The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-09
THE MILLERs MAID.


There is lonely mill, close beside the 'littl'
hamlet of Udcrf, near the Rhine shore, between
the villages of Hersel and Ursel, on the lef
bank below Bonn. The mill is said to have beer
the scene of the following story
IT was on Sunday morning, "ages long ago. :
that the miller of this mill, and his whole hmi.
Iy, went forth 10 hear the holy mass at the near
| est church in the village Of Hersel. The mill,
which was also bis residence, was left in charge
of a servant girl named Hannchen, or Jenny,
| q stout hearted lass, who had long lived with
him in that capacity. An infant child, Of an age
unGt for church, was left in her charge likewise.
The girl was busily employed in preparing
dinner for the return Of her master and his FAM
| lily, when who should enter all of a sudden but
an old sweetheart of hers, named Heinrich Botte-
| lor. He was an idle, graeeless fellows whom the
| miller had forbidden his house, but whom Jenny
/ liked, with amable perversity, peculiar to her
SEX only, perhaps, all the better because others
| gave him no eountenance. She was glad 10 see
| him and she told him SO, too; and although IN
| the midst of her work, she not only got him
/ something 10 eat at once, but also found time to
sit and gossip, while he dispatched the food she
set before him. As he ate, however, he let fall
| his knife.
| "Pick that up, my lass" said he, in joking
way TO the good. natured girl.
| NAY, Heinrich she replied, "your back l1ust
be more supple than mine. for you have less
work to make it stif. labor ali day long, and
! you do nothing. But never mind aTwould go
hard with me an / refused to do more than that
| for you, bad though you be-"
| This was spoken half sportively and half in
| good earnest for, kind-hearted the girl was,
| and much as she liked the scapegrace, she was
| 100 honest and industrious herself to encourage
or approve of idleness and q suspicious course of
| life in any one else, however dear to her. She
stopped down, accordingly, to pick up the knife.
As she was in the act Of raising, however, the
treacherous villain drew dagger from under his
| coat, and caught her by the nape of her neck,
| gripping her throat firmly with his fingers TO
prevent her screaming the while.
| "Now lass, +" he said, swearing out bad oath
at the same time, "where is your masters
money. "Ill have that or your life so take
your choice /"
The terrified girl would fain have parleyed
with the ruffian, but he would hear nothing she
could say.
| "Master's money or your life, lass !" was all
the answer he vouchsafed to her entreates and
| adjuratiens. "Choose at once, was the only ais
| tentative he offered her; "the grave or the
goid.''
| She saw that there was no hope of mercy at
| his hands, and as she saw it, her native resolu-
/ ton awoke in her bosom. Like the generality
Of the gentle sex, she was tnid at trihes; a
scratch caused her to faint an unwonted sound
| filled her soul with fear in the night. But,
| her energies were aroused by an adequate cause,
L
courage, in endurance, IN presence of mind and
in for every emergency she far surpassed
1 the bravest and coolest men.
"Well, well, Heinrich" she said resignedly,
| "what is 10 be must be. But if you take the
money, shall even 60 along with ye. This
| will be no home for me any more. But ease
/ your gripe of nay neck little-don't squeeze so
! hard l can't move, you hug me 50 tight. And
/ if can't stir, you can't get the money that is
] clear, you know. Besides, time presses and
if it be done at all, t must be done quickly, as
| the household will shortly be back from Her
| sell"
The rufiian relaxed his grippe, and finally, let
go his hold. Her reasons were all cogent with
his eupidity<
/ "come," she said, "quiek quick i-no delay.
| The money is in masters bedroom.
| She tripped up stairs, gaily as a lark; he fol-
| lowed closely at her heels She led the way
into her masters bedroom. and pointed out the
/ ooffer in which his money was secured.
"Here," she said, reaching him an axe which
lay in the corner of the room, "this will wrench
| it open at once and while you are tying it up,
/ shall just step to my apartment and get few
things ready for our flight, as well as my own
| little saving for the last five years"
I The rufian thrown off his guard by her
openness and her anxiety TO accompany him.
Like all egotists, he deceived himself, when self
/ deceit was most certain To be his destruction.
/ aGo, lass,n was all he said, "but be not long.
| This job will be done in twinkl;ng''
!; She disappeared at the words. He imme-
6lately broke open the chest, and was soon en-
gagged in rummaging its contents
i AS he was thus employed, however, absorbed
in the contemplation of his prey, and eagerly
occupied in securing it on his person, the braye-
hearted girl stole down stairs on tptoe. Creeping
softly along the passage, she speedily gained the
| door of the chamber unseen by him, and like
wise unheard. 1t twas but the work of a moment
for her to turn the key in the wards and lock
him in. This done, she rushed forth to the outer
door of the mill and gave the alarm. "Flyi hyf''
she shreled to the child, her masters little boy,
an infant five years old, the only being within
sight or sound of her, aFly fly TO father fly
| for your life. Tell him we shall all be murdered
an he hasten not back Flyl hyi''
The child, who was at play before the door, at
/ once obeyed the energetic command of the
brave girl, and sped as fast his tiny legs could
carry him on the road by which he knew his
parents would return from church Hannchen
cheered him onward, and inspiritea bis little
1 heart as he ran.
"BIess thee, boy bless thee!' she exclaimed,
in the gladness Of her heart; can master arrives
il time, will offer up taper on the alter OF
cur blessed lady of the kreutzburg by Bonn"
She sat down on the stone bench by the mill
door to ease her over-excited spirit and she
wept as she sat, at the thoughts Of her happy de-
liverance.
@Thank God y she exclaimed sethank God
| so fond of him, too.'
shrill whistle from the grated window Of
| the chamber in which she had shut up the ruff
| fian Heinrich, caught her ear, and made hei
| start TO her feet.
HDicther. Dietherf, she heard him shout
| "catch the child and come hithsr / am fas
Come hither Bring the boy here and kill the
grill"
She glanced hastily up at the easement from
I which the imprisoned villains hand beckoned
] to some one in the distance and then looked
anxiously after her infant emssary. The Little
me, senger held on his way unharmed, however
and she thought tc herself that the alarm was 9
false one, raised to excite her fear and overcome
her resolution. Just, however, as the child
reached hollow spot in thenext field, the chan.
mel of a natural drain, then dry with the heat Of
summer, she saw another rutiian spring up from
the bed of the drain, and, catching him in hi.
arms, hasten toward the mill, in accordance
with the directions Of his acsomplice. In q mo-
/ ment she perceived her danger, and in mo
j mont mere she formod her future plan ol
1 proceeding. Retreating into the mill, shs
! doubie-loeked and bolted the door, the only ap.
parent entrance to the edifice, every other OBJ
vious access 10 the interior being barred BY
means of strong gratings fixed against all ths
| windows, and then took her post at an uppei
| easement determined to await patiently eithel
her masters return, and her consequent delivery
from that dangerous position, or her own deatl
L 81
I "Never," said she To herself, ssnever shall
leave my masters house prey TO such villains
or permit his property TO be carried of befors
my eyes by them while have life and strength
10 defend it,
She had barely time to secure herself within
when the villain without, holding the haples
| child in one hand and long, sharp knife in th'
other, assaiied the door with kicks, and curses
aud impnecations Of the most dreadful charae-
ter.
"Confound theeI' be cried, applying the foul
est epithets of which the free-spesking TeutonI'
| language is 50 copious; "open the door or II
break it on ye.n
"Ify you can you may" was all the noble glr
replied. "God is greater than you, and in hil
put my trust"
HCut the brat's throat" roared the imprisone'
rufian above; "that will bring her to he
| reason
| Stout-hearted IS poor Hannchen was, sn
quailed at this cruel suggestion. For Tnomen
| her resolution wavered; but it was only for
! moment. She saw that her death was certain
) she admitted her assailant and she knew ina
| her master would be robbed. She had no reasol
to hope that even the life of the infant would
! spared by her compliance. II was to risk -
against nothing. Like discreet girl, she eonse
quently held fast in her resolve 10 abide a. 81
: was while life remained, or until assistanc
l should reach her
Z can We open notthe door, shouted the Yiliai