Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-02-26
The Water-Sprite'S Fiddle-BOW.

From the German.
There was once little boy name
Freddy who had neither father nc
mother. He was as beautiful as pic
ture, and when he played before tn
door in the street, people stopped an
asked, "Whom does this child belong to?
Then the surly old woman who brough
him up on thin broth and abundan
seedlings answered: "He is an orphan
and it would be the best thing TO
him if the dear God would take him t.
himself into his heavenly kingdom"
But Freddy had no desire for tht
heavenly kingdom. He liked it hert
below very well, and he grew up like the
red topped thistles behind his foster.
mothers house. He had no playmates
When the other boys of the village built
mills in the brooks and f1oated little
canoes or romped in the grass, Freddy
sat on the hillside and whistled the
birds songs back to them.
At this occupation, Old Claus, the
bird catcher, came across him. He took
a fancy to the pretty little fellow and
struck up friendship with him. From
this time on the people frequently saw
the two in front of the bird -catcher's
cottage, sitting sociably near one anoth-
er like old war comrades. Claus not only
knew how to tell wonderful stories of t. .
forest, but could play the fiddle, and he
instructed Freddy in this art, after he
had given him an old patched-up violin
as birthday present. The scholar did
all credit to his teacher, for before a
month was up, he already played, 80,
thou dear Augustinus," "Good Moon,
thou goest so gently" and "When Grand
father Married Grandmother" The old
bird catcher was deeply impressed with
this and spoke these prophetic words:
FREDDY, mark mel shall see you
some day, if God spare my life, the first
violinist at the church fair"
When Freddy had become Is years
old, the neighbors came together and
held counsel about him. at is time"
they said, "that he should learn some
thing useful by which to support him
SELF" and when they asked him what he
would like to be, he answered, "a musi-
cian." Then the people clapped their
hands over their heads and were
shocked.
But out of the crowd there stepped
forward stout man, and said with dig
nifty, 81 will try whether | can make
useful out of him." And all
who stood around congratulated Freddy
on having found such good teacher.
This man was no common one. He
cut the peasants boards and hair, ap-
piled the cupping glass to them and
pulled out their bad teeth, many times
the good ones, too. He was the barber
Of the place, and the people called him
Herr Doctor" "
On the same day Freddy went to the
house of his new employer, and in the
evening he began his work at once, for
ne brought his masters beer from the
tavern to him. Gradually also he learn
ed to lather, to hone the razor, and what
ever else belongs to the business. His
master was satisfied with him, only the
7iolin-playing, in which Freddy indulg-
I'd with zeal in his leisure, was distate-
Jul to him, since according to the bar
)er's opinion it belonged to the unprofit-
lble arts.
Two years went by. Then the day
ON which Freddy must make
lis journeyman's piece of work. If
his were done to the satisfaction of his
master, then he could go into the wide
world as journeyman and seek his for
une. But the journeyman's piece of |
work consisted in shaving the beard of
lis master, and that was no joke.
The important day had come. The |
'arber sat on the stool with the white
10th around his neck, and leaned back |
lis head. Freddy lathered his double |
hin, sharpened the razor on the leather
trap and began his work. Then there
ounded suddenly before the house the
music of stringed instrument and a
lutte. The leader of bear was going
hat way. When the young barber
leard the music his hand slipped, and
N the cheek of his master was a bloody
ut which reached from his ear to his
lose.
Alas for poor Freddy! The chair on
which the barber had sat fell backward |
N the floor. The bleeding barber jump
d up raging and gave his apprentice a
ounding box on the ear. Then he tore
pen the door, pointed with his fore-in-
,er into the blue air and cried out, $50
o the cuckoo!'
So Frddy packed up his traps, took
lis violin under his arm and went to the
uckoo. the cuckoo lived in an oak in
he forest and happened to be at home
yhen Freddy called on him. He listen
d the end to the young fellows nara
i've, but then he shrugged his wings
md said:-
"My young friend, if 1 should help all
Who are sent to me, l should have a
,reat deal to do. The times are hard
md / must be satisfied if l can get a
lace for my own children. l have
,laced the eldest one in wag- tail fam
ly to board. My neighbor Redstart has
AIKEN the second one into her house, the
bird child, girl, is in the charge of an
Id hedge-sparrow and the wren cares
or the two youngest. AS for me, must
'estir myself from morning till night in
rider to live respectfully. For a fort
light have fed on hairy caterpillars,
nd such fare won't do for you. No,
ant help you, sorry as am"
Then Freddy sadly hung his head,
aid goo 1-by to the cuckoo and went
way. But he had not gone far when
he cuckoo called after him, "Wait,
freddy! happy thought comes to me.
Perhaps l can help you after all. Come
long" So saying the cuckoo spread
lis wings and flew along in front of
freddy showing the way.
The boy had trouble in following the
,uide since the underbrush of the for
st was thick and briers were plentiful
t hand. At last there was light be-
ween the trees and some water gleam-
d forth.