Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-12-28

ment, and in the course of her journey
lost her way in the green open fields,
not far from Just such q river, and near
to its source-at least | am sure it was
stream OF water, sweet and clear, with
shady trees and ferns close by. While
she was resting, to consider which way
she should go, the night came down,
and, being very tired, she took out her
wallet and had her supper, dipping in
the stream for drink Forth came the
stars in troops, and, as she did
not know astronomy, she thought there
were hundreds of thousands of them Wis
BILE to the naked eye The wind, which
had been rather high all day, sank
down to the least sigh among the
boughs, and Countess felt inclined to
go to sleep there and rest. There is
nobody anywhere near" said she to
| herself, land if there was, he would
not dare to hurt me, | think, with SO
many stars twinkling and watching"
This was another proof that she did not
know astronomy, or understand the
true nature of the heavenly bodies. So
her little savings-bank lying at her
side, and did not dream that night.
".
BY remarkable coincidence, some
where about the very time that the
count, whose real name, as you may
see, was Accountant, died and left
daughter, q count who Uas noble
man, born and bred, died and left 3
son. This took place in neighboring
country, but not far off, as We shall
soon see. This count had also reduced
himself to poverty; and when he came
to die, he called his soon to his bed
side and said:
my dear boy, my great fault has
| been want of thriftiness. / grieve to
say that ] have nothing in the world
to leave you but silver penny, which
| conjure you to put in savings bank,
SO that it may grow more and more"
So saying, he died, and the youthful
count, his son, found the silver penny
on the mantlepiece. This he imnedi
ately put IN his pocket, fully determin-
ed that he would place 1t in u savings
bank as soon as possible.
But when he began to inquire of the
retainers and others in his fathers cas-
tie where he wonld find a savings bank,
they laughed at HIM so much, and
made things so unpleasant for him,
that he resolved to run away ut once,
and find out a savings bank for himself.
SO he put some food in a sachel, and
went upon his travels AS he took his
crossbow with him, SO that he could
bring down bird now and then, he
was not likely to come to very bad hun
ger and, indeed, he made himself so
useful to cottagers and laborers, as he
went on his way, that he had no diff
Guilty whatever in getting rested and
refreshed and lodged. Whenever he
saw weak person doing o hard job, he
went up gaily and lent helping hand,
and so everybody thanked him, and
liked him, and made him welcome.
They used to be very much surprised,
for he was beautifully dressed, all
green and gold, and so on, and the wo-
men often said they were sure he was
real nobleman's son.
Being very light of heart, he was in
! the habit of singing any words that
! happened TO be running in his mind
and he had not gone far on his travels
! before he began singing to melody
which his mother had Taught him (his
/ father, | should have told you, was
widower), the words, Which is the
way to the savings banki Which is
the way to the savings bank ~
Just Mt this moment he came in sight
of the stream of which we have been
speaking, but 1t was then only mere
thread of sparkling water, gurglIng
over silver sand among forget-me-nots,
and rushes, and flag flowers As the
young count drew nearer to take q
drink of the water, the little shining
stream said, as plainly as possible-I
mean he thought it did" / know the |
way to the savings bank, / know the |
way TO the savings bank !" This pleased !
him very much, and he said out loud, |
as he ran along housekeeping the /
course of the little river, ooh, no! |
then | will follow you, follow you, lit
tie stream, follow you - BY this time !
the flow of the water was broken by /
some small boulders, and just there it /
spoke again-you know what / mean
and said, short aud sweet, Follow |
me- follow me follow me !" and went /
scutthng forward between the banks,
one little wave treading on the heels of
another, and making ups and downs,
and whirhgigs, and bubbles of the
most beautiful description, That night
the count slept in the open air, on the .
banks Of the little river, just as Count .
ess did; for | must now repeat to YOU .
that it was really the same river; and |
when he awoke at day dawn the stream
was still saying, Follow met" louder /.
than ever SO he washed his hands
and face, and went forward, still keep
ing to the bank of the stream.