, with fine liveried servant
| standing on the steps behind saw tn
guilds move their signs, and march il
procession, with banners and with musi
at their head was present at the merr,
Christmas feasts, where games of forfei
were being played, and where the player
were dressed in fancy dress and mask. /
is true that in those old times cruel an6
dreadful things used to happen, such al
torture, and rack, and bloodshed but al
these horrors had something stirring
about them that fascinated me. used to
fancy how it was when the Danish lords
gave the peasants their liberty and when
the crown Prince of Denmark abolished
the slave-trade.
1t was famous to hear great-grand-
father tell of all this, and to hear bin
speak of his youth. But think the times
before that, even, were the very best OF
all,-so strong and great
at was a rude time !" said brother
Frederick; "thank God we are we'll out
OF it !" And he used to say this right out
to great-grandfather that was very i'm
proper, know, but 1 had great respect
for Frederick all the same. He was my
Oldest brother, and he said he was old
enough to be my father,-but then he said
so many odd things. He had graduated
with honors, and was 30 bright and clever
at his work in fathers office, that father
intended to take him into partnership
soon, He was the one, of US all, that
great-grandfather talked most to; but
they did not get on well, and always fell
10 arguing; they did not understand each
other, those two,-and never would, said
the family; but, small as [ was, I soon
saw that neither of them could do with
out each other. Great-grandfather used
to listen with the brightest look in his
eyes, when Frederick read aloud about
the progress in science, or new discoveries
Of natural laws, and of all other wonders
Of our age.
"The human race grows cleverer, but
1ot better" great-grandfather used to say
they take pains to contrive the most
dreadful and hurtful weapons, wherewith
o kill and MAIN each other"
80 much the sooner will the war be |
ver," Frederick would reply "then one
iced not wait seven years for the blessings
# peace. The world is full-blooded, and |
eeds blood-letting fromstime to time
One day Frederick told him something |
hat had really happened in small coun-
ry, and in our age. The mayors cleck |
the large clock on the City Hall
marked the time for the city, and for all
ts inhabitants The clock did not go |
very well, but that did not matter, nor
prevent everybody from being guided by
t. Then by and by railways were built
n that country, and clocks are always
connected with the railways in other |
that one must be very sure
If the time, and know it very exactly, or
,lse there will be collisions. At the rail- |
way station they had a sun-regulated
clock that was perfectly reliable and ex-
act,-but notsso the mayor's,-and now |
everybody went by the railway clock.
laughed, and thought it was funny |
story, but great-grandfather did not
laugh; he grew very serious.
'"There is deep meaning in what you
have been telling me-" he said, " and l |
understand the thought that prompted |
you to tell it to me. There is a moral in |
that clock work; it makes me think of |
another clock,-my parents plain old |
Barnholm clock, with the lead |
their lives and for my childhood. l dare
say it did not go very correctly, but it did
go, and we used to look at the hour-hand, |
and believed in it, and never thought |
about the wheels inside. The govern |
ment machinery was like that old clock |
IN those days everybody had faith in it, |
and only look at the hour-hand. Now the |
government machinery is like d clock in |
glass case, so that one can look right into
The machinery, and see the wheels turning
and whining; one gets quite anxious,
as to what will become of that
spring, or that wheel And then [ think
how will it be possible for all this to keep
time /? and I miss my childish faith in the
of the old clock. This is the
weakness of these timesw
And then great-grandfather would talk
ill he got quite angry. He and Frederick
lid not agree well, and yet they could
lot bear to be separated, -"just like the
I'D times and the new" They both felt
his when Frederick was to start on his
away, to America 1t was
m business for the firm, and ne had to go.
4 sad parting it was for grandfather,
md long, long journey,-quite across an
immense ocean, and to another part of the
globe.
"You shall have letter from me every
ortnight," said Frederick, land, quicker
uau Dy any ltIIer, you Will hear of me
~ means of the telegraph The days will
'e like hours, and the hours like min
Itesp
Through the telegraph came greeting
rom Frederick, from England, when he
vas going on board the steamer. Sooner
han by letter-even if the quick-sailing
LIQUIDS had been postmen-came news
rom America, where Frederick had gone
IN shore but few hours since
"What glorious divine, thought this
S, that is given US in this age" said
;reat-grandfather sit is real blessing
or the human race"
"And it was in our country" | said.
that the law of nature was frat under
TODD and EXPRESSED. Frederick told nae
ow II
YES" said greatgrandfather, and
Used me; "and | have looked into the
wo kind eyes that We're the frst to see
his wonderful law of nature,-they were
hllds eyes, like yours, and | baye pressed
lis handl" and then he kissed me again.
More than month had passed, when a
otter from Frederick brought us the news
hat he was engaged to beautiful and
ovable young girl whom he was sure the
,hole family would be delighted with
1e sent her photograph, too, and we all
~ \