Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-21

onsternation, "the letter is from my
The Kings brow cleared a little.

/
mother"
The Kings brow cleared little.
''Is she in trouble?"
"Yes, sire. She is growing old, anC
is too weak to work. She can earn no
thing, since she has lost her health, ant
is to be sent from her home for want Ol
money to pay the rent. All her SON
are dead but myself, the youngest. ant
IL can de nothing to help her. Sire
think that for such cause even q
soldier Of the Great Frederic need moi
blush to shed few tears.'
''Ycu are right. What Is your name
and where do you come from ?'
"Piter Gelder, sire, and l come from
Holland"
:Very well. Piter Gelder /; l will looI
over the conduct record, and. if L find
nothing against you, will see whal
can be done for your mother"
''SIre, SIRE" began the man, fairly
trembling with joy and gratitude /; but
Frederic waved his hand impatiently
Enough I! Words of thanks give
me no pleasure.
The King had already turned to re-
trace his steps, when suddenly he again
faced the happy soldier.
'Piter Gelder, can you sing any
Dutch VolkSlieder Ply es, slre.n
''Do you know one ending with the
words When We meet again, We shall
be old and and cold'?"
"Y es, SIRE" D.
''Sing it. t."-''Sire, my voice is rough
and unframed"
mo matter-sing 7"
With trembling but by no means
unmusical Voice the soldier obeyed the
royal command ; and the King. with
bent head and lf-averted face, listened
again to the melody Of the song which
had so deeply moved him forty years
before. With the last notes Piter looked
up deprecatingly and half fearfully and
was amazed to see the change which
had come over the features usually so
naughty and stern they were now
soft, tender, and dreamy as those of
the youth who had first listened TO the
plaintive words nearly half century be-
fore III Holland.
Where did you learn the song, Piter?''
From my mother, SIRE. 1t was
taught her by her grandmother, who
composed it.
Tell me your mothers history"
''Sire, she was born in Holland, where
her mother kept an inn"
"WaS her name Van Tam ?'
.Yes. Sire-Grets van Tam. She
lived at the inn until she married my
father, with whom she was afterwards
very unhappy"
why did she marry him ?"
'Sire, it was to please her mother.
My father was supposed to be very
rich, and my grandmother had been
very unfortunate and lost early all she
possessed. For several years my mother
refused all offers of marriage /; she
could not forget travelling musician
who came once to the inn, and never
cared for any one else. At last she
sacrificed herself for her mothers sake;
but it was afterwards discovered that
my father was not rich, as he had rep
besides which he drank i'm
and ill-treated my poor
mother shamefully. Finally he died,
and was followed in the same year by
my three brothers. My mother has
worked hard ever since for her support,
and, until she lost her health, was very
That, sire, is all there IS
to tell"
VERY well. Tomorrow you shall
hear from me, Piter Geldsr."
The soldier was left in a half-stupe-
fed state, wondering how soon he should
awake from what could be nothing but
a fantastic dream. With wide-opened
eyes he gazed after the departing mon
arch slowly disappearing in the direction
Of the palace, who walked with his
head bent low and his hands clasped
behind his back, while upon his soft
ened melancholy face was still visible
he strange transformation which the
awakened by simple strain
IF music had wrought. Piter could not
'ee that his lips Were moving, and the
words they formed were
merely breath floating away and lost
IN the pertumed air, when We meet
igain, we shall be old and cold-old and
odd"
The next day Piter Gelder was
landed two papers sealed with the
'oyal seal. The first contained his
cave of absence for month, the sec
md was the deed of fine farm on the
,orders of Holland, with the words
written beneath-''TO the heirs of Nut
er van Tam, in payment fora venison
'dgOla.