Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-16

Jew: ."Just try IL. Give me something
AZ Christmas that's worth taking, and
keep it,"
Now then, Samuel, bid a gulden,"
urged the crier.
"Not |. Lippes," returned the old
your bride"
Now the Jew had the laugh on his
IAN iron cradle, who'll bid for it?"
roared Lippes, above the laughter.
"Ihree stiyersp" was heard from the
interior of the house.
"a quarter gulden!" said Peter Jan
sen.
"Two" cried the Jew Samuel.
"lhrce!!" from the house.
"a gulden!' cried Peter hotly.
"And a quarter" enhanced the Jew.
"And a%nother!" from the house.
"Ihere should be three of all GOOD
thinggs!' cried Peter and nodded to the
crier.
"a gulden and three-quarters!"
shouted he. "No n BID more than a
gulden and three-quartersp Once-no
n bid?-twice-thrice!'
The word was said, and the cr;er
handed the cradle over to Peter with
some suitable remarks.
While the women were making q
minute inspection of the cradle to see
II it was worth the money which had
been given for it, Peter went up to the
girl, who was still standing at the door
crying. 1t certainly was very hard that
Cradle-Mie should have to look on and
see the cradle. which was indisputably
her property, and the only memorial Of
her unknown parents which she DOS
sessed, being brought to the hammer by
miserly Stotfel Holmes, to say nothing
of his having spoken to her so roughly.
and turned her out of the house. Every
one was very sorry for the gentle girl
and very irate against Stoael Holmes.
but-Peter Jansen was the first and
only one who took her kindly Nv the
hand, offered her the shelter of his roof
and comforted her with plain, homely
words.
1t was getting very near Candlemas,
and Peter Jansen's half dozen was
soon to be completed. Cradle-Mie had
been nearly two months in the house,
Frau Japsen's trusty helpmate and the
idol of the children, who chung about
the tall, handsome girl like creepers.
Peter came in-ho had been to the
town-and threw a small parcel on the
table.
..There wife," said he, sthere's the
new covering for the cradle; if Mic
will stitch it on, you can have it done
ina hands turn"
"That's right" said Frau Jansen,
opening the parcel, "and it's good
stuff, too" she added, feeling it; "what
did you give a yard for it?"o
.sThe Jew had the face to ask a half
gulden, but I gave him a quarter, and
he was glad to get it."
Eyes, there's nothing they won't
ask" said Frau Jansen, "but you
didn't let yourself be cheated; we'll
send you again when we want any.
thing. Now, Mic, fetch down the old
cradle from the attic, We'll tear the old
covering off, and sew this on instead
Cradle-Mie ran up to the attic as fast
as she could. to fetch down her earliest
dwelling; she came back with the
cradle in q few minutes, and set to worl
atonce.
1.-The lining underneath is sewed OF
firmly" said the girl, when she hac
been trying to rip it off for half ar
hour or more. "There seems to be
$1,000. -. ,,r,o+Iso~ - 1oAr,oox :,,,1
look, Peter!!"
"What?" said Peter who was chang
ing his laced boots for wooden shoes.
Is there a paper under the lining? Let
me see-I do believe you're right, there
is something under it. Rip it off az
quick as you can, but take care you
don't cut anything. 1t is a piece Of
paper, look, wife and how thin and
oddly printed it is! Get me my glasses.
Meta! Here's another paper Ike it,
and another! Good Heavens! they look
Just like the bank notes I saw at the
tax-ga.herer's the other day. Here,
Marie, read what's written on them,
you've got young eyes!" And when
Cradle-Mie told him that they were three
notes of the Bank of the Netherlands,
GaCu WOIUu u CilOuSdAu SulACuSS AOlOl
was petritied with amazement and stared
at the girl speechless and open-mouthed.
This unlocked for discovery created
no little excitement in the minds of the
worthy people.
Marie had not told the Jansens when
they took her into their house SO kindly
that on the outside of the sealed letter,
which she had kept faithfully all this
time, the i on cradle was assigned to her
as her %inallienable property; for if she
had possessed a hundred times the value
of the cradle she would have given ii
gladly for a home with respectable
people.
The handsome sum of 5000 guldens,
which had been sewed into the lining OF
the cradle cover. caused honest Peter
Jansen no little perplexity.
II bought the cradle at the auction"
he sad to himself, when he had some
what recovered from his establishment,
"aad l paid for it, too. The cradle is
mine, and all that was in it when I
bought it. But, if i mean to be an
honest man, 1 ought"
Greed, however, against which the
minister had preached so often, that
Peter had piven I'm listening to him at