The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-10-29

| "On, rncu he will grant, to as sad Frede
rka, rulug her hands.
! WUn1tng kuecled beside his sister, and
laying LoNn his bread upon the ground thd
he might clasp his hands better, Sister" ht
said "should We pray TO our Lady Of Lorrct,c
or to the great ST. John Of Nepomucky'
FIRST To- the great ~. John of NepOmuCk,
vas the answer.
Then begin; viii say i, after you"
The htte girl began to utter aloud prayer
addressed to the patron saint Of Bohemia, the
little boy repeated II after her and both pray
ed 80 earnestly with 50 much abandonment
that they did not perceive an elderly man. no
bic and distinguished in appearance, standing
a, some distance from the tree as the foot OF
which they were kneeling.
Good ST. John OF NepomuCk, give 10 Frede
rika anu me IL way To be useful 10 our pa
rents" the llttle boy began to say after his Els
| ter had risen.
"Your prayer Is all sal | now, little brother
"And the way found" cried Wolfgane rls
ing III his turn.
$50 soon"
"I' came 10 me while you were praying"
st John of NepOmuCk whispered 1t III
your ear, them"
81 don't know whether it was St John OF
! Nepomuck or God himself But this is the
| WAY tIHt mas CblllC lulO my NoH IIhJ
very nicely upon the piano, and | would say
too, II mamma hadn't so often told me to be
modest that didn't compose badly. As 10
yon, Frederika, you haven't any skill upon the
piano, but indeed for your age you don't han
| die it badly"
"Saucy little boy" broke IN Frederika.
Don't interrupt me, dear Frederick, or you
will make me lose my idea. Now, what was
it was saying Oh, remember. We are
both quite pretty, especially you, sister Now
some beautiful morning we'll set out. We
take hold OF hands, as we do now, and we go
away, very far, very far. Every time we find
a grand house on our road We go up to 1t.
YOU Frederlka, you begin to sing. The peo'
pie come 'Oh, the pretty children These
are the people of the house that say this. They
make Us go in, they ask US TO rest ourselves
But 60 TO the piano"
at there is one" again interrupted the little
girl
AS if there weren't pianos everywhere now
adays. But you make me impatient with
your interruptions. | was saying, then 60
To the piano. mount up on the stool, and |
play, play. Wonders Everybody remains
enchanted Then they embrace US, they want
to give us sweetmeats, paythIngs; they offer
you necklaces, ribbons. But We take nothing,
and say, Pay US, fyou please so that can
carry the money to papa and mamma"
"YOu are as quick witted as a little sprite,
cried Frederick, clasping her brother delight
eddy round the neck. must hug you for such
| a plan"
, "And that is not ALL" continued WOltgang,
graciously submitting to the embrace. II beg
you to let me finish my story. The king
hears us talked about; he sends tor US. put
on my most beautiful clothes, you your most
beautiful dress, and we go to the kings pal
ace. There they take us into great hall,
where are beautiful ladies, beautiful, nobody
has ever seen more beautiful ones, gentlemen
all decorated, furniture all gildcd, and piano
such piano! The wood Is pure gold, the
pedals are silver, the keys are beautiful pearl,
there are diamonds everywhere. We play.
The court is delighted. They come around US,
they caress US. The king asks me what wish
for | answer him, 'Whatyo wish for King
| He gives me castle. | put papa and mamma
into it,"
| A shout of laughter interrupted this intre-
pid player of the piano in the very climax OF
his recital.
Wofgang, frightened, looked at bis sister
then turned round, and perceived the stranger
Hidden behind a tree quite near our two chill
dren, he had not lost word OF their CONVEX.
saton. Seeing himself discovered he APP
preached them, and with difficulty REFRESHING
the amusement Wolfgang's babble had called
| forth, he said:
Don't be afraid, my children, desire only
your welfare. The great John of Nepomuck
has sent me to you"
AT these words the brother and sister eX
changed glances which Immediately after they
turned upon the pretended envoy of the SAINT
of Bohemia. THIS examination, no doubt, re
suited in his favor; for the little boy, darling
toward HIM, seized his hand, and with {
charming familiarity, cried:
Good so much the better. And are you
going to do what waut?"
NO, no, not immediately" replied the
stranger.
Then, seating himself upon the knotty trunk
of a forest tree, and placing Wolfgang before
him, while the sister, older and less contiding
remained at q distance.
| IL will grant what you DESIRE" he continu
ed, ION condition you tell me the truth, thu
whole truth IN regard to the things am gong
to ask you about"
"Sir, you ought to know that never told
lie in my life" said Wolfgang, Il little nettled
ave are going to see about that, What ii
your fathers name?"
Leopold Mozart"
What does he do?'
ale Is chapel master. lie plays on the VIC
lin and the piano, but best on the violin"
as your mother still livingY
"Yes, sir
"IIow many children are there"
As the boy did not answer this question, tn
little cir said
There were seven of us, sir, but now Their
are only two, my brother and l."
And your father is very poor, my dea
chid?" asked the stranger Of her.
80 yes, sir, very poor. See she added
, pointing to the piece of bread which neithe
Of them had touched, this is all the brea
there was in the house. Papa and mamma di
not keep any for themselves. Every tim
mamma gives us our breakfast, she says to III
Go eat il out III the fields, dear children Ihi
Is so we shan't see they haven't any breakta:
themselves"
|, "Poor children" said the listener, deepl
4 moved Where do YOUR parents llyeyn