The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-28
The Little WOOit-Curver

III you lind III Switzerland the st. Goth
ard mountain, where the Rhine takes its
source, and follow that beautiful river az il
enters the Lake OF Constance, crosses it,
and coming out ut the opposite end, forms
large cataract ut Shalfhauscn, you will
sec 1t continues its westward course till il
comes to Baslc, and then turns suddenly
northwarl. On this part of the river or
the right hand side, you will find the Black
Forest. 1t is called black because the trees
which compose it, mostly pines, grow very
close together, and their thick foliage shuts
out the sunlight.
From the Rhine, the forest rises gradu-
| ally; after some time you come ont on q
CLASSY plateau where you cannot see any
trees at all, and the sunlight seems much
brighter there thnn elsewhere On this
plateau is pretty little town, celebrated
for its numerous clock factories, and there
most of the pretty cuckoo clocks are made.
On one side Of the plateau are few
small villages and towns, and here lived
great may years ago, an old woman named
Mother Elizabeth, with her two grantlchild-
rcn, Hans and Gretchen These two
little ones were orphans and had no other
relation than their aged grandmother, who
was very poor SO poor, that often they
tld not have even dry bread to eat, and
were obliged to lie down on their straw
pallets and try TO sleep TO forget how hun
CRY they were.
One day, Mot er Elizabeth called her
grandchildren to her bedside and told them
they must work now or else they all would
starvc. So Hans a stout hoy Of ten years
of age, and Gretchen who was. eight, start
ed ont early every morning, picked up dead
wood, broke it, tied it in bundles, called
1agots, and carried il to the ncighboring
town for sale. This was very hard work
for the children; the town was far from
their home, the paths were narrow and slip
perry, and the wood was heavy; but they
were brave, and loved their grandmother
SO dearly that they were willing to work
very hard for her sake
Sometimes, when they were very tired,
they would stop to rest on their way to aud
from town, at old Gottlicb' hut Thisold man
was woodcarvcr, and made clocks fans,
paperknivcs brackets, ornaments and toys
out of pine wood. lIans loved to stand by
his side and watch him carve, and when
he and Gretchen took up their loads again
to continue their way, he would tell his
sister, If he only had knife he was sure
he could learn to carve, too. One fine June
morning. Gottlcb overheard him saying
this, and took his pipe out of his mouth
just long enough to say
"fians, If you really want to learn, and
are willing to come here two hours every
day. will teach you how to carve and give
you knife"
"Will you2" cried Hans. ooh. thank
you, Gottleibl You arc very kind. will
come In the morning. Perhaps when l
am man will carve well, and will be
able to sell my ornaments, and then we
won't have to pick up wood"
The next day the wood was quickly dispos-
ed Of and the Children trlppcd gayly among
the slippery paths, their tongues wagging
very fast, Till they came to Gottlieb's hut;
at the door they slipped of their wooden
clogs and lifting the latch, walked in.
There under the window sat GottlIeb busi-
ly carving q cuckoo clock; as tho children
came IN saying "Good morning, little onesl
Well, Hans my boy, | see you are in earn
est about learning to carve, and as you
seem eager to SGT to work we will begin at
once. Get stool and como and sit down
here beside me-"
And good old Gottlieb laid aside his own
work to teach Hans, who did not find It as
easy work as lie thought 1t would be. His
knife would slip and cut his fingers, and
often when he rose from his stool his limbs
ached from being kept so long in the same
position. But day, after day he pcrscvcred,
and soon grew accustomcd to his new
work; In a few weeks he could boast Of not
having single cut on his hands, aud after
o while he improved so rapidly that Gott-
lieb told him. "Hans, my son, sifyou keep
on improving as fast rs you arc now, will
soon have to take lessons from you." After
few weeks Of steady practice, lie carved
some ornaments that Gottlieb pronounced
"good enough for sale" SO, early next