Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-29
THE IDvL IN TnE WOODS,

Frau Wander Deck sat peaceably
before her house in the woods.
Trees overhead, trees on each side,
trees in front, made a comfortable
rustling. She sat like Cleopatra,
with ten Thousand Cupids tanning
her. 1t was an afternoon on which
cupids for that purpose would be
very ''aVallable." Frau Wander
Deck was woman of middle age,
fair, strong, tender woman. She
perhaps resembled one of her coun-
tryman, Durer's Madonna. What
brought her from Fatherland to
strike the roots of her lonely home
into a little farm half a mile from 8
dull country town in these United
States, not one of the towns inhab-
/ itants ever picked from her. She
lived there many years, a dense and
narrow belt of woods separating her
like a tabernacle curtain from the
prying senses outside; and while her
presence grew older among them,
its odor spread about. She carried
the gentle grace of woman who
has stepped in high places. Never
once did any clack-tongued woman
try to Westernize her mask of Frau
! into the contFacttve "Mis." Her
dignity was let alone.
Her land was titled by an oblone
being called Dan, who abode in the
village at might, and went every
morning at five O'Clock to worship
and serve before the courts of this
superior mystery. Dan threw con
| tinually at the birds. When his
mistress opened her door to the sun,
behold Dan was doubling down his
length for stone or twig; and when
she shut upon the dawn, he was
sauntering down the woodpath like
a measuring worm, to the sorrow
of the whippoorwills.
This woman had suffered. She
drew many to her. 1t was restful
to but look into her calm blue eyes
In time she became such a soother
/ as Hawthorne makes of his Hester
Prynne, or as every Scotch parish
seeks in ''the parson." Women
with broken teeth and hair bailed
up on the nape of the neck, came to
bewail their husbands to one who
never told, and who was sure to
send them away with a clue to hope
women in sorrow, girls who had
quarreled with their lovers, bust.
ness men who learned to value heI
sugges tions, childron-those pain
learners-au came to this oracle
No one said to another, "kRoW thoJ
that Frau Wander Deck gives audi
ence and wisdOm:" for behold, al
knew it and fitted silently to her.
At the very moment she sat dow
before her house, figure was ap
preaching shrinkingly. Its summer
drapery but whispered over tn,
grass. A young woman with gravl
face and brown masses of hair OF
her hatless head, struck Frau Van
der Decks vision as she lifted it
The Young woman had seen through
some distance the stately shape o
Frau Wander Deck, crowned by he,
delicate, lace-shaded face; when shl
found she was observed, she quick
ened her steps the more.
How many different sorts OF be
ings displace the air in this world
Across the fence from these, tina
half animate lump, Dan, plowed th
s'cParin," and bowed his forehea,
to the earth at every sixth step, a
deVoutly as a MoslemI
Good evening, Frauleln Esther,
greeted Frau Wander Deck, as sh
) held her hand to the girl. 81 hop
you find yourself well and happy.
Though she spoke Englisl
words, the German matron use
many of her own idioms.
do not know why any idiom shoul
sound queerly to US. "Truly,
said one of John Bulls sons, 18th
Americans speak English, but wit
an accent and expression neVe
heard of beforel" Spokessoftly on
of nv teachers in her Eastern fash
ion, esp down by the fdh." 1
Western schoolmate, putting be