The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-05-05
THE cUcKoo's SONG.

THE CUCKOO's SONG
Ten O'Clock bad just struck in a
the clocks of the little town Of H
in the canton OF Berne, and q metal
ic undulation seemed still 10 vibrat,
in the air, prolonging Itself fron
house to house, from street to street
to indicate that the morning was ad
vancing. The streets we're crowde,
with psssers-by, workmen, peasants
laborers, idlers, rich and poor. Th
little town was but great capital OF
small scale. The merchants uncov
cred their goods and removed lh,
dust OF the night. The gossips pass
ed from one door 10 another in th
midst Of the universal activity, an,
each one on crying good mornio.
said little evil of one, gread dea
Of another, aud thought still more o
his interlocutor-so you see it wa
the whole of society in diminutive.
"Ten O'Clock J" cried the big
brawny hatcher Herman-whos,
sponge vigorously welded was max
log The slabs Of white msrbel bril-
liant where were arranged the quar-
ters of beef and mutton. Tel
O'Clock and our Deighbor Samue
Stauffer still sleeps! Ii is assonish
ing" His face, tlnged with red flo
rils. with lis heavy, square chin, anC
pale blue eyes, expressed, in fact
complete amaZeu ent.
That's SO, YOU are right ~ re
sponded The grocer, who came out OF
tbs door step listing long c0ronet
of paper aud leaning for ward little
10 order TO penetrate more materially
into the phenomenon which curved
aud elevated the brows If the butch
er like The arches of bridge. "Tns
broker has not rai-ed one of his shut
ters, and nothing seems to be movine
in the house; yet his domestic, Jeal
Muller, is habltually an early riser,
and this is the FIRST time / have evel
risen before him.
"Bsb! what trade could he make
this morning? Perhaps the stora oi
lest night hindered his sleeping, and
he is making up for il now"
"Oh, what q storm it was !" re
s,ked the grocer. al scarcely
clused my eyes; the shutters rattlec
and the hinges creaked, and bang, q
chimney tumbled into my court.
have rarely heard such high wind
siuce | have been in business here. y
Without counting" added tn.
butcher, "ihe thunder, hail and rain
one could almost say the devil was
conducting q dance" Aud be accen
tusted his little joke with loud
laugh. which shook his stomach and
sho, ld-rs So that the fat on his chin
and cneeks had terrible consulsions
Hush Herman, never say that
II is al evil omen, believe me.;'
On, what superstiiious fellow
you are, friend Bloch |! One mnsl
have laugh DOW and then u
Il admit that subject of conversa
tioi is repugnsnt TO me, always: fol
eserv time that hideous name is men.
toned. there is misfortune lurking
The laugh of the butcher increas-
ed at the sight of the pale isce of his
c. mpsnion.
"Well, well, You are timid. l will
be still, for you will finish by think.
log me q scape goat-bur what car
cid Samuel be doIng?"
Let US rap at his door What do
YOU say ?"
The grocer indicated with bis
fingers, without budging, the house
Of Samuel, and the butcher, witbou,
speaking, directed his steps toward
The little shop.
1t had two floors surmo0pted by
al attic, and seemed TO bury among
Lhe other buildings its pointed roof,
covered with tiles, and - conceal
with a worn aod patched air, the
shop which occupied the whole of
Ihe ground floor. The wooden shut
lers soiidly fixed by large iron bars,
AID the front door with its tight bolls
/. pit an unaccustomed sileuce. On
he floor above, the blinds stopped
Up the windows hermeticslly, and
Lbis house with its eyes closed in the
nids. of The morning hustle, seemed
an ominous aspect. On the roof the
weather vane turned by the win d
every now and then a
nournful cry, that resembled the
moan of sea gull across the hurri-
zane which sglIaies the sea.
The butcher struck the bars with
bis fist, and listened to the echo
transmitted by the solitary knock
.krough the corridors of the house.
He waited Q few minutes, then
shocked again, and called loudly
with his strong Voice No answer.
vague terror stole into bis breast
and made his heart beat with quck-
sned motions. He felt upder the in-
iaeuce of the silence, broken only by
he sad, irritating cry of the weather
rane, and he dared not knock again.
"No answer ?" cried BIoct TO him
rom sfar.
Then be advanced slowly, pushed
BY curiosity only exceeded by bis
alarm
''lt is extraordinary. cannot
explain it. How is il that neiIher
Samuel or bis servant answer to my
,all. Could they both be dead
Bloch, think it is our duty to sum.
mon the chief Of police. i will send
oDe of my boys. Wait here"
" ben the police arriveu, aeeompa
nied by bis men, surgeon and d
ocksmilh, be was obliged TO lrave,-e
. dense crowd which incress ID evsry
minute, surging around like The
waters of q river overaoa ing its
banks, and showing an eager desirt