Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-21
THE FORESTER'S. DAUGHTER.

midst of solitary wood, there is a house
in which, in 1919, dwelt a forester whose
name was Merkel. He had three chill
dren; the eldest was girl OF seventeen,
handsome, strong, and resolute.
"Won't you be frightened in these I'M
settled times 2" asked her father, when he
with her mother and the two younger
children were starting on Christmas morn
ing to 60 to church.
Frightened9" said the brave girl,
laughing. "Up-stairs hang your guns,
two double barreled."
"Take care, Kate" said the father,
"they are loaded with ball!"
g. All the better for that" said the girl /;
"Sultan is with me too, and he always
knows his man. and I shall shut up and
bar the windows down stairs"
AS they left the house, she began to
close and bar all the windows on the
ground floor.
Then she not only locked and bolted
the door, but placed a heap of blocks OF
wood against it inside, and calling the
great dog to her in the kitchen, she began
to prepare for cooking the family dinner,
as her mother had directed. When this
was arranged, she went up stairs, and car
ried all the powder which her father kept
in large stone jar into the upper room,
and the bullets, too, of which her father
had a large supply.
Outside, the snow laid thickly upon the
trees and the ground; the cold was cut
ting and severe.
Merkel was a well-to-do man; but con.
sidered much richer than he really was.
Kate's parents and brothers might just
have reached Weilheim, when she saw 9
half-frozen old man, leaning on his staff
approach the house She remarked how
he trembled at the frost, and how disap
pointed he looked when he saw all the
shutters closed, as if no one was at home
His snow-white beard nearly covered
his face, and seemed to reach almost up
to the cap of foxskin which he wore on
his head, with the foxtail hanging dow1i
behind.
The girl pitied the old man. He could
not get on to Weilheim, for his legs
seemed scarcely able to carry him now
and in this weather he ran in great danger
of being frozen to death.
She went to the window of the second
story, and asked him what he wanted.
ooh! my good child" he cried up
with faint voice, i" want to warm my
self, for l am thoroughly frozen. can
not get any further on my way to We'll
helm, for / have not tasted food to-day"
The kind heart of the maiden was soft
ened and overcome.
She fastened down stairs, moved away
her means of defense, and opened the
door; but scarcely was the old man in
the room, than she locked the door again
little thinking that she had now to de
fend herself against an enemy within
She showed the old man into the warm
room, and made him sit down in her ia
theirs armchair, which stood near the
large stove.
"Something hot will be the best tt
warm and revive you," she said kindly
"There is some coffee, which we only
drink on Sundays and festival days, left
/ will warm it for you"
1t seemed strange that the great dog
Sultan, ran about in an angry, excited
way, growing and showing his teetl
from the time the old man had entered
the house Only with difficulty could she
keep him quiet. And now, when she wen
into the kitchen to get the coffee ready
the dog pressed up closer to her, ane
looked distrustfully at the old man, wht
was resting in the armchair.
The dogs strange conduct made hel
SUSPICIOUS. AS III many Olu UCTIudL
houses there was an opening in the wall
a sort Of window with slide between tn,
kitchen and the room inhabited by thu
family, through which the dishes wer'
passed from one to the other.
This window was just behind the arm
chair, and since this morning, when thu
mother had put the coffee and milk-pOt
through it, it had been left half open.
With gentle tread she went up to thi
window, and looked into the room. Wha
she beheld there indeed filled her will
horror
Before her eyes, the old man took OF
the fur cap, and the white beard, too
raised up his bent-down, powerless figure
and now there stood before her quite
different man than the one she in he
pity had admitted. The first was totter
ing, half-frozen old man-this was
strong young man, of savage and wicked
appearance; and the smile of joy at hi
successful trick, which passed over hi
face, had an expression which filed thu
girls heart with terror
80 overcome was she at this change ii
her guest, that for few moments she hat
no idea how it would be best to act
The robber did not know that he could