The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-02-15

saving The dne furniture OF her rich
neighbors, that the little tenement. and
the little ell Of poor Dame Heyliger, had
been suffered to consume without inter-
ruption, nay, had 1t not been for the gal
liant assistance Of her old crony, Peter de
Groodt the worthy dame and her cat
might have shared the fate Of their habi.
tation.
As 1t was she had been overcome with
fright and affection, and lay III in body
and sick at heart. The public, however,
The furniture Of her rich neighbors being.
as fur as possible, rescued from the
flames, themselves duly and ceremoni-
ously visited and condoled with on tho
injury Of their property, and their ladies
commiserated on the agitation Of their
nerves; the public, at length, began to
recollect something about poor Dame
Heyliger. She forthwith became again
q subject of universal sympathy; every
body pitied more than ever, and II pity
could but have been coined into cash
good Lord! how rich she would have been!
It was now determined, in good earn
est, that something ought to be done for
her without delay. The dominic, there
fore, put up prayers for her on Sunday,
in which all the congregation Joined
most heartily. Even Cobus Groesbeck,
the alderman, and Mynheer Milledollar,
the great Dutch merchant, stood up in
their pews, and did not spare their voices
on the occasion; and it was thought the
prayers of such great men could not but
have their due weight DR.. Knipper-
hansen, too, visited her professionally,
and gave her abundance Of advice
gratis, and was universally lauded for
his charity. AS to her old friend, Peter
de Groodt, he was a poor man, whose
pity and prayers and advice could be of
but little avail, SO he gave her all that
was in his power-he gave her shelter.
To the humble dwelling of Peter de
Groodt, then, did Dolph turn his steps.
On his way thither, he recalled all the
tenderness and kindness of his simple
hearted parent her indulgence Of his err
rors. her blindness to his faults; and then
he bethought himself of his own idle,
harum-scarum life. "I've been a sad
scapegrace, said Dolph, shaking his
head sorrowfully. "Pve been complete
sink pocket, that's the truth of it!-But,"
added he briskly. and clasping his hands,
''only let her ive-only let her live-and
I'll show myself indeed son!''
AS Dolph approached the house, he
met Peter de Groodt coming out of it.
The old man started back aghast, doubt
ing whether it was not ghost that stood
before him. It being bright daylight,
satisfied that no ghost dare show his face
in sub clear sunshine. Dolph now
learned from the worthy sexton the con-
sternation and rumor to which his mys-
terious disappearance had given rise. It
had been universally believed that he
had been spirited away by those hobgob-
lin gentry that infested the haunted
house; and old Abraham Vandozer, who
lived by the great buttonwood trees, at
the three mile stone, affirmed, that he
had heard terrible noise in the air, as
he was going home late at night, which
seemed Just as if flight of wild geese
were overhead, passing off towards the
consequence looked upon with ten times
more awe than ever; nobody would ven
ture to pass night in it for the world,
and even the doctor had ceased to make
his expeditions to it in the daytime.
1t required some preparation before
Dolph's return could be made known to
his mother, the poor soul having be-
walled him as lost; and her spirits hav-
ing been sorely broken down by num-
ber of comforters, who daily dheered her
with stories of ghosts. and Of people car
ried away by the devil. He found her
confined to her bed, with the other mem
Der of the Heyliger family. the good
DANES cat, purring beside her, but sadly
singed, and utterly despoiled of those
whiskers which were the glory Of her
physiognomy. The poor woman threw
her arms about Dolph's neck. "My boy!
my boy! art thou still alive?' For time
she seemed to have forgotten all her
losses and troubles, in her Joy at his re-
turn. Even the sage grimalkin showed
indubitable signs of joy at the return of
the youngster. She saw, perhaps, that
they were forlorn and undone family,
and felt touch Of that kindliness which
fellow sufferers only know. But, in
truth, cats are a slandered people; they
have more affection in them than the
world commonly gives them credit for.
The good DANES eyes glistened as she
saw one being, at least, beside herself,
rejoiced at her sons return. ''Tib knows
thee! poor dumb beast!" said she, smooth
ing down the notified coat of her favor
lite; then recollecting herself, with a
poor Dolphr' exclaimed she, 'thy mother
Cdu iiClP tllCC I1O lOuSCI! oIc Cdu III
longer help herself! What will become
of thee, my poor boy?'
Mother" said Dolph, don't talk in
that strain; I've been too long charge
upon you: it's now my part to take care
Of you in your old days. Come! be of
good heart! you, and l, and lib, will all
see better days. I'm here, you see,
young, and sound, and hearty; then
don't let us despair. dare say things
will all somehow, turn out for the best"
While this scene was going on with
the Heyliger family, the news was car
ried to DR.. Knipperhausen of the safe
return of his disciple The little doctor
scarcely knew whether to rejoice or be |
sorry at the tidings. He was happy at |
having the foul reports which had pre-
vailed concerning his country mansion |
thus disproved, but he grieved at having
his disciple, of whom he had supposed |
himself fairly disencumbered, thus
drifting back. a heavy charge upon his
hands. While he was balancing between
these two feelings, he was determined
by the counsels of Frau Ilsy, who adj.
vised him to take advantage of the
truant absence Of the youngster and
shut the door upon him forever.
At the hour of bed time, therefore,
when it was supposed the recreant dis