Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-06-26

And when the darkness falls again,
Stand, like the watch-tower, strong and sure;
In patience bide thy lonely pain.
Steadfast, remember-and endure!
-Harper's Maga=ins.
A Sketch in a Narrow Street,
It was so narrow, this little back street
in the quaint, old-fashioned German
town, that Hans Gottlieb could, if he
had so wished, have shaken hands out
Of his window with his opposite neigh
Dor.
The sun that shone so bravely else
where was seldom visible here; only in
the early morning few golden CLEANS
found their way in, and gave faint en-
couragement to the two or three flowers
that blossomedi in pots on the window-sill.
On such occasions Hans would pause
in his work, knowing full well, what was
coming-how the easement opposite
would be flung open, and a girls voice,
singinga blithe little French song, would
ring across the silent street to his listen
ing ears; how slim, pretty figure would
for moment stand framed in the bios
soming scarlet runners, pretty figure,
with dark French eyes, and black hair
drawn up under white cap, beautiful
contrast, so Hans thought, to his comely,
yellow-haired countrywCmen. AS soon
asthis vision appeared Hans would pause
in his work and turn his eyes toward it,;
would wait until the watering of the
flowers and the singing of the song were
alike ended, and would then approach
his window.
GOOD morning." his neighbor would
call across in that pretty foreign German
that was so enchanting to his ears
"Good morning, Monsieur Gottlieb,"
and then with q nod and a smile the
trim little figure would vanish into the
dark shadows, and Hans return to his
work.
But though life was too busy with
these two, and bread difficult enough to
win even when one worked hard for it,
so that neither could afford to idle away
the minutes in talk, yet Hans as he
worked, dreaming OF the days when
stone-carving should not mean daily
bread, but honor and glory to those he
loved, was pleasantly conscious all the
time Of dark head bent over table
drawn close up to the window opposite
"a table covered with many bright
colored scraps of muslin and paper
which in due course, under those deft,
small hands, became summer flowers; at
this short distance seeming to the locker
on the spoils of a June garden.
Thus they worked day after day, these
two, so near together, yet so far apart,
abstaining from all conversation which
might have made the days pass more
quickly; but then an hours idleness
might mean going supperless to bed, 90
that even Rose Cordier, dearly as she
loved the sound of her own voice, re-
Trained from making use of it, except
for an occasional song. But when the
day was over, when the GOODNESS in the
little close street, and the shadowy gray
of the strip of sky overhead, gave notice
that the long summer day was drawing
to an end, when the small room grew
dark, then Rose would rise and open the
door, to interchange greetings and gos'
sip with the neighbors-with the women
sitting on their doorsteps, knitting i1
the peaceful twilight, their children
playing about them; with the fathers
returning from their work; with the
young men lettering about smoking, fol
Rose had always bright word and lool
for every man, woman and child sh,
knew.
And they were all fond of hero
this little foreigner who had come anon,
them four years ago with an old mother
since dead, and who earned her dali,
bread honestly among them.
Then as it grew even darker, Han
Gottlieb would become aware that tn
day and its work were over, and woul,
lay aside his chisel, and also seek wha
little fresh air there was at the door o
his dwelling. he did not laugh or got
sip with his neighbors, as did Ros
Cordier; it was not his way, and thi
fact was quite recognized by the dive
lers in William street. Beyonda Goo
evening, neighbour" they did not seek
disturb him in the enjoyment of hi
evening pipe, only occasionally Ros
would step across and ask him what b
was at work upon, or if he had goo
order, and then poor Hans, flush all owe
his fair face, would proceed to describ
his work, his prospects, until Rose, with
pretty shrug of her shoulders, would tel
him in her foreign German she could NO
understand him; he must speak slower
much slower; it was too late now, but t.
morrow. yes tomorrow, he must try an
explain it all again, TO. it was Interest
ing, so interesting. But for now it mus
be goodnight, goodnight to ever
one," and the slight, trim figure ha
disappeared, and the door was closed.
The neighbors, watching Hans as
strolled up and down the little stree
afterward, pipe in month, nodded an
smiled to one another. "Ah, whe
there is enough for two over yonde
there will be wedding!" such was tt
form the whispering took.
Even the hardest workers take hol
day now and again, and the feast of S
John the Baptist is esteemed in Fret,
Ieichburgh, the legitimate summer hol
day of all its industrious inhabitant
The happy day is spent according to q
old custom at small village some thrt
miles distant from the town, where
time-honored fair is held.
Lion tanners, fat women, dwarf
giants. all the hundred and one show
that are the rightful property of a fa
are to be found there, and later on thel
is dancing under the soft evening ak,
and after that, home early, 80 as to be u
and about on the morrow, to work,
possible, harder than ever, to make u
for the wasted day.
To Rose Cordier, with her quic
French blood, her youth, her igh
heartedness, this Jete was one to whic
she looked forward for many weeks b
forehand, and the little foreigner kne
she was never likely to want q cavalie
and this was looked upon as almost
sine qua non of the entertainment.