The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-07-15
miscellaneous.
San Francisco Bulletin.
Mincllen's Birthday.

In the city San Francisco, on the water
'front.' among the wharves and shipping, lived
Frau Schmidt, fair, fat German woman Of
forty. She had no children of her own, but
there lived with her little girl whom she
called Minchen, but whom the neighbors
knew as "Minkin." Herr Schmidt shoveled
coal on the wharf all day, while his wife
made coarse flannel shirts for sailors and
boatmen. Minchen too, did her part toward
supporting the family by going every morn.
ing to the Oakland ferry to sell her little
punches of violets and mgnonettes and al
though many of the passengers had Just left
Minchen's sweet little smile and pleading
blue eyes made them glad to buy her posies
to carry in the button-hole for an hour.
In the same tenement with the Schmidts
lived an old Yankee, owner of sail and row
boats. Minchen was great pet of Old Yank's
He often took her with him in the summer
evenings to row around Goat Island Some.
times they landed there, and climbing to the
top of the old octagonal light house, watched
the huge ferry boats go steaming by. Some
times Minchen rowed, and though only ten
years old, "She knowed," old Yank said
quite as much bout thet thar boat as / does
my own self"
On Minchen'seleventh birthday, old Yank
seeing the afternoon was fair and the breeze
mild, told her, as she was now grown so big
and old, that she might take the Sally out all
by herself, row till she was tired, and float
home with the tide. The kind old man
while Minchen ran home to ask permission
of Frau Schmidt, put in the tin box under the
stern seat of the boat large orange and a
birthday CAKE all frosted on top, and with q
large m" in pink carroway seeds, for deco
ration. "She says may" said the little one
breathlessly, as she came running down the
wharf, holding in her hand by one string her
torn yellow sun bonnet. With many know
ing mods and winks in the direction of the
hidden goodies, Yank helped the child into
the Sally, and bidding her be careful, stood
waving to her from the top of the tallest pile
He watched and waved his old straw hat to
her till the black hull of passing ship hid
her from view.
At his coal heap on the wharf Herr
Schmidt watched the little. boat dance over
the waves, swung his red bandana to her, and
wished heartily that he could go with his
little Minchen out on the water in the bright
sunshine.
At her window the Frau dropped the
coarse flannel sewing, and sighed kiss to
the figure in the little green boat.
When the good woman's husband returned
all sooty and dirty from his work at the coal
heap, they talked about little Minchen, how
they loved her, and how pretty she was how
she must soon be back from her birthday
treat, and how proud she would be of having
gone so far by herself. Soon old Yank came
in, and said: "Whar's the little 'un turned
in a. ready? Gin eout, reckon"
"She has not come yet" said Frau Schmidt
trembling little, "but she will soon be here,
she added, seeing the frightened look on hel
husbands face.
Not one word said Yank, but grabbing his
hat, fairly jumped down the steep flights O.
stairs, ran quickly to the wharf, jumped into
the first boat he saw, and pulled with all biz
great strength for the island
In through the Golden Gate poured the
silver fog-over the hills of the city it rolled
and tumbled into the bay, hiding ships ant
steamers. ferry-boats and schooners under i'll
thick veil. But Yank knew the bay well
| and steered straight for the island, peering a
every stroke into the gray mist for the green
"Sally" and her precious burden.
All this time Minchen, who had not beer
to the island ut all, was pulling hard fol
home, she thought, but the fog had come il
so quickly and the wind made the waves st
high, that our poor little girl no longer knew
which way TO steer; 30 with bows pointed tt
the Golden Gate, she rowed with all he
little strength for the open sea. Wet ant
weary, she sank at last into the bottom ofth,
boat helpless, for she could row no longer
Praying the good angels to take care Of her
she sat quite still, trying to hear the islant
| fog horn; but she could not-the wind wa
in the wrong direction. II must be nearly
home" she said II must try to make for tn
wharves, they surely are just over there
So she rose, took the oars in the poor num1
hands, and began to pull again. Suddenl!
she let both oars slip from her grasp and fioa
booming sound came the knell of the For
Point fog bell, and she knew she was passing
through the Gate, out to the open ocean
that ahe had taken the wrong direction AM
was floating out to sea--going away from
home and love, away from Frau Schmidt AM
her flowers to the cold fog and colder ocean