Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-04-21
THE GoosEHERD.
BY HERMAN sUDERMAN.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY ELIZA
BETH A. SHARP.

BETH A. SHARP.
Listen and will toll you tho story of
my first love. Do you know who my first
love was? A gooseherd, live gooseherd!
Lam not joking; ! have shed bitter tears
over the sufferings which he caused me,
even when was grown-up and most
highly respectable young lady.
At the period when he set my heart
aAame, it was my highest delight to go
barefooted. was eight and he was ten
years old; Twas the daughter of the Lord
of the Manor, he the son of our smith.
In the mornings, when l drank my cof-
fee on the balcony with mamma and my
brother, he would drive his geese down
below US, and vanish toward the heath.
At first he used to stare at US in native
wondermcnt, without 1t occurring to him
to lift his cap; and when my brother had
teproved him, and instructed him to give
the company q morning salutation he
cried out each time, with q great flourish
Of his cap: "Good-morning to YOU"
If my brother happened to be in a
good humor was allowed to reward the
herd for his urbanity by taking roll
down to him; and he always seized it out
Of my hand with certain curious ankle
ty, as though he feared might draw it
back from him.
What was he like? / can still recall
him wildly; the sleek blond hair hung
like yellow patchwork over his sunburnt
cheeks, his merry, sly eyes peeped out
from under it, his tattered breeches he
hal fastened above his knees and in his
hand he carried a herding switch, in
whose green rind he had artistically cut
. row of white spiral springs.
My childish longings were greedily
attracted by this switch. 1t was lovely
10 met hold this sort of magic wand so
totally unlike any other of my toys; and
when further pictured myself herding
geese with it, and allowed to 60 bare-
foot, It seemed TO mo l would reach the
acme of oil earthly happiness.
1t was one such switch which made us
more familiar with one another. One
morning, when sitting at coffee, saw him
waving greeting. could no longer re-
strain my desire, I pieced together the
honey-roll which was eating, concealed
1t, hastily made my excuses, and ran
after him. When he saw me he stopped
and shouted to me wonder;ngly; but
when be saw the honey-Io!l in my hand,
his eyes twinkled knowingly. "Mill you
give me your SWITCH" asked.
"Now whyY' he returned, standing on
one leg and rubbing its calf with his
other foot.
because want itw i answered i'm
petuously, and added more gently, 81
will give you my honey-roll."
His eyes wandered longingly toward
the tidbit; but be said conclusively:
"No, must herd the geese with it. But
will make you one like it.
"Can you, YOURSELF" l asked, admir-
ingly. ZACH, that's nothing at oil, he
replied, deprecatingly. 81 can also
make flutes and dancing men,"
was SO completely carried away by
this that without further ado gave him
the honey-roll. He bit q hearty piece
from it, and without deigning to give me
another look drove his feashered fock
away.
l looked after him with bursting heart
He ignt herd geese while was obliged
TO go upstairs ~ Mademoiselle to learr
the French vocabulary. "Yes,"
thought, Happiness in this world is in
deed badly divided"
In tho evening he brought mo the
promised switch, which was more beauti'
ful than any had imagined in my wild
est dreams. Not only had IL the white
rings, but il ended with a knob on which
a human face-mine or his, could moi
guess, was roughly carved. l was the
6appiest of mortals.
Thereafter we were friends. Idivided
Inv sweet morsels With him; he in return
gave me works Of art made by his cunning
finoers-hutes, kittens, houses, aud abov'
ali. his celebrated dancing men, will
which Immediately became the bugbea
of the entire household.
Our place of evening rendezvous, wher'
we exchanged our wares, was behind thu
goose house. The whole day l rejoice'
In thought over tho meeting with M
young hero. pictured him to myself
lying on the grass in the sunny heatl
playing his flute, while ] .labored at m.
detcstcd lessons; and even stronger ont
more strongly did the yearning grow il
me to share his good fortune OF COOS
hsrding.
laughed aloud and said: why don't yo
come with me-! .-
That gave tho decisive impetus; with
out further reflection 1 nnsuered' "lc
r. ,,.,x~~.-.. 4 Ill rou1ai"