Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-04-03
. From Demorest's Young America.
era MalmOt her Halls story.

OA~"WAsaONAcx AA~AA . DSVEys
BY MRS. DENIsoN.
That's not half so strange story as
could tell" said Grandmother Hall
smiling upon the little group around The
fire.
Herbert, the oldest boy, had been read.
ing aloud the " Adventures Of little
Wanderer," but tho announcement made
by Grandmother Hall thst she could tell
. story, q true story, threw the adventures
they had just been listening to fur into the
shade, and they all crowded round the
knees Of tho handsome old lady, with shin.
ing eyes.
ut was in little Swiss town that nv
hero and heroine were born," said grand.
mosher, when order was restored. The
boy was named FRITZ, and the girl Ma
delien. One year, when the children were
aged respectively seven and nine, there
came a plague which killed many Of
parents Of little Fritz and Madelien. The
children were taken out Of compassion, by
two Of the neighbors-Margery and john
who pitied them at FIRST, and treated them
like their own children. Nobody knew
who their relations were-the little ones
talked sometimes Of their Uncle Strollern,
whom they had seen often years ago, but
that was all, and they could get no clue to
his whereabouts.
One day john came in fell Of new
project; they would 60 to America, where
the streets wero paved with gold, and
diamonds could be had for the asking.
But the children" said Margery.
"Wc'll take the children; they'll work
for US if nothing can be done; we'll make
our fortune by them."
So Margery and John came to America
where all was new and 30 strange. John
found that gold was not plenty, and: that
diamonds comm andcd the usual price
but he found WORK in . mill, and that
kept him from starving. After q while
the children began to seem troublesome,
and John cast about in his mind how he
might be rid Of them.
"lll tell you what, Margery," he
said one day, there's circus in town,
and Pve had talk with the agent. He's
coming up tomorrow to look at the chill.
dren."
"What for ?" asked Margery.
ooh, you'll see;" said John.
On the following day black whiskered
man came to tho cottage. Little Fritz
and Madelien were at play together in
tho yard. They were very pretty then,
and wore their Swiss costumes, such as
you sec in the little picture in my bed.
room. The black. wbiskered man looked
thoughtful and considered. "They are
pretty children he said" but it would be
u long time before they could be of any
service to me. I'll see your husband
again, madam" and of he went.
Presently in come Fritz and Madelien,
she with hor hands full OF bright leaves,
which she had found upon the snow, for
twas the first storm Of the eeason that
very day, and the snow was still whirling
in the air.
II cut you some long sticks, dame;'
said Fritz, as he ct God on the threshold,
HE great dark eyes shining, tho curis
falling over his white forehead as he
pulled of his bright blue wooden cap. "
psf them all in the shed-didn't /,
Madelien ? and we went ever 80 far in
woods.''
You mustn't 60 in tho woods" said
Margery,-"they say there are wolves
there; keep about thine own doorstep"
"Here are some pretty leaves" said
Madelien, Offering them to her.
~Leaves won't pay thy board, child, ?
muttered Margery, but the little girl did
not hear. "Let you busy" she continued
in louder -''set the table"
Fritz turned out the great leaves Of
the shining old oaken table, prattlipg al
lie did SO.
"We saw somebody ride by that locked
like my UNCLE" he said; didn't he have
splendid horses, though
"Yes," prattled Madelein "he almos,
stopped when he saw US and he looked al
US so. Fritz declared it was Uncle
Strollern, aud ran after tho carriage
But Uncle Strollern wouldn't be in Amer.
lea, of course not
"Of course not" muttered the dame.
sand we saw some Of the circus PEG.
pie, didn't we Fritz oh, they had great
white horses all covered with red cloth
and gold. Don't wish we could 20 and
see them? never saw circus in my
life"
"Perhaps you WILL" said the dame,
and then her face grew red.
"Ob, if we couldW cried the child, her
sparkling eyes growing brighter-"o only
think, Fritz! the white camel with lots Of
humps, and the ladies all riding on horses,
how fine it must be!
"They won't let US 60 in withou,
money" said Fritz: "Patch ought to be a
circus dog, hadn't you Patch %
Patch was cross-eyed yellow and
brown, who sprang up At the sound of hif
name, and Immediately began to beg OF
his hind feet.
That night the children went to bed
quite tired out and were soon asleep. The
clock was striking twelve az Fritz awoke
with start and a thrill, every fac ulty il
full force on the instant. Lifting hilnsel
up on one elbow he looked out. How
clear and lovely the night was! Earth
and sky were alike llluminsd by the mild
lustre Of the moon.
81 wonder what woke me up?" Fritz
asked himself, "seems as if somebody
must "a touched NO." lie looked over te
the crib where bis little sister Madeleip
was fast asleep. lie could sec her round
rosy cheeks, the long brown lashes, thu
soft curling hair, and he smiled at he look
ed, for he was very fond Of Madelein.
AT that moment he heard footsteps out.
side his chamber door.
"les only fostor-mother and John" he
said to himself they IRE coming to sec
II 40 are all right; but they shan't itch
me awake" So he hid his face in bis arm
and they thought him asleep.
"Somehow my heort fails me, john
said the woman, as the two came in
chow sweesly they DO sleeping, pool
things; where will thoy be tomorrou
night, wonder ?"
"Safe enough, dame, and you and
will have One hundred do11o "a =, ..1l 4.