San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-13
THE GIANT AND THE MISSING chill
.r .H. DREN.

Did you ever hear the German story
of the Giant and the Missing Children
Ittells what happened long time ago
in village among the mountains. One
summer, there, the children began to
disappear one by one. 1t was certain
that they were not kidnapped and it was
Just as sure that they did not run away.
The first that vanished was little Hans
Stobbelt. elias any body seen my
HansP" cried his granny, standing out
side the door of her cottage. ~ had
just told him I wanted him to go to the
miller's and be has disappeared, some
how, all at once, without knowing what
the errand is. Hans! Where are
you?" she shouted. "Why, he was
here not half minute ago!" But none
of the neighbors could tell any thing of
Hans. What is more, Hans did not re-
appear. The night passed, and he did
not come; the next morning nothing
was to be seen of him. All the neigh
ors were much excited, for though Hans
had not been good boy, every body
was sorry at this having happened to
him. While q group of them around
about the grandmother was plying her,
cry arose in one of the other cottages.
Those who hurried there found Frau
Hickelt standing near the hearth with
her hands raised, gazing vacantly be-
fore her. "My Gretchen is gone!" she
said in frightened voice. 81 just babe
her clean the hearth, and when look
ed again she was not there. Where is
she gomez" she asked, turning from one
to another of them. They could only
shake their heads. In fact, they thought
Frau Hickelt had gone mad. But it was
quite true that Gretchen was not to be
found, though they looked everywhere
for her, both indoors and out. That
day three other children vanished. On
the next day five went. All the village
was in alarm, that is the elders were,
for they tried to keep it from the chill
dren themselves. There was no GER
tainty about any boy or girl in the place.
The grown-up people had but to turn
their backs, and he or she was gone in
an instant. ana u ta1. 9| : ;
At last strange clew was got to the
mystery. Little Augusta Hirsch vanish.
ed when her aunt as well as her mother
was in the kitchen. The aunt said: 81
saw her go!" At her mothers bidding
she had just taken the broom to sweep
behind the stove when all at once she
disappeared, just as she was speaking
the words 81 wish " But she
hadn't time to finish. l heard nothing
more. She was gone like flash!
That is very strange!" exclaimed
tyranny Stobbelt, who was one of the
listeners. "Now you speak of it, the
last words l heard my Hans say behind
my back were, Il wish -"
Those very words my Gretchen said!"
cried Frau Hickelt. Indeed, nearly ev-
cry body who had lost child came for
ward, and each and all were able to
confirm this. Two things could be
made out-first that the children only
went when their elders had set them to
10 some task; second, that in the act of
OF vanishing, they all uttered the words,
wish -" But in about a weeks
ume the thing was carried yet step
Iarlher. "My Gustave Is gone!" cried
william Neumark, appearing excitedly
a. me gate of his little garden. "My
ears are quick" as the neighors gather
90 round, "and clearly heard all he
sad / had bid him dig faster, and he
answered, Il wish there was no dig
ging' Why, our Hans did not want
70 90 to the miller's," Granny Stobbelt