Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-07
Miscellany.
PETER BLOCH.
A HARTZ LEGEND.

couldn't talk-hc couldn't even eat (the
last an occlp.ti"n nt which he was very
fond), when KstIins, his bruothcd, came
with his r.,nu.,',!y meal of strong beer and
still stronger cheese and saueikraut, pre-
pared by her own rosy hands.
Peter looked askalce ut katrina-at her
round, blooming, honest taco, her short
plump figure, and bure feet, and for the
first time in his lie thought her-coarse.
And for thc first time in his lite, also, he
turned up his nose at the beer, and the
cheese AMI the sAu"rklau!, and thought
them coarse So Katrina, with her dinner
basket on htr arm, went away sorrowful,
leaving Peter string idly on ~ log, apart,
from the other Wrrknlcil, Snoklug short
black pipe and gazing out sullcnly upon
the gloomy forest, the smoking charcoal
kilns, and the little cottage, with its cab.
bage- garden and pig g,sty, to which he was
soou to bring home Katrina Very poor
and dispicahle it now all appeard to him.
And yet only ycslsr,lo how proud he had
been of that cottage! And how he had
cultivated those cauDag $, AMI led those
pigs, until they were ~ round and tat as
Katrina, nearly which WAS saying great
deal for them.
The truth was, Peter Bloch was dying
of envy and discoll,rnt. Only al hour
the Young Count Won SciiwaltzschOttvl.s
burgh, with brilliant train OF att ttendants,
on his way to take posse ssion Of the Castle
of the late Count, his uncle, and to marry
the late Count y daughter, the present fair
and peerless Lady Iildegarde Adelberga
Rosalindel-who with an equally impos-
ing train had ridden forth to meet him,
and with the bailiff and the chatelaine on
either side, had delivered to him the KEYS
of the castle.
All this had Peter Bloch seen; and from
that very moment envy and covetousness
had poisnaed the weu-springs of his
heart. Why should nature have made
his lot in life 81 different from that
of this young man? he asked him
self. Why should he be charcoal burner,
and the other 4 noblemau? Why should
he live in hut and the Count in a castle
And the Lady Hildegarle Adrlberga Rosa
linden Was tair-sim and white, like q
hly-whilst Katrina much more resem-
bled red cabbage, thought Peter, with q
and sauerkraut, whilst up at the castle
there was to be this very day grand feast,
with richest viands and raresJ wines-
the latter stolen from the Baron Stickin-
seide, in that knight absence; and also an
OK roasted whole. a fine fat OK Peter
knew it to be, since it was only to day that
it had been taken from his poor neighbor,
Hans Hapner, who had depended upon its
sale for winter clothing tor his large family
of little ones.
"Ach p sighed Peter Bloch; II would
that | were the Count Won SchWaltZ
schoffensburgh. Then might be happy"
He he! ha hn! no ho" Uttered a voice
close beside him. And hot breath, as
of charcoal lEiln, passed over Peter
Blochs check.
He turned round and saw, leaning against
neiphbnring iir tree, an extremely tall
suit Of black, with a remarkably high
crowned hat on his head red cloak over
his shoulders, and oddly shaped shoes. half
hidden by enormous red rosettes. The
eyes of this persunage were black as Goals,
and twinkled with merriment, as he
laughed with mouth stretched from car
to ear
Peter stared, and the stranger, having
apparently exhausted himself with laugh
ter, bowe ;,p jog :'ically, anil seated him
self on the log ',y his side.
Excuse nae, ntein Iierr,' he said 'but
you-he he!-you w,re wishing to be
the noble Count Won observation-disclosures
burgh?"
"Whal is that TO youy" said Peter, sui.
lenly.
"On1y that it may be in my power to
help you to your wish," answered the
stranger, susv'ly And he put his hand
to his mouth, with a sight cough, as if
to repress an involuntary delighted "hf
hI"
Peter looked incredulous.
"You do not believe me-" said the
atrQn rpo, biu l3f11n ovuc +u;
nciously.
Nes'a," sold Peter, hoggedly.
"Try mel" said the man in black. "Scc
here! write your name at the bottom o,
this parchment, and if you do no.. imme-
diately become what you wish, then shall
you throw me into your charcoal furnace
and burn me to clndrr'
"You agree to thaty' quoth Peter.
AS lam an honorable soul who fears
the fire." was the reply. "He, he! hn, ho!
So great was his merriment that it was
some moments ere he c'h,id recover him.
self sufficiently 10 unroll the parchment
and present TO Peter a sharp pointed iron
pen.
~There is no i"k!" said Peter.
The man in black seized the pen,
and without 81 word plunged the sharn
point, vi y y sudden quick motion, into
Pe'cr Hlnc!. si.:., lcG, ty.uetl
by the r,,.l, up lcathern br"' ches
"Oh, OH" scrcchtd the charcoal
burner, hopping around on one fu,.' al 4,
rnb'irg the wnrr I'd li,nb, which burnt
as if seartd ny ~ not iron.
1t IS nothing re~p''ntlcd the man in
black, with grin. "Hrc, take The pcn
before the blood dries, and write your
name"
Peter obeyed; not from any faith in the
strangers promise, but simply from curl
Oslty. he could not write, 50 was about
to make the u-lal cr:,*s ozark whrn the
stranger, with startled YELL arrested his
hand.
Not +het''' he shr:eked, glaring upon
the affrlgn1ud iettr, and trembling all
over. Not ihat, but do "a IN ST.. me
do:' and ne made aptculiar flourish Of hi \
long finger upon tn" parchment, which
Peter Initiated rs we'll az he could, with
the iron pcn dripping with his OVID blood
lie lie he! hn hn Mt ho ho ho ho !"
resouAdcd in hollow dy ing cch, ,cs through
the forest, AMI the man in black was gone :
whilst the charcoal-burner suddenly felt
himself flung to the earth with shock
which at once depriv. him Of his senses
When Peter presently began to recover,
'.t'tDAttN WuetucI 1T were uOC Lii Il urt am
Ag'.r m"ny people were pressing around
ni.n "'>n '>' |nnlatiOns of alarm AID con.
cerh: I, l'c ,' ud their remarks vaguely.
HIS neck IS broken"
NO, IL IS h,s back. Don't YOU see he
is paraIyzed ?" 000
OF a truth it is his hiyhnoas,o ekn,1
that is fractured. What ia tn ht.
done % !" o0
Take him to the Castle" said one
voice viz
1" lie must rot ne moved on any ac.
COUNT said auo, her.
"A hot bath |"
"A cold bath -
Rub himi"
Bleed hml"
Watcr!"
l}laudy!"
"a h!i-tnr!"
"A cpolinp lotion!"
"A doctorr
You, B'csch"N, ride to the castle like
Whlrj WIND for th.: dnror Tell him our
noble |'r'' ttv H"',rt has fallen from his
horse "nl is lying ecnsclcss!'
~ VA, true, rs P't"r Bloch now began
to comprehend The Young Count von
Schwaltzschofensburgh haI lust before