, 1876-01-01
Andersen's Childhood.

Hans Christian Andersen was born in
the city of Odense, on the island of
Funen, April I'd, 1905, and he died in
Copenhagen, August 4th, 1875. His
father was poor shoemaker, and lived
with his wife and child in a small room,
which had to serve them as parlor, bed
room, nursery, and kitchen. The bed in
which the whole family slept the shoe
maker had himself made out of the cata-
faloue of deceased nobleman, and the
funeral trappings of black cloth, which
the father no doubt thought very orna-
mental, were still attached to the frame.
While Hans Christian was a child, he
mostly amused himself with sewing
dolls clothes and arranging puppet thea
tres; and his mother, who fancied that it
would be great thing if in time he could
become tailor, gave him all the rags
and paper she could spare. But he did
not like the idea of boing a tailor; he
would much prefer to be prince or a
noble, or perhaps king, who could wear
fine gold-embroidered clothes and ride
in a gilt carriage of his own, drawn by
six beautiful horses. But as there was
little prospect of his being made king in
any ordinary way, he thought of ali sorts
of extraordinary ways; and it was on this
account that he took such pleasure in
his theatre, because there he could make
himself king or general, or even emperor,
and in fact anything he chose, and even
believe in it himself for the moment. In
deed, there was nothing too incredible for
him to believe. One day, for instance,
an old woman who washed clothes told
him that the empire of China was sit
uated under the river of Odense. "And, u
SAYS Andersen in "The Story Of My Life, u
81 did not find it at all impossible that a
Chinese prince, some moonlight night
when was sitting there, might dig him
self through the earth up to us, hear me
sing, and then take me with him to his
kingdom, make me rich and noble, and
/ finally let me visit Odense, where would
live and build me a castle. Many an
evening did l occupy myself with trac-
ing and making ground plans for It,"
When Andersen was only five OF si6
years old he lost his father, and his th5thet
had 10 take Id washing to support herself
ana her son. Like haht 9thef p96t ehil-
dFen, he WIS sent 10 y fiGt8FB Where he
K@ 10 w8Fk But the iab6feFs theEe teased
him and Hade sb8Ft 81 hlhij ana as he
WIS net \ bFate bBYl he ran h9he 10 hls
mother and said that he would heyeF 90
back agaiHj and ,his mQtheF, petted hi@l
md Yielded t8 lhs WISH, IA seh89l ht
hardly fAFed mHeh betteFi the sehQ8l;
mlstFhSS, Wha sat with \ long rcd In her
hand N the and 9f iba tablaj gHea han:
peRed t9 hlt ,hIBl aHa agal , 9e FAH, aEAlr
AHdl w. usual lls mother lngplgeA v w
IN lha hpHsa NJ W old lady, MFs Hnnke-
Apd he now gpt hold NJ 2 trans alien 81
shakaspeaFe, md immediately began tl
write 1 tragedy nf his own, IN which
everybody Killed himself or was killed
by Somebody else,
In Denmark every boy and girl must
spend year In preparing for confirmation
and during this time they receive rell'
gioua instruction once or twice week
from the pastor Of the parish. Andersen
went with u great many other children
10 such black.robed pastor, and was ai
last confirmed. But because his parents
were poor, and his clothes were great
deal too large for him, the boys would
have nothing 10 do with him, and only {
little girl now and then addressed kind
word to him, for which he was very
grateful. He was 20 regular girls boy,
his companions said he cried-whea-you
hit him, and never struck again, and ne
cared neither for leap-frog nor marbles
But he was very fond Of books, and sal
at home reading when other boys were
at plaY.-St. NiehOlas for December.