Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-09-08
THE MlLLER'S MAID.

There Is q lonely mill, close beside
the little hamlet OF Udorf, near the
Rhine shore, between tho villages ol
Hersel AID Uisel, Oh the lett bank be-
low Bonn. This mill is said to have
been the scene Of the following story.
/, was Oh q Sunday morning, "ages
long ago." that the miller of this mill,
and his whole family went forth TO
hear the holy mass at the nearest
church in the village Of Hersel. The
mill, which was also his residence,
was left in charge Of u servant-girl
named llanchen, Of Jenny, a stout.
hearted lass, who had long lived with
him in that capacity. An infant
child, of an ago unfit for church, was
left in her charge likewise.
The girl was busily employed in
preparing dinner for the return of her
master and his family. when who
should enter all Of q sudden but an
old sweet heart Of hers, named Helm
rich Bottelor. He was m Idle, grace
less fellow, whom the miller had for
hidden his house, but whom Jenny
liked, with amiable perversity peculiar
to her sex, only perhaps, all the better
because Others gave him no counte-
nance. 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 to eat at once, but
also found time to sit down with him
and have gossip, while Re 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-hatureo
girl.
"Nay, Heinrich" she replied, "your
back should be more supple than
mine, for you have less work to make
it stiff. l labor all day long, and you
90 nothing. But never mind! 'twould
90 hard with me an refused to do
more than that for you, bad though
you be-"
This was spoken halt sportively,
and half in good earnest; for, kind
hearted as the girl was, and much as
sM liked the scapegrace, she was too
honest and Industrious herself to en-
courage or approve of idleness and a
suspicious course of lite in any one elsa,
however dear to her. She stopped
down, accordingly, TO pick up the
knife. As she was in the act of rest
ing, however, the treacherous villain
drew a dagger from under his coat,
and caught her by tine nape of the
neck, gripping her throat firmly with
his fingers to prevent her screaming
the while.
Now lass" he said, swearing out
a bad oath at the same time, "whtrs
is your masters money! I'll 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 lite, lass =
was all the answer she vouchsafed to
her entreaties and adjurations. Choose
at once was the only alternative be
offered her; ''the grave or the gold! !!
She saw that there was no hope OF
mercy at his hands; and, as she saw
It, her native resolution awoke in her
bosom. Like the generality of her
gentle sex, she was timid at tribes; a
scratch was a subject Of fear to her
a drop of blood caused her to faint
an unwonted sound filled her soul with
fear in the night. But when her en-
ergies were aroused by any adequate
cause, she proved, as her sex have ev
er done, that in courage, in endurance
| in presence OF mind, and in resources
for every emergency, she far surpassed
the brayest and coolest men.
"Well, we'll, Heinrich II" she said
resignedly, "what is to be must be
But if you take the money, shal
even 20 along with ye. This Will bt
no home for me any more. But east
your grip of my neck a little-don'
squeeze 40 hard /; I cant move, you
so ,;oht And IL / cant stir