The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-04-17
Little Stories from the scandinavian.
Translated by II. Hanson.
THE UNaRATEruI CHILDREN.

} teachers can never be repaid for the
kindness they have bestowed on any
one. But alas in this world it goes
too often according to the well-known
problem, that father cln easier sup
port six children than six children one
about father who, while living, gave
all that he owned to his childr en- and
expected them to support him after.
wards in his old age. But when he had
lived while with his eldest son he be-.
came tired of him, and said Father,
last night my wife gave birth to son,
and where your arm chair stood the
cradle must now stand. viii you not
move over to my brothers? He has
| got more room than 1 have"
After while, the second sou also be.
came tired of him, and said : "Father
you always liked warm room, and I
have the headache from it (; would you
not like to go to my brother, who is
baker, he can stand it better"
The father went, and after he had
stayed some time. the third son said
:" In my house we are always running
III and out, 80 you can never get your
afternoon sleep; would you not rather
go to sister Elma, who lives outside the
city gate? You will be more quiet with
| her. The old man looked at the clock
and said (: g Very we'll, will go and try
and live with my daughters. WON n
have generally tenderer heart than
men. But, after he had stayed while,
the daughter became anxious to get rid
of him also, and pretended to be very
much frightened whenever her father
had to pess down the high stairway,
either when going to church or any.
where else, and said cat sister Ma
ria's You need not 60 down any steps,
man admitted that she was right, in
order that rything should 20 on
quietly and peacefully, and went to his
second daughters. When he had stayed
couple OF days, he became burden
to her also, and she gave him to under
stand, through third person, that her
| house, being too nesr the water, was top
damp for q man who suffered with
rheumatism /; but her sister who was
married 10 the sexton of st. Johns
graveyard had q dryer and healthier
house.
So he went to the house of his young
est daughter, IIaurina. He had stayed
q var y+=hcrb inc rn, !, y
him: I" Mother told Aunt Hilda, yes. !
terday, that for you there were no bet
ter quarters than such as father was
digging in the graveyard" When the
aged parent heard these cruel words.
his heart broke, and he fell back into
his armchair and died. ST. Johns
graveyard received him, and showed
/ more mercy towards him than his six
children had shown; there he can sleep
,1ndisturbed.
THE NOBLE HEARTED SONS.
.
There lived once in Stockholm an old
man of nearly hundred winters. He
was tailor by profession and had
twelve sons, who all had served under
Charles XII. Once they got few
days leave of abserce from their reei-
ments to go and see their old father,
whom they found on their arrival with
out broad and nearly starving. "Fa.
ther has no BREAD" said one of them,
"yet he has given to Sweden twelve
warriors !" Our dear father mnst he
helped but how?" "Can't we find
somebody who would be willing to lend
us little money!, asked the youngest,
who had good deal of faith in God
and good hearted people. "Trv to
borrow money, when we have nothing
to give in security What good will
that do" asked another. (" Have we
nothing Mt MI ?" asked the youngest
my brothers, will show you that We
have. Our father is tailor, and has
carried on his trade great many years.
aild is now about to die of starvation,
This is sufficient proof of his honesty
We, his sons, have served for many
years in the ranks of the Swedish army.
and no one can yet show stain upon
our honor. Let us give this, our honor,
as security I think we might borrow
little money on such a pledge"
This idea won their general approval.
The twelve brothers wrote and signed
the following letter: "We, twelve
Swedes, sons of tailor who is nearly
one hundred years Of ago, deprived Of
tho necessary means of support, pray
| the directors of the national bank for
the sum of two hundred dollars, to. be
used for tho support of our old and
helpless father. We pledge our honor
as security, and promise to pay the
above named sum to the bank within
one year. This letter was handed TO
the directors. The sum asked for was
| given to them, and the letter torn to
pieces; furthermore, the directors prom
ised to take care of their old father as
long as he lived, Scarcely had this
happened before it was made known
through the entire city, and rich and
poor paid visits to the old white headed
man, and none went empty handed.
| The tailor was thus placed in good cir
cnmstances, and after his death left
small capital for each of his sons q
reward for their filial love.
THE LITTLE FLOWER.
One day, two young girls went to