Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-20

eating hearty suppen in thar cottages when
the night shadows fall.
Hans shouted at the top Of his veice:
"Helpl helpl helpIn
Then he cried still louder:
Sire. firel fre"
Then be screamed until he thought his
throat would burst with the effort he was
making
"Murtier murderi murderl"
There was no answer but the echo Of hls
voice, the ripping Of the water, the signing
Of the winds and the barking Of some dogs
far away
There is no help for it," said the brave
little fellow TO himself 81 must stay here
by myself all night if no one comes, and
hold my finger in this hole and keep the
water from breaking through and drowning
all the people in the country. twill be hard
work, but viii DO IT.
Every moment the cold was becoming
more biting and the poor finger fixed in the
hole began to feel benumbed and soon the
uumbness extended TO the band and thence
throughout the whole arm The pain be-
came still greater, yet the boy moved not
from the cold, hard stone on which he sat
Tears rolled down his cheeks as be thought Of
his father, OF his mother, Of his warm little
bed, where he might now be sleeping so
soundly; still the brave little fellow stirred
not. for he knew that if he removed the small.
slender finger which he had opposed to the
escape Of the water not only would be him
self be drowned, but his parents, his brothers
and sisters, his neighbors-in fact, the whols
village would be swept away.
Who can tell how often his courage fall
tered, how many times he felt his purpose
failing during that long and terrible night
At last the moon went down, the barking
of the dogs ceased, there was darkness and
stiffness over all the earth. There was not
even the hooting OF an owl to break the ter
rible silence that made the brave little heart
quake with the fear that most children feel
when alone in the dark. The wind blew
keener and colder, and the boys limbs ached
like the toothache
He heard some wings tapping over his
head, and he shuddered with dread as he
thought it might be one Of the ghosts Of
which old Heinrich had often told him tales,
or, what he feared almost as much, it might
be one Of those big bats that are said to
fasten themselves in ones hair and never let
60 until it thunders.
The wings were brushing against his
cheeks With his left arm he struck terri
BILE blow at it, and to his great joy it fell
dead at his feet. 1t was bat
Now the chickens In the distance began to
announce by their growing that the dawn
was approaching. Soon the dogs began to
bark, the cows to low, the little birds sang
their sweet morning songs, there were Grim
son pointed clouds in the east, and daylight
was coming once more after a night that
seemed a week long to the aching body Of
little Hans Soon he knew some one would
pass by and give him assistance and release
him from his I~inful position
Oh, how the little fellow prayed for
strength to hold out until that person camel
But though his spirit was as brave as ever he
could not keep from grooming from the p in
he was enduring, SO he did not hear the fal Mt
sound Of the footsteps Of a man coming along
the tow path of the canal
1t was Herr Vondel, the preacher, who was
returning from the bedside Of one Of his dy-
ing parishioners.
The good man followed the sound of the
groans he heard until he discovered the child
seated on a stone writhing from pain and
with pale face and fearful eyes.
In the name of wonder, boy" he ex-
claimed. what are you doing therei"
81 am keeping the water from running
out" was the answer, in perfect simplicity.
of the child who during that whole night had
been showing such heroic fortitude and I'M
daunted courage.
So the minister took the place of Hans
until the boy could get his father to bring his
men and stop up the hole.
why dldst thou not send to search for me
when thou foundst did not come homer the
boy said reproachfully to his mother when
he was recovering from the effects of his
fatigue.
why, Hans" his mother replied, apollo
getically, IL thought thee was in bed with
the other twelve It's hard work to keep a
bakers dozen of boys in their places. M NJ.
+. in Philadelphia Call