The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-10-24
Nothing daunted. however, Franz


persistently begged:
Let me 60 and try.
So at last the father and mother
consented, and bade him God
speed
With one dollar in his pocket,
earned by hours of toil, two shirts,
washed, ironed and carefully mend
ed by the thrifty mother, tied up in
his pocket handkerchief, his best
suit of clothes upon his back, his
hob nailed shoes in his hand-for
leather wears out, you know, though
stone cut flesh will mend-he babe
farewell to home and set out upon
his journey. Out of the cottage
doorway framing the loved ones that
waved him last farewell, down the
lane, oat into the country road
trudged the lad, with the rich brains
and poor purse, but not alone, for
though invisible to mortal ken, on
each side of him walked Shining
Presence.
When hungry, Franz invariably
stopped at some cottage by the way
side and politely asked for broken
victuals in return for these he per-
formed some service for the house
wife. When the nights were fine he
slept beneath the stars; when Storm,
he crept into some friendly barn, and
upon the hay therein slept as sweet
ly as upon thistle down. Thus in
due time he reached Frankfort,
which city was his destination. As
ii was late in the evening when he
entered the city, it was necessary to
Immediately seek a nights lodging.
Country boy that he was, he knew
enough of the world TO understand
that his chances for obtaining honest
employment tomorrow would be far
greater if he were respectfully housed
over night. But how was this to be
managed with his slender purse i?
How, indeed
4 shan't sleep out doors till I've
tried to sleep in thought Franz, as
he stepped briskly forward, nearing
one of the inns which proclaimed in
flaming colors, entertainment for
man and beast
The drivers of the various stages
that in those days ran in and out
of Frankfort stopped at these cheap
er boarding houses, and Franz, hope
fully of the alert, soon found an op-
portunity to lend a helping hand to
one of these men, for which kindly
turn the man allowed him to share
his nights lodging.
A few pennies procured his sim
pie breakfast the next morning, after
eating which, he set out in quest of
something to do wereby to earn
money-that silver wand that was
to open for him the doors of knowl
edge.
Up and down the streets of Frank
fort he trudged, offering his services
to butcher and baker and candle
stick maker" but nobody in all the
town seemed to need his assistance,
and the poor lad wouldh have yielded
to despair had it not been for the
two Shining Presences that never de-
serted him. but walked one on each
side, filing his heUrt with the light
of hope.
Towards noon he passed a com
Portable dwelling house, in the door
way of which stood a white haired
gentleman. Something in his kind
ly face encouraged the lad to turn
and speak to the gentleman and ask
for work.
What can you do, can you shave?
for the CHEEKY faced man was a doc
tor, and in Germany the doctors are
also leechers, chemists, BARRIERS and
surgeons.
i can learn, promptly answered
Franz.
HIM Come this afternoon per.
haps / may find something for you
to do
Full of hope, Franz walked away,
but only a little distance from the
house, which he furtively eyed until
he saw the doctor go inside and
shut the door. Then he instantly
retraced his steps, and seating him
self upon the curbstone. watched the
windows, through which he could
see into the rooms, and thus observe
when the doctor had finished his
dinner, for after dinner he will rest
and smoke awhile thought Franz
But he did not, and accordingly the
impatient lad again presented him
sels at the doctors door, reminding
him:
You told me to call this afternoon,
sir
'Oh-ah don't think I've any
thing for you to do
Poor Franzl He was too stunned
to speak or turn away. 1t was a cru
el fall from hope to despair, and the
effects were plainly visible in the
lads limp figure and blanched face.
Perhaps that is why the good wife
came quickly forward with:
Let the boy come | have plenty
for him to do
We'll. WELL said the CHEEKY doc
tor, If that is so. come in, lad, come
in. and Franz came in and immedi-
ately went to work. making himself
quite useful, indeed, performing the
simplest or the more important du-
ties faithfully and well.
One evening, being much too wea-
ry, yet extremely anxious to read up
aE article relative TO case he was
treating, the doctor bade Franz to
read the article to him. The boy
obeyed, reading it not only well, but
with manifest interest. This led the
doctor to question him.
Where did you learn SO much p
he finally asked, amazed at the boys
ready answers.
AT the village school and during
spare moments replied Franz.
Who knows? ? you may yet be an
NJ. D. half seriously, half jestingly
said the doctor.
who knows p thought this am
bilious lad, but he said nothing.
Time wore on, and the good doc
,or ,1ar,,;,faJ Etopz m rood b;c ,,,a1