Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-01-18
FROM
AN ALPINE STORY.
CHAPTER Iv-AND LAST.

Hans entered into conversation with the
stable boy the latter had seen two mag
istrates, accompanied by two armed Off
cials, drive from town into the country,
and he had caught some Of the talk
about their days work. Seated again on
the box, he turned round and impaired
to his young master what he had learned.
Turn the horses heads back home
wards - shouted Bold, jumping up from
his seat. 4 will take the responsibility
They took another way home to avoid
attention, Boldl alighted at the forest.
What became of the large sale of timber
in town without him we are unable to
record.
FRONTS hut presented a sad sight. 1t
was empty, the few pieces of furniture
lying outside. There lay the spinning
wheel and the empty cradle turned over!
Boldl with shout of distress rushed for
ward and nearly killed the man who was
engaged in repairing the tumble-down
place. The man, frightened to death,
told him all that had happened.
''And she has gone, really gone? ~
How could she help it, poor thing,
with the magistrates upon her p
And left the baby? How could she =
"How could she? when they had got
it, and two armed men between her and
the child p
! "Can she really be gone ?"
"She has gone, for saw them accom-
| pany her down the high-road." Boldl
4 gave himself up to paroxysm of rage
/ and despair
7 "Ah, yes, poor thing sighed the
mason, calmly taking to plastering the
wall again
With Boldl was a conviction that Fro
nj was not gone had not forsaken her
baby. She was hiding in the wood; he
would find her, and then they would
fetch their baby. If his father had driv-
en- her out into the world well-he had
driven out his own son too
After long hours of suspense, anxiety
and useless searching, Boldl, wild with
grief and exhaustion, approached the
mayors house lie had information that
the baby had been brought there for the
present in want of another home for it.
1t was clear, bright moonlight, but no
one was abroad Boldl could approach
the inn unseen. A watchdog prepared
to bark, but recognizing Boldl's familiar,
caressing voice, he came waggirg his
bushy tail, and followed him on his er-
rand. BoldI went round the large build
ing, he passed the mayors and Hannerl' 5
curtained window he knew the child
would not be there; he proceeded to the
servants part, giving look at each
window, with sharp ear to catch every
sound, but all was still. At the farthest
away from any of the house people S
windows, there was one standing open,
only covered with wire muslin to keep
flies and other insects out. Boldl gave a
hard push and his hand broke through
the wire blind. Entrance into the house
was won. He thrust his hand farther
in to remove the hooks, and the wire
work and frame came out at once. Floods
of moonlight streamed into the park
room, and there in the middle Of the
room stood something huge which Boldl
recognized as finely carved table. Here,
indeed, lying in Hannerl's cradle, lay
Fronts baby. They had put him out Of
the way, lest his crying should disturb
their sleep. The child had been crying
indeed for some hours, finding itself
alone in a strange place but at last it
fell asleep, and now slept the good sound
slumber of happy childhood
Boldl had but one idea getting hold
of the baby-his own baby, lest it should
disappear like its mother He introdue-
ed himself into the room by the window
accompanied by the dog, knelt at the
cradle, kissed the little face, took up the
bundle Of feather beds containing his
precious boy, and made out of the win
dow in triumphant speed. He called the
willing dog to follow him, lest they, no.
ticing the fraud too soon, should send
him on his track and man, dog and ba
by-bundle soon plunged into the thick
forest, leaving no trace behind.
A few minutes after Boldl's withdraw
al another form broke out of the wood
appearing on the lighted-up place before
the inn. 1t drew near the house in the
same cautious way, and the same maEe
vre began over again.
Boldl had been right FROM was not
quite gone. Seeing herself too weak t
, grapple with the authorities of the place
she resolved to go-not home into he
own village-sending letter to her ole
!. teacher and patron, the priest, for th'
papers will do the workout to 20 "a
a to the emperor himself. Francis JOSEPH
: was in Styria, and many an instance Q
! his benevolence and gracious clemency
! his cordial behavior to the country folks
d had become a current tale in the villag
es far about. Front would journey nigh
o and day, she would throw herself at tb
!, EMPEROR feet She knew right woul,