Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-19

so that his queue stuck out like horn
behind, lis very fat
"That will not help our leanness," said
the lords.
'Fat men are very clever" said the
spare old pedagogue.
Gall the more inglorious to die 1T the
hands of a clever man." said the lords.
''And clever, fat men love children"
said the pedagogue, looking very wise.
''That does not help our case said the
! lords.
"a man who loves child will not
harm parent" said the old pedasogue.
'But the Hussites do not love our chill
dren'
"Eyery man has tender place in his
heart" said the wise pedagogue. ''Get
at that. and one is safe.'
'But how does that apply to us" asked
the lords.
''Listen," said the pedagogue, looking
still more wise, and bringing the tip Of
one finger over into the palm of the other
hand in very knowing way. ''Procope
loves children; and when they are around
him, he grows jolly and mellow, and his
heart gets warm, and sternness all melts
away like glacier in the spring sunshine.
Send the children of the town out Of the
gates to him. Tell them to cling about
his knees. and climb up into his lap, and
when he begins to pity them, and grow
fond OF them, tell them to beg mercy for
US and the Ioodless town of Naum burg"
That quiet summer afternoon the gates
OF Naumburg swung open, and q long
procession of little boys and girls issued
forth and wendell their way through the
astonished Hussites to the gay pavilion
of Procopius. We fancy we can see
them now; and an old German picture
we have seen helps our fancy. This odd
picture represents the old pedagogue fol-
towing behind with bundle Of books
under one arm, and brisk switch IN the
other hand, with which latter implement
he was refreshing the memories Of some
Of the little boys in the rear, by wise
application in the usual way.
When Procope saw them coming he
seemed nightly pleased, and with large
eyes and putting lips he waddled out to
meet them. The little girls seized him
around his funny legs, and Rugged him
tight, and the little boys all began to
say:
"Oh, good Procope. we've come to you
to protect u.s.
What could Procopius do? He tried
to be hard, but it was impossible. So
he sat down under big cherry tree near
by, and the boys and girls in few min
utes we're running all over him like goats
over mountain. His heart was besieged.
and a breach was soon made in its weak
est place.
He put his hand on one little bows
hair and kissed another little girl, who
looked so pretty and innocent that he
could not help it. And his great arms
clasped half dozen children at once,
and his heart grew warm and mellow,
and he found that he could resist no
longer. So the clever fat general sudden
ly cried out:
cts no use. I can't see the children
suffer, you know. guess I shall have
to surrender"
Then he ordered the Hussites to bring
him baskets Of cherries, and he and the
children had cherry feast, land great was
the happiness on the banks of the Saale,
near the foodless town of Naumburg
The children returned to the city at
night, and each one Rugged and kissed
Procopius as they parted, and said in
low, sweet voice:
"Spare, for our sakes, the town of
Naumburg."
| The moon hung over the saale in the
golden air, and in the late hours dipped
behind the far mountains. The sun rose
fair, and the watchmen looked down
from the grim walls OF Naumburg on the
long valley; but Procopius and the Hus-
sites were gone, and a happier day never
was seen In the town.
For four hundred years the Saxons
have loved to recall this delightful event
of history, and have celebrated it BY the
"Kinderfest," or Children's Fete;" or as
it is often called, "The Cherry Feast of
Naumburg.'' This festival corresponds
to our Fourth of July, and occurs on the
2Sth of July, and right glad day it is to
the children of Saxony. And, would you
see how long the happy influence of a
single good deed may last? Why then,
when you go to Germany, drop down to the
Saale in summer time, and eat some cher
rles with the children at the ClSIfiren's
Fete, in honor of the funniest general in
all the world.-St. Nicholas.