The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-05-18

An, You rascal, SAID IneO0Ore 70 nlmJ
els this the way you pass your nights r
The idiot turned his head carelessly,
partly shutting his eyes with mocking air
aud without taking his lips from the grapes.
"Ah, said he, ''itis You, Theodore Come
and taste my grapes.
who gave them TO you e
kasper stretched out his hand and said,
Down there. There's plenty Of them
there"
''What, there You have stolen them
from Reebstock's garden !"
Yes, Theodore" replied the other
simply.
And if tell Of it 2"
you wC4't do that"
''Why not"
You would have to say what time Of
the night it was when you saw me.
As kasper said this he winked in an odd
fashion and laughed, as the artist hastily
recrossing the yard murmured, 'Hes, yes,
the fool is right"
But as he passed Moss seized hold OF his
coat and cried, stop, thief stop, l have
caught you you came to steal away the
heart Of Gretchen i
Theodore grew pale.
Let me 60"
mo, sit down"
Moss, beg you let me 60"
Eat some Of my grapes.
Listen. will rouse the house"
LEND me some tobacco, Theodore, and
| will make Gretchen come out, said Moss,
in strange tone, full of attention, and
conviction. "She loves you There, said
he, raising his finger, listen She dreams
Of you in her little chamber She says,
Theodore, my Theodore, l love thee y
The idiot closed his hold on Theodore's
coat, but he no longer thought of escaping.
He listened to the words of Moss with an
infinite joy.
''Oh, my good kasper, are you sure Of
what you say I"
And why not r. said Moss. "Are you
not the handsomest man in the village, and
the best one, too Don't you give me all
your old pipes and tobacco always when
ask for it Yes, yes she dreams of you
every night. There, sit down, and l will
make her come out.
Theodore sat down like one fascinated,
and the fool gave him cluster Of grapes.
Eat that, said he, ''you have given me
bread often enough for me to give you
something now"
Theodore, to please him, took grape
from the bunch. 1t was delicious. They
were the real MarkobFuno.
Moss laughed. Joining his hands before
his mouth he made . sOAnd like the waking
cry Of quail 1t was 50 true that farawAy
In the fields q quail was deceived, and
thinking in the middle of the night that it
was morning, called three times.
What are you doing r. said the young
man.
81 am hurrying the hours, replied Moss,
joyously '1t is o'clock outside Of the
brewery"
He repeated the same cry at long inter
walls, and from the fields around there came
a Thousand confused murmurs.
Let me do it, said he to Theodore,
'let me do it, Gretchen will come out, and
old Reebstock sleeps 30 soundly he'll not
wake up"
Then, leaning over the fence, he initiated
the first crow, slow and grave, hoarse in the
morning fog. You could almost see the cock
shake his feathers and balance himself on
the railing. Five or six hens came down
the steps Of the hen-house, looking ct the
moon above the roof.
you rogue" said Theodore, "whO
Taught you these things :"
But Kaspar Moss laughed gently and
whispered, ''Don't ask me am fool. "
The hens, surprised at their error, start
ed up the steps again, but the idiot full OF
mischief, chased them and made them hut-
ter and cackle.
Then, turning suddenly, he initiated the
song of the lark saluting the morning. He
put in it 10 much Of tenderness that Theo-
dore, with tears in his eyes, stretched out
his arms and murmured, 30 Gretchen
Come, come Gretchen, my love my Joy
my life Gretchen, it is my heart which
sings for thee 1t is l who call thee r
he leaned against the wall, his head bent
dreaming Of Gretchen, while Moss cOntin-
ued his sweet, trembling notes.
Gretchen, in her light sleep, had heard
the quail, and thought it dream then
the growing Of the cocks, and it seemed
still dream then the noise of the hens,
and her eyes opened. No light came in at
the little window, and she turned again to
dream Of Theodore But when she heard
the lark, when the soft, trembling notes
reached her heart, she arose, gently saying,
''Yes, it is morning"
She slipped on her pretty dress and
turned to oPen the window.
| Theodore had heard her move. He
started TO escape; but the moment the
shutter was thrown back, all his timidity
vanished. He leaned in at the low win
dow, and notwithstanding . low cry from
the young girl, seized her hand. 20
Gretchen, Gretchen" he said, Il love
theeI"
The moment he had pronounced the
words he trembled violently. Gretchen
moved like little dove surprised in her
nest, and with blushing cheeks stammered
softly, Theodore, dear Theodore"
She could add no more, for father Reel,-
stocks shutter opened suddenly above the
window, and out in the night air came q
terrible oath, followed by the words
| tGWhaf do I aaa hornp