Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-03-13

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

Hansen, a lich Swedish merchant, was
visiting Pomerania with his son, he
took lodgings at q neat looking inn,
where many years before he had passed
three days. It had been pleasant wealth.
er then, but now the wind ragged fierce
", and the sea lashed itself into fury.
The hardest men had abandoned the
coast, and, shivering with cold, had re-
turned to their homes. Edmund, the
son of the merchant Hansen, went out
Hsr TO look about him, wrapped in a great
wooden cloak, but soon came in said
to the white-haired landlady h.a-
What fearful weather, Mother Mar
Oh TENS 7 No one in his senses would ven
tured on the sea just now" -
so. zT2H That Is true enough, young man
bic no good would come of it, . replied the
- old wOman.. f5ss 1ss ) gna nom
-,----a You could very easily weather such
storm" said Edmund, smiling.
Such O voyage as you once made is
not taken very often. My father has
told me about it, You are shielded
- - from wind and wave. 0E# Sss
Hush!" said the old woman fswe
are everywhere under the eye of God.
Those whom He keeps are well kept. y
Z" That is true, Mother Martens, !" OBJ
served the merchant. You have had
proof of the divine power and goodness.
The storm is stlll raging; let us close
- the shutters, and hear the story from
JHoJ Beginning to the end Edmund will
~. De pleased to know all about it. " tasd
T" I do not like to speak of myself, =
- said the woman; 9 one should leave
that to others However you are right,
... sir :; this narration may be useful to
r. the young gentleman, and as there Is
I sr nothing more to be done outside, ] will
tell You how God gave me a. proof of
W ,47 his watchful care. - = 10000 a:.ta
sasx AT these words. the good woman
closed the shutters, put the kettle on
Is TIE fire, and when the water was hot
-.asa and the tea served she began : b z is
asu5Fuo 6 You see, sir, I am an old woman. [
s have lived manyalong years in this
strange country; bat the day I left my
$50 own land is as distinct in my memory
~ as if it was yesterday The cabin Of
my parents was situated On the seaeoast
IN the southern part of Sweden.
have never known riches Our greatest
treasure was COW, spotted black and
= white. We had raised her, and she was
very precious to US. It was my bust
ness to lead her every day to pasture
y - In summer 1t was very pleasant, but
e3. not SO IN winter My father was a
fisherman, and when the snow covered
the county and the sea was flozen over,
we suffered much. Once we might
COW. The poor creature was the object
Of ali our care. One time the winter
49, was more severe than usual, the snow
was piled up all around cur cottage,
ass. and |, scarcely sixteen years old, longed
gr for the spring as bird for the sun, AT
z Last, one. cold, foggy, misty day, the
sun drew. me to the door, and I led our
COW along the shore, where, here and
there at the foot ofthe dunes weresome
tufts of grass. The COW bounded with
soy, and was truly happy. Suddenly
she ran towards the sea, which was
covered with thick ice, that cracked
and broke as she moved over it. She
reached a large cake of ice, and, stand
ing on 1t, attempted to drink I had
gone with her. [ kept close to her side.
and saw IN the distance great blocks OF
ice carried away by the tide. Imme.
diately felt the ice under us move.
called to the COW and tried to drive her
to the shore, but she had not drunk
enough and would not STIR I cried
aloud [ seized the cow and drew he1
with al my strength; and,
o most mighty God / the
ice on which were, separated from the
shore and began to drift out towards
she open sea. To right and left, before
and behind, the ice was carried away
| looked around-I was going farther
and farther from the land. I was
numb with fear. The ice collected il
heaps as it moved slowly or heavily
along that on which we were, hfoateo
as small boat. The COW shook witt
cold. The swift tide pressed on us an6
drove Us ahead. Night came on. The
81 sun set long ago, and now it was black
~ night. The waves broke on our ice
cake. [ fell on my knees-I prayed
ID The COW had lain down. I stretchet
myself close to her :; this warned me
Then thought of my father and moth
er, who would look for me SO anxious
". I was filed with grief, and [ slept
exhausted from fatigue. In the middle
OF me night awoke shivering and my
teeth, chatterlng. Oh what spectacle
WIS before me !, On ali sides where nay
eyes rested, nothing but water, nothing
ptit the dreadful sea The stories about
water elves or fairies that I had heard
totd ny sailors came to my mind.
seemed to see monsters and Dhantoms
come from the bottom Of the abyss.
tancled saw strange figures floating
IKE clouds toward me. Then I shut
my eyes and prayed again. When ]
@ eteneo them saw bright star abe ad
IS looked again. 1t was q light, and ii
surely moved A boat with men in Il
was coming toward US % Nannette I
she ought to shout for JOY, but the
poor shlvering creature did not move
Ay fingers were numb and stiff, but ]
tore of my apron and waved it in the
air, then then
Then, interrupted Edmund. with
glowing eagerness, "they reached YOU
and took you home--you and Nan.
nettel" .-.- o. = - =
Il do not quite know how it was. >
said the old woman, whose ewes were
flied with tears. II remember onIy
voices, and then finding myself on q
big ship, and then being home again
IN thu dear cottage, and father thank.
ing the blessed God and rubbing Nan.
nette, and then the happIest moment
when father said 0 my daughter I'D /
felt sure you would pray, and God
would hear you Young man! with
the dear God to listen, 1 was as safe on
that open sea as [ am now by this
bright, warm fire." 81
sAy. ay!" said the merchant quiet
ly, and the son, looking intently at the
et4 dancing blaze. SAID, q thank you,
Madam Martens. - Hearth and Home
1aa kuitting-Work.
ny GENIE