Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-12-23
MASTER FINK RELATES SOME INTERESTING


am truly glad to meet you. This meeting has
warmed my heart. 1t is one of lifes pleassntest
experiences to shake old friend by the hand, and
to learn from his lips that he has not forgotten
you in his wanderpgs, though he and yeu have been
long parted. am sorely grieved to hear that you
have lost your faithful mate-the dear woman who
was yeur companion for so many years-but we
must bow our heads and submit to the Divine will
This life is not the end OF all things. There is
Hereafter, thank God. The beloved ones whose fond
eyes We no longer see, whose tender voices we no
longer hear waiting for us in the better land Ii
is but question Of a little time Resignation
friend, resignation. 1t is lesson we ell have to
learn. Happy the man who beholds, shining in his
heart, the bright crystal Hope immutable, imper-
ishabe, and who derives consolation fom it. That
is a soiace that is born OF Faith. the comforter.
You are anxious to know what has become Of my
people? Name them, friend Nicolas Brand, my
apprentice? And pretty Katrine Loebeg, too--you
curious about her? Strange that you should
bring their into association for when you last
visited me, twelve years ago, there nothing be.
tween those two. l may say that with confidence.
Indeed, it is scarcely possible there could have been
for KGtrine was but fourteen beautiful maiden,
true, but love had found no place in her heart Its
hood, and Katrine at that time was mere child.
Twelve years ago All me ah me how time flies
Spring, summer, autumn have passed over my head,
and am in the winter Of my life. But feel young
sometimes, even now-yes, indeed. am good TO,
many year, hope. ann fond of life. ami l have
much to be thankful for, although stand alone in
the world, without wife or child.
Nicolas Brand and Katrine Loebeg Gracious
~.
and dove; poisonous weed and pure, white
lily. But you were as much a stranger to these
two when you were here twelve years ago as you
are at this present moment Old Anna was my
housekeeper then. You remember Anna you had
more than one good joke with her, and she liked
you; she said you a proper man Where is
she now: Dead. She served me faithfully and
lived to Is. All, she was treasure-y.u don't
often such. Everything went on in the house,
from hour TO h:ur from day to day, from week to
week, ike wellreguated clock. And what beau
tiful stews she made Never shall taste the like
again. ! have another housekeeper-
Sh. is here.
She is gone. and will not trouble US again to-
night. You are thoughtiul-you have observed
something strange in her. Her dead white face,
her long silvery hair her great fixed eyes have
prised you. Why, yes-she seems never to see any.
thing that is before her but to be forever gazing
into world invisible to u.s. What she beholds
there heaven only knows though sometimes be.
leve can see with my minds eye the shapes she
gazes upon. On rare occasions have detected her
speaking to them, but have been unable to catch
the sense Of her words. To me she never speaks
unless first address her. You will scarcely be.
eve that she beautiful once-very, very beau
tiful- and might have picked aud chosen. No, she
was never married. What pitiiul look in her eyes
Yes, yes it is enough to move to sadness. What
is it you desire to know Don't be afraid to ask.
Is she in her right mind? No-she is mad.
Yes, she is mad, but she is perfectly harmless and
goes about her duties wei enough in her dull, mo-
notorious way, and cooks well, too, but not as well
as cid Anna There never wss cook like Anna.
Ny mouth waters when think of her. This one is
not Old You will scarcely credit it-she is only six
and twenty. An, You may well open your eyes
But if you will think little you will be able to
recall any old woman who ever her white hair
loose, as this young one does, almost to her knees
1t is the wonder of every stranger who sees her.
Not SO many ye:rs ago her hair was golden brown,
and we used to gaze upon it and upon her with de-
light for her eyes were the brightest of any, and
her face had beautiful color in it.
Fill your ppe again and draw closer to the fire.
How the wind blows There are angry spirits
abroad, and / viii tell you the story Of Nicolas
Brand who worked for me till he "a years of
age and who was not satisfied with the fruits of
honest labor because they did not enable him to
grow rich in month. That his one idea OF
happiness nothing but riches The flowers
of the fields, the singing Of the BIRDS the perfume
of the hedges, the beauty Of the skies-they were
naught to him He set up idol for himself, and
he worshped it with all his might Did a carriage
roll past the door he would look up from his work
with discomfort in his eyes and expression on his
face which said, as plain ii he had uttered it,
"Why haven't carriage? Why should walk
while others ride y Did gentleman in fine coat
enter my shop to leave his watch to be cleaned there
on Nicolas face was always the same miserable ex.
preston.
master Fink" he said, "the poor are much to te
pitied."
so are the rich, Nicolas" answered "Idouht
whether of the two, the poor have not the most
reason to be grateful"
Grateful % he cried. " For what For having
so little, while the rich have go much Z"
Every back to its burden, Nicolas" id;
"every back to its burden. Co on with your work.
my lad, and make the best of things"
But to do that not in his nature. Did he
drink beer, he made it sour by grumbling because
it wasn't wine. He enved every body who had finer
things than he could buy, and the ngling of silver
in other peoples pockets sent the blood rushisg
angrily through his veins. knew that he hungered
after money, bat was not frightened that he would
rob me. My property was safe, for was sharp
blade at my business Lit spring, pair OF hands,
the smallest Of wheels, be missing, and l was sure
to find it cut. He was aware of this. had taken
some pains to make him unG erstand it-not in a d.
rect manner, but'in way he could not mistake Be-
Sides il he had robbed of all possessed it would
not have contented him.
When his apprenticeship was out still employed
him, paying him piece by piece for the work he per-
formed. Had paid him regular wage he would
have got the advantage of me. He did not earn
great deal; after deducting what was dce for his
board and lodging, there seldom at the end of
the week more than form, or at the most two, for
him to receive His clothes cost him something,
more than they should have done, fer he aped the
fashions Of his bets,rs. 1t money thrown away:
the nest clothes in the world could not make Nico-
las Brand look like gentleman. Then he INDUCED
into terrible vice whicn eats into thu soul of a
mamie was a gambler, which he had no idea was
itself. Then, again, he had q poor mother, fifty
miles away who he would say with hypocritical
look at the rafters depended upon him for support
With what leng face would he come to me and say
Master Fink, my dear old mother is very sick
very, very sick beg of you to erd me five tiorins
to send to her 1t will be an act of true charity,
Master Fink. You can put It down to my account
Do not fear that you will lose anything by me- One
day shall be rich and viii repay you every FORM
But he gave his mother nothing for all thst it
was within 10Y knowledge that during all the years
he was in my service he had sent her the smallest
coiu Sometimes it not for his mother he wanted
money from me.
All, what an adventure, Master Fink-what sal
melancholy adyenture.' 90 he would cry, bursting in
upon me suddenly.
"wbat is the matter now, Nicolas p would ask,
examining his face with interest," and preparing for
the shoek.
40, the world-the cruel, cruel world p he would
mean. "You know, Master Fink, that wen, from