The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-08
THE LITTLE WEATHERMAN.
adapted from the German |


Once upon time, far away in Ger.
many, . little boy stood mournfully gaz-
ing out window. It was in December,
and violent storm ragged. The rain beat
upon the window.pa which ratified
noisily with the blast; great snow.aakes
swept down alternately; while in the
streets water settled in deep pools, and
miniature rivers crossed each other in all
directions. 1t was a dreary sight to
Franz, and his little fingers beat impa.
tiently on the window-pane.
II wish the bad weather would not last
forever!" he cried, finally, with an eager
glance toward the weather.glass "a cum
ningly contrived little house such as you
have probably all seen-from the door Of
which in stormy weather q little man,
and in pleasant weather little woman
steps forth. 4
The prospect was nothing encouraging.
Franz with c'enched fist beat furiously
upon the window bench.
"Fie upon you, you bad, ugly weather.
he cried. Are you not ashamed
Snow, hail, rain, and wind The weather
must have a cudgeling.''
But, all at once and, oh, how fright
ened ne was there stood upon the outer
! window-sill gray little man. not higher
than wine bottle, wearing white cloak
which was covered with snow. On his
head was broad cooked hat, from
which the water flowed down in streams.
He nodded Familiarity to the genii of the
weather.glass, but frowned grimly as he
espied Franz.
"Saucy one,' and he sneezed; ''saucy
one, and he sneezed again, while imme-
diately the window easement flew open
he seized the terrified Franz by the collar
and spoke with laundering voice:
'Complain of me, once again, saucy one,
and will wash your face with snow and
hail-water you will never forget. But
come with me. You will know WHY this
weather is good. and that it seems good,
too, to those it benefits With these
words the little mans cloak spread
out like the wings of bat; they grew
larger and larger. Between these he
seated the boy, who was in great trouble,
as the elf few off with him through the
air.
The little man halted before linden
tree; his wings again shrank up in his
cloak.
'Now, look!'' he said to Franz, pro.
duciDg spyglass, which he fastened to
the trunk of the tree. 'Place your eyes
here, and tell me what you see.''
II see,' replied Franz, who at first,
through fright saw nothing at all, but
gradually his vision cleared, II see-I be.
lieve it is the inside of tree.''
"Ani what do you see therein g asked
this new acquaintance.
But Franz was so absorbed in the
things he viewed that he forgot the little
man who stood behind him.
"How pretty!' he exclaimed, "and
what are these roads for in the tree? All
empty, too, only below in the heart sits a
delicate little lady asleep. What is it she
holds so tight in her hand? 1t seems
to me it is fountain. What does it all
mean, I wonder -
II will tell you," replied the man.
''The little lady is the spirit of the tree
she sleeps now her winter sleep. When
the warm spring sunshine awakes her
the fountain escapes from her hand and
discharges itself on all sides through the
veins and tissues that you call roads.
Then begins the tree to grow and blossom
and nourish thousands Of little creatures
which delight themselves with life! But
should the nymph be too early awakened
she must die and tho trae with hor