The Hickman courier., 1872-11-02


After that, | listened moro thar
ever to the sound Of the she'll.
thought of the wonders of whicl
Uncle Bernard had told~ US, and
thought if one could only see thos,
things through a little hole, how
beautiful it would be-
But what surprised me more thar
all was that, while | was listening
it seemed as if 1 could distinguish
the echo of my own thoughts in th,
humming of the shell Some were
gentle and sweet; some were ioytu
/ and sang like the birds at the returl
of spring.
One day, however, the shell gave
back 10 me sounds that were less
agreeable; its music grew harsh
and caused me the greatest terror
( 1t was because I was not satisfied
with myself and dark clouds OBJ
scUred my soul. II was my fault,
my very great fault. But 1 must
tell you about it from the begin
ming.
In the afternoon of that day, Lud-
wig and l had gone to keep our
+ goats upon the Altenberg We sat
/ down in the shade of n group of
trees, when Ludwig suddenly point
| ed with his whip toward the ravine,
and said to me:
Look down there, on the edge
of that great rock. There is a
blackbird's nest N tho old beech-tree
there"
Uncle Bernard had often forbid
den me TO take birds nests; and,
besides, this was just over the pre-
cipice in the forks of a large messy
branch. | looked at it thoughtful
IL, and Ludwig said:
There are young ones in it.
/ This morning, whom | went TO gath
er. mulberries, I heard them calling
for their breakfast. They will be
gone by tomorrow, for they must
be fiedged."
l did not say anything, but the
devil urged me on. At last, | got
up and went to the tree. but it was
too large to climb. Unluckily n
smaller beech-tree grew beside it,
and l climbed this and bent it over
so that | could reach the lower
branches of the other. The two
black birds uttered plaintive cries
and futtered about me, but I took
no notice of thOm. I seated myself
astride of the messy branch, in or
der to reach the nest, which I could
see perfectly. There were three lit
tie ones and an egg in it. The lit
tie ones stretched out their necks
and opened their great yellow beaks
and | thought | had them. But, as
went forward, suddenly the branch
broke like glass, and I bad only time
for one shrek. l whirled twice
over in the air, and fell upon
large branch below, to which |
clung with all my strength. The
whole tree trembled to the roots,
and the other branch tell, sweeping
down the rock with noise which
made my hair stand on end. In
spite of myself, I watched it till it
reached the bottom of the ravine.
1t whirled about in the torrent, and
was borne away amidst the foam to
the great cascade, when l saw 1t no
more
Then I climbed carefully up the
trunk, clinging closely to it, and
praying God to forgive me, and at
last, pale and trembling, slid down
among the bushes. The two old
blackbirds flew around me with
heartrending cries. Ludwig had
run away, but as he went down the
path, he happened to turn his head,
and seeing me safe and sound,
he returned, all out of breath, cry
ing:
You are there! You did not
fall from the rock 2"
yes, | am here" I said, scarcely
able to speak. 4" The good God has
saved me. Let US go home--I am
frightened -
1t was near seven o'clock and the
sun was setting. Neither Ludwig
nor | blew our horns, as usual, to
hear the echo of the Hollow Rock
answer US. When we reached the
village, said to Ludwig:
"YOu will not tell 2"
=" Don't be afraid"
At eight o'clock my uncle had not
come home, and Gredcl and | took
our supper alone. Then 1 went in
to the library and took up the shell;
but oh what a tumult! 1 heard
the torrent roar, and in the midst of
it the plaintive cry of the two old
black birds, the sound of the branch
crashing down the rock, and the
creaking and groaniDg of the tree.
And when l thought of the poor
little birds crushed among the stone,
it was terrible
/ ran away to my little room and
went to bed; but sleep would not
como, and fear kept fast hold OF
me.
About ten o'clock / heard my
uncle come in. He took his horse
to the stable, and then went TO his
room. I tossed and turned upon
my bed. Ny soul seemed as black
as ink. Toward midnight, my grief
was so great that 1 felt / must con
fess everything. 1 got up and went
down to my unele's room. He was
asleep and night lamp burned up
on the table. / kneeled down b.
his bed, end he wo' up, ard rails
ing himself upon his elbow, looked
at me in surprise.
els that you, Fritzel " What
are you doing here, my child ?"
H HUnclc Bernard I cried, sob
bing, {" forgive me, | have sinned
against heaven and against you"
"What have you done ?" he said
gently.
81 climbed a beech-tree on the
Altenbcrg, to steal birds nest, and
the branch broke"
"Brokc.7 o my child!'
Z" Yes, and God saved me by let
ting me catch another branch. But
now the old birds arc calling to me
for their young ones ; they will not
let me sleep"
Ny uncle was silent for awhile,
and | wept bitterly.
"Uncle," l said again, 81 listen
ed to the shell this evening, but
everything is broken and confused.
1t can never come right again.
Then he took me in his arms and
said gravely:
al forgive YOU; but let this be u