Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-01-09
Hans and Gretchen;

Hans and Gretchen;
now cniLp's PRAYER WAS ANSWERED.
Over the sea, in Saxony Santa Claus j.
known as the "Christ Child" who now
comes on Christmas Eve with coveted re-
membranes to rich and poor old and young
far more universally than in the dear " Sun.
set Land" as America is POLITICALLY called
by the Germans.
III the time of our story, however, his Wis.
its were not so universal, and it is to be-
feared that sometimes longing little hearts
in the humble homes of the poor--of the
peasants especially--felt themselves sadly
neglected.
1t was in one of these extremely humble cot
tages in the vicinity of Leipzig. that a little
family of four persons dwclt--a widow witt
her two children and aged mother-all de
pendent chiefly upon the labors of the widow
for the supply of their daily wants, as the
grandmother was too feeble to do much
more than knit coarse yarn into cheap nit
tens and stockings for the Leipzig shops
which paid her but a few groschens for her
labor.
The beautiful Christmas time was com
ing to the rich and happy; but it was a sad
time to the poor cottagers, for with it was
coming the dreadful rent-day, dreadful be-
cause there was nothing with which to meet
it, and two pairs of hungry, eager eyes
watched one morning after the weary, dis
heartened mother, as she took her way to
her work in the city.
Full well did brave little Hans aud his
faithful little sister Gretchen know how
cheerful the town must look with all the
bright, beautiful garments and wares in the
shop windows, and the endless wonders of
playthings paraded everywhere, to possess
any one of which would have made them
happy. They talked together of the grand
fair i'll the market-place, and of the ever
greens being sold in such numbers in the
Augustus Platz till at length Hans sud
denly exclaimed q" | say, Gretchen. let us
earn some money" And when he mad
sufficiently enjoyed his sisters look of ad
miring surprise, he replied to her whispered
inquiry, How, brother Hans 2" by pointing
% a very little bit of a spruce tree which
was growing in corner of their little yard.
e" Well Just dig up that tree aud take it into
town aud sell it-oh for ever so much
money; and we'll just never say word to
mother till we can put the rent money
around her plate, aud some presents at
grandmother's. And then we will see what
for ourselves"
The little Gretchen was too delighted
with the idea of euacting such charming
magic TO question soherly its practicability,
tnd lent all her best energies to the grand
nlau # was NOT long before the LITTLE tree
was lifted proudly to the shoulder OF the
sturdy boy aud the two children, with
hearts as happy as beat inside the wealth
lest children in Saxony, trudged off to town,
unmndful of their thin garments or stock
nifiIass ,,ind s,note w crneIIv
Not a few mem and women smiled as the
cbildrar an,ro.cbed tba stands in Augnstus
plat wblra the heantifnl everTre.ns we're
selling. scarcely anv tree bowever bring.
;,,,, nor, tban ;sn ny 6ftoan 1,rnscban more
hringing ouIv fveNeonal 10 fyelve and one.
half ca,,is American money
Tbe childran fsI, that tb.v must NOT ba in
the yyav and varv sansihly ra,novad IN a
G,tIe J;,tancs ,,hsre tbev couid seat tbe,.
saIyes ,,I,n,, ,he coId sands and rest th,.ir
,,aar, hdd;,,s ,ithou, f.ar of ha;ng RIM ov.r
~ Ia',,, ,;,,'a mnhoJ, moticaJ tha,n ex.
,a,,, ~ s,n;i hnt Iii ,I.,,, hra,..i,' ,Yaited
s,iJ aJ,n;r..d th,;r trIas,,ra nit ~ bumgar
,md cnid A. t,.t - oentIemsn who lad
.aarched ne,sis stentlv a7nong tha trees Far
on', snt6,ie,'tl, mali for hi. 1nrros. noticed
o,,r it'll e,ro,r ,'hich ba annroacbed asl
IS ,',io ,h 11of mn'.n llI
~ ,,o, ~ " l,,;,a holll,, ,,,s,,,r..d tba
ho,, ~ H. I'LL ii ,,oda.,i,' onnGrn,i,,,, !,
;;I E.,i.
Aud h,a, ,,,,,,t doas il cost ." ,.k.d tl,a
,.,,I,,na, as ha - ,bs ,ree il, bis hand
oo,.d a,,a,,;,,d !, III a,,;dant sat;sfaction
,h,inr IL. Irhirt,, ,,r'sch,,'
a thaiar,' - o.. .aatad ~ man i, hlonL
,,,,,,a,na'', ha,dinr, hacL the trf. "Tt i.
.'';H,5 ',,', III ,,;ri h,,
| ttI,;ut vn, oi,s, tee, II, /, tb6Ier i ou;tf
,n,"n ,oa ,l,,,,b far '' :, -" i'
Wv ,.iH,'t ~ .o' n,.,l,i,,..il;,,I, f,.a.,ho,.
,,odas,I1s atfsr;n, rho ,ras
"'V Sill ,ata !, for fva ,ros,bs, >"
- ,haiar " nsrs;s,sd H. u,ho oo,ld
r,+ snd,ra an % 70 cppnt"mnIaie pS SO "nddsn % :
,rrsct of he Grand honas
III. ,,a''tIasna'' ,,,as tmr,;,,, .,,,,,, ,,,i,h
lo,t ~ di.nIsasmr, in his fscs wha,
Cret.h..r nIs.,d;ugIv excIainad :. please tal.
!, scr fya Groschs1 pIea., h.. ,ood daa
Ians and sslI IL for that|
Will tbe Gentlemen at,antiv.l,, raga,.Ia,
tbe ch;Idre, Ie said kindly thi9I Va,
md better sell if 10 me for five grosc6en
M one ,lse viii nav Won so much for /,
and / will nav Won for taking if home fo
me- win Won do il p"
Hans welded. but with evident sorro,v i
not modification.
As the children walked nv the side of tbei
friend. the little wooden shoes clattering o,
the pavement. while their teeth chartered il
their heads. he inauired. with assutne
strength .. Bubcbeu, Qittle how why di
YOU ask a thaler for that tree. when no ON
else would have thought of asking fy
rroschen for it ?"
. Because. sir" brayely answered Han,
with a SUPPRESSED sob i'm his voice " II IVA
the only tree ever planted i'm our ward. and
was lonping to earn lots of money 10 bel
pay mothei3s rent at Christmas, and to bu
. comforts for her and granny. if could. al,
-" here the boy yer suspiciously pause,
$50 Then that's il, Is itY WHY doesn
your mother nav her own rent ?"
She worked SO hard in the hot harye.
field that she got very III; then there wa
ever so much time lost, and medicine To bu,
a,,d wa had noth,uy mora In salI-uot