The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-12-18
THE JUDGES W00lNG.

| rlQfnOrS Oh llt UuNptdJtS Ou ilLs Nll'u'b AsA
obtained the favor Of Withdrawing to hi
snug villa, situated on the kusnacht street
near the German gate. There ho was enjoy
ing himself under the supervision OF hls Oh
housekceper, Therese, devoted perSo
with crooked nose and chin garnished wit
thin, gray beard.
These two, full OF indulgence for on
another, respected their reciprocal manlas
Therese looked after the household admirably
ironed the linen, and took care 10 renew mon
sieurs stock of tobacco, shut up in larS
stone Jar, after which she was at liberty 4
attend to her birds, read her prayer book an,
go 10 mass.
Monsieur Zacharias was approaching hi
Goth year, wore "a wig, and had no other DIS
traction than TO cultivate few flowers an'
read the morning paper. This was wei
enough for a time, but there came morning
when the world seemed blank. lie sad tt
himself that he needed something moro exert
ing than TO watch flower pots in wlndo"
and befog himself in tho ma2es of stupid poll
tics He was very thoughtful for some days
but one evening, after supper, bright idea
came into his head. II have it; will 90
Fl hing he cried, cappiug his hands so loud
lllt utIf'1' iull''t 'NlN ~ pilA WV '''-'N
"What is the matter, mousicuri One might
think you hal a fit
The idea thus suddenly born proved TO be a
stubborn one, and the morning ON winch
Monsieur Seller first set out, provided win "A
pole, "A biz straw hat, a fishing bag, and other
accessories, was a ycritdhie affair oil state.
Thcrcse was greatly dieplcasod at this new
turn in affairs. She muttcrcd 70 herself and
had moments of impotence, and was Obliged
TO 20 TO confession twice Oltencr during n
month than had been her custom But, for
al that, she was forced to conform TO the
now order Of things,
For example, whenever monsieur was
seized with desire TO 90 fishing the excel
lent man, who dcplorcd 10 himself his feeble
ness, would look up at the sky, and say with
a melancholy shake of the head: at IL very
fine this morning, ThereSe, What weather.
Not drop of rain for three weeks
Therese would allow him to anguish for a
few moments, then, laying aside her knitting
and her prayer book, she would go TO find the
fishing bag. the waistcoat, and the big hat of
her master Then the old judge would be-
come animatcd he would rise up briskly and
say:
This Is nm excellent idea OF yours, The
rese. Yes, will 80 fishing"
every well, monsieur, but be sure 10 return
at Z o'clock. The evenings are cool now
One day in the month of July, 1915, toward
3 o'clock in the afternoon, Zacharias found
his fishing bag so full of salmon trout that he
did not wish TO take any more, because, MS no
said to himself, it was necessary TO leave some
for the next day. After having washed his
fish in n neighboring spring, and wrapped
them carefully in sorrel to keep them fresh,
he felt SO sleepy that he thought he would
take a nap in the heather, and wait until the
shadows were longer to mount the side OF
Bigelberg
Then, having broken his crust of bread and
moistened his lips from his little bottle, he
clambered fifteen or twenty steps below the
footpath, and lay down in the shade Of the fir
trees upon the moss, his cyelids growing
heavy,
Never had the old judge been so sleepy.
The oppressive heat of the sun, dartlng his
long arrows of gold into the shadow Of the
wood, the murmur of insects upon the side
of the hill in the meadows and on the water,
the distant cooling of ring doves squatted I'M
der the sombcr shade of the beech trees,
formed such grand harmony that the soul
of XaCharias melted away in the universal
concert. H. yawned, opened his eyes, and
saw troop OF iaybirds traycrsing the foliage
then turning he thought he saw the cork on
his line whirl and descend; salmon was
caught, he was pulling it out; the pole bent
in n semi circle. The good man was sleeping
profoundly He dreamed, and the vast Or
chestra pursued about him is eternal music
as the time passed on.
A thousand animated beings had lived
their life of an hour when monsieur, the
Judge, awoke at the whistle of some bird he
was not acquainted with He sat up to see
and conceive his surprise. The strange bird
was young girl of II or Is years old, with
rosy cheeks and red lips, her brown hair float
ing in long tresSes, II little turned up nose, a
short petticoat of the color of corn poppics-
young peasant girl who was descending
from above by the sandy fOotpath of Blgel-
berg, basket poised on her head, and her
arms snburncd, but round and plump, rest
ing on her hips. At sight of her Zacharlas
was deeply moved, He blushod, and rising
said: Good day, my beautiful child"
The young girl stopped, opened her eyes
wide and recognized him, for who in all the
country did not know the worthy judgc'
"Ili" said she, with smile; this is Mon
Sieur Xacharias Scilerl'
The old man assembled into the path. He
wanted to speak, but he only stammcred some
unintclligibe words like very young man,
50 that the young girl appeared much EN-
barrassed Finally he made out to say:
"Whcre are you going through the wood at
this hour, my child"
She pointed out 10 him, in the distance, at
the bottom of the valley, the house of n for
ester
II am returning TO my father, Neri Foers-
ter, whom you know without doubt, Monsieur
judy"
so you are the daughter of the worthy
Yeril You are the little Charlotte of whom
he often speaks when he brings me his re
portS!'
ayes, Monsieur Judge
every well, | will accompany you home. |
should like TO see the worthy Forester again
He must be- getting n little old"
"ic is about your age, Monsieur Judge"
said Charlotte, simply; about 60 years old"
This artless response brought the good man
TO his senses, and as he went along he be-
came very peusive. What were his thoughtsl
No one knows, but how many times it has
happened that cool and worthy man. who
imagincs himself to have discharged all his
| duties, has finished by discovering that he
had neglected the greatest, the hottest, the
most beautiful of all, that of marrying in
hiS Youth n GOOD nul noble woman. and re-