The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-05-02
CRADLEMIE.

"Did you hear the news in the vii
lage." said eter Jansen to his wife
VINO was busy getting his supper ready
he being laborer in the employment
of a neighooring farmer, ami having
ju t. returned, tired after his day
work; did you hear, Meta, how very
soon Clas Hermsen's widow has fol
lowed her husband"
whats that you say?" asked Tho
woman, setting an earIhenware dish o
porrldge on the table: els hump-backet
christina dead. All. W, II, thuse two
haven't been separated long; Ulas died
in the spring, ami Christina it's Just
Sin months later. And that's very
bad hing for 1radle-Mie! what's to be
come of her! She hasn't got brass
farthIpg; she can sew a. d KNIT, hui
that about all she can do, and dom,
believe ste can do that over well.
Iueti you bold children. you," she
added. turning to her five olive branches,
whose mouths Were watering, as they
eyed the steaming porridge, ''mo,her
cant do everything at once. Lid |
ever hear the like of that Christina
must have been in the fifias, and Cra-
dle-Aie will have been eighteen years in
the village next Midsummer's Day.
Let's say grace, Pete, there S no keep
ing the children quiet, and one can't
hear oneself speak with the nose
they're making"
Jansen took his pipe out of his mouth
and put his cap Lefore his face, his Wife
gave ter hrst-born nudge, and
drowned at km 10 shut his eyes.
They said glace. teter prayed earn
.estly, and out o a very grateful heart;
he was sure that his neighbor " IL
lem, AID Nil.em's wife and children,
had not got sucn an abund- mt meal.
II had ended his prayer, but when he
eau hit sight. over the top of has esp,
OF his buxom VITA and or his rosy
checked children, he shut his eyes
a am and said, while b., raised his
heart in gratitude to the Giver of all
guod things: 81 thank 1hee, great and
good God. Amen"
Frau Jansen had said her grace. too /;
but her thoughts had wandered some
wnat while sic was saying it. Hump
backed Christina was dead; and she
wodld be buried. and whether any OF
her relations would come to the funeral;
tall it suddenly occurred to her that
God might have called her away. too,
anu how mi>erably off lie er and tue
children won d have been without her.
a tear came into her lett e,e at the
zthought-she always cried first with
the left eye-and she felt humbly CRATE
full fer having been spared, and prayed
softly to her Father in Heaven: 81
thank Thee, good and great God
Amen"
The children had rapidly ct
through tEeir "All eyes wait on
Thee, o Lord!" and were looking.
with longing eyes. from the dish OF
porridge 10 their parents, to see ii they
were not ready yet.
Their father put his cap on again.
their mother gave the signal for the on
slaught to be gin, and before five MN
utes were over the di>h was empty,
ami the porr.dge had disappeared down
their respe tive threats.
supper ended, the children were soon
got to bed. Peter relit his pipe and
raked together The charred remnants
of wood on the hea Jh, so that the
bla began TO flicker up merrily once
more. Meta fed the youngest child,
who was lying in an old asket-work
cradle, and the little fellow made a
prodigious uproar over the business.
GRACIOUS" said Frau, Jan ,en, look
ing down anX ousiy at her baby. show
young the child ISL
affn
posedly.
..How SOC Just think if YOU were
out of work. or if you got ill, like our
neIghbor W illem, or if God called YOU
or me away. what would become of the
poor Oh ldren. Albert, the eldest, is
gust nine, and the little one in the cradle
is not even months old vet"
children are uod's gifts. we must
take TEN as they come" interrupted
Peter; s'and Desides, they're getting big
ger every day, and nearer dong Tor
themselves: In couple of years time.
Meta, YOU II sec"
'sotuff y" cried his wife. ssSr all
ctildien. small burden; big children,
b e burden and then YOU know the
sal ing when the litter's too large,
-%AS NV, !" ttch SOto bIiu.
Softly, Meta! We have never felt
the pinch of hunger yet, orwanted any,
thing needful. either. Tn in good
health. and in good work You're in
g Cd health. and rs to the children.
thank heaven. they're as happy and rs
healthy as the fishes in the sea-
that's all very well. letter; but if
1t came to happen US sore day like the
her4I sensa"
AYE; if. if! God has helped MS
heretofore; why shouldn't he help us
Ii the future2 You said ust now there
were too many Of the children. but if
one tel SIX, and God were going TO
take 1t to himself"
''For merey's sake. Peter, take care
what you're saying" his wife cried in
terror, and she bent down hastily over
the basket-work cradle, tog.ve the little
sleeper q kiss, as if she were ARA d that
the Great Reaper would assal him first
of all. The little fellow. however. i'll
pleased by this display of mat .rnal af-
fe ton, made a very cross ia e, and
was just about TO roar, If b S mo her
had not hurriedly begun to ro.k the
cradle, and sung him off to sleep
again.
When the child was asleep once
more, the good woman said pen.-
tently:
"iou mustn't take it III of me, Peter;