The Worthington advance., 1879-05-01
Of Grindenwaldt the giant. Hans gather
ed his bundle and laid it ready, and then

ne S&as0s ~
s'Stay you here, Gretel, and will run
through tho wood to Hanne Peterson, to
see il she has the cloth ready. for my
coat"
Gretel nodded, and Hans ran away
6he could Gee him for long time down
the straight, broad road until he turned
aside among the trees. and then Gretel
was quite alone. A squirrel ran part
way down q great tree and looked st her
and rushed back in great alarm. A
woodpecker scarlet cap on his head
hammered away ct worm-esten trunk,
and somewhere, up among the branches,
strange bird cried, "O-lei o-le!"
"Now would be the time for the fairies,'.
thought Gretel, and she folded her hands
upon her knitting and sat so quiet that
little gray rabbit peeped out Of the bushes
and hoped slowly across the path. How
still the world wasl She could only hear
now and then dry twig swapping, or 4
great bee in velvet and gold 60 trumpet
ing along like kings huntsman. The
sunshine came straight through the leaves,
and made Gretels eyes feel as iftwo soft,
warm fingers were pressing down the
lids. The woods were IN 4uiver, all
green and gold, and further and further
off the strange birds sang, ''O-le! ole!
!o;;le!' as if it called Aowe one, but Gresel
was asleep s2,. =, !; s. ~
BY and by Hans came running along
the path. He had been gone long time,
AMI as he came he called, "Hretel!
Greteli''
Gretel sat up and rubbed her eyes.
Her thoughts were like birds that had
flown away on their own errands, but now
they came slowly back and she began to
remember. The,e was the pile of wood,
and yonder came Hans. Here was her
handkerchief and her knitting, and the
book in which she was reading, and here
was-What was it lying on the book
right over the picture of Grindenwaldt3
Yellow leaves, do you think, that had
huttered down from the trees All, no,
but a handful of round, yellow gold
pieces-good, lawful money al ever was
seen in Rtunden. Gretel fairly screamed
with delight, yet dared not touch it.
"What is it2" asked Hans, coming up
quite out of BREATH"
1.-The fairies" said Gretel, "they have
brought the gold for Nils"
ut is good mo1ey," said Hans, biting
the pieces in his teeth; but he knew no
moro than Gretel who had brought it.
''Let US sit down and wait" said Gretel,
lit might be they would come back"
"No," said Hans. "tie the money in
thy handkerchief Gretel, and we will 20
quickly home to Nils"
So they went, Hans with his great bun
die Of wood. and Gretel with the money
held fast in the handkerchief. At the
Brunden road Hans stopped to rest.
"See," he said, ''there have been horse
men in the wood; here is where they
came OUT
mo one came through the WOOD" said
Gretel; but she, TOO, saw the tracks of the
horses coming out upon the dusty road.
Feel the gold, Gretel," said Hans; lis
it still there2''
'It is still here" said Gretel, pinching
the money.
Then 1t is not fairy gold, or it would
have vanished when we came out of the
wood, snid Hans, with q great deal CT
satisfaction.
When they showed the money to Nils
he was almost as much astonished as
Gretel. He laid it on his palm and look
ed at it, and rubbed his grizzly chin
But when Hans Spoke of the horses, he
said:
20, aye, the horses; we'll, I might
have thought of that. It was the pastor
and the young prince who went riding
through the woods"
mo one came through the woods"
said Gretel.
ut might be, said Hans, II was at
Hanne Petersen's, and ran, to bring her
some water, to the sprlng in the hollow,
and Gretel must have been asleep"
"Wel!, WE'LL" said Nils, 1--WE will put
the money in the blue Jug, and tell no.
body of it. lshall myself go to the pas
tori
Gretel watched him put away the mon
ey. Every piece fell with loud ''cling"
to the bottom OF the Jug.
"That is music" said Nils, laughing.
ing to the house."
Before Gretel went to bed she climbed
up to look in the Jug and to shake it. ut
is still there" she said.
When the children were asleep Nils
took the gold piece, and went away to
the. pastor. The pastor smiled when he
sa Y him coming, and made him sit down
aud tell the story.
DO you think it Is fairy money!
asked Nils, with funny twinkle in his
eye.
mo doubt" said the pastor. "If the
fairies ever bring gold they would be
sure to leave it in the lap of good child
who sat asleep under a tree, with her
knitting and her book; and that is wha
the young prince said when We rode
through the wood to-day"
Aye" said Mills, nodding wisely.
"And the young prince, who means to
be the father OF his people, will himself
see that nothing is lacking to a man who
takes the bread from his own mouth aud
gives it TO fatherless children"
49," said Nils, stupidity.
II told him you were obstinate and
,imple- headed, and would not hear to
good advice, but were determined to
keep the chiltren from the alms-house q
"1es," said Nils. ''that is it. must
answer for them at the Judgment; I said
so to their father when be lay dead"
The pastor took hi, great Bible aud
laid it on his knees.
"Listen to this, Nils:
"Blessed is he that considereth the
poor; the Lord will deliver him in time
of trouble.' And this: He that hath
pity on the p'>or lendeth unto the Lord,
and that which he hath given will He
pay him again."
THAT is good," said Nils, and he went
away very light of heart, though his back
ached and his legs were tired with 30
much walking.
Gretel went to the blue jug a. soon a
she was awake in the morning.
ut is still there" she said. II thought
1>.nust have dreamed it," But then she
looked very sorrowtul. "1t is because I
was asleep when the fairies came" she
said to Nils land now I cannot ask them
b. H. -