Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-28

| = EH8e.gy s.EzSa3&I many goOu ana
M1TaeSgeR r. worthy folk be-
NAMl Sassa9/l licved wood-sprites
| ~ xWMF@I.. lived in the holes Of
t#a WIgS-2AG-Jtrees witches in
i az b .s:Ea.aaa caves, and dwarfs
DISS1TsI<sa= deep down Il n r
nMK%SE, - earth. there lived in
tsssasf ZaM far Germany, on one OF
|cRlfeSNrZZN: the lesser mountains of
AI;=/@ W the HarZ. a miner with,
gsfr." his wife and seven children.
VIZ Deep down in the bosom
-------- of the mountains was the
mine. Here the father had worked
each dav from morn to night to feed,
even scantily. his wife and children
At last came season of great dearth.
The miner fell sick. Sadly his wife
hung out Of sight his leather work
suit.
The cold winter with its cruel grasp
stole down from the mountain tops;
still the miner lay sick; still the dearth
of food throughout the little town; mol
where mouthfu1 to spare. The birds
in the trees lived and We're merry.
Must the little children starve? Who
had done it? II tell you. its the
Gubich. king of dwarfs. who spoiled
the crops last year. | know his pranks,
curse him" said the oldest of the min
ers. Who in summer steals ali
the raspberries and straw berries?
He never eats aught else, and
has lived like prince, in his rocky
cavern up there among the holy frs,
ever since the old giant threw these
mountains out of his shoe because the
bit of sand hurt him. l tell you, the
Gubich can make us sick with a
glance. touch or breath. Save me
from going near his home! Yet they
say the cones off his trees are good to
eat. and can be made into wondrous
pretty things which sell we'll in the
town below us. Starve or touch them?
Starve, ! say!''
Dear husband,'' said the penitent
wife, thou knowest the holy frs; go
to gather their cones. | will sell them
and buy thee food which VIII make
thee well. Children, care for thy
father while | am gone"
Quickly throwing a shawl over her
head aud taking a basket on her arm,
out into the gathering GOODNESS of the
coming night stepped the mother. The
wind shook the alders at the cottage
door until they nodded and peeped at
the windows. 1t roughly ratified the
dried foliage of the stately oaks, whose
sacredness to the gods the elements
Were thought to respect, and then died
away among the pines in a soft, sad
music. that brought tears to the
mothers eyes. 1t was like the moan
the BARNS made for bread. The
tears broke into a sob; half-blinded,
with a bent head, she reached the edge
of the holy forest.
! Pityingly, out from his bed of clouds,
the setting sun glanced warm and ten
! der He shot his parting rays among
the frs, and filed their deep shadows
with a cheerful glow. Suddenly, into
the marked pathway of it's light
stepped little man with snowy beard
who gravely DOTTED his leathern cap and
waited for the sad mother to reach him.
j Good woman. what ail'st thou?
= WHY so sad?" broke upon her startled
ear.
/ ''Oh. sir. [ mean no harm. NV chill
dren starve: my husband never again
will be well. | cannot see them ask
each day for bread and give them none.
go to gather cones. Do let me pass
and fill my basket" 80
( Il would harm thee not, my friend"
said the little man. "And knowest
thou where the best cones can be
found? Follow this path hundred
feet and there they can be gathered
with''-but the mother was on her way.
j A knowing look, caress of his white
beard. a sniff of the perfumed forest
air. and the little man had vanished.
With glad feet the mother hurried on.
/ Not sound but the dropping of cones
broke the stiffness of the forest Faster
and thicker they seemed to fall at each
onward step. A perfect storm of cones.
/ They dropped upon her head; they fell
at her feet; they pelted her shoulders;
they filled her basket. Frightened, the
poor woman turned and fed, glancing
neither to the right or left. Heavier
and heavier the basket grew. Breath
! less and exhausted she reached her cot
i tage door.
! The mother entered and quickly
/ barred the door Husband. husband.
! think what has happened. On the
/ edge of the holy forest l met a little
+ man with snowy beard who told me
where to gather the best cones. | went
/ to find them. but the farther | went
! the faster the cones fell from the frs.
! They came about my head as thick as
snow flakes in uidwinter: vet the trees
shook not. L was afraid and dld not
| stop to pick up one; but some fell Ia my
| basket, and here they are"
| Hist, wife! Look, look thou! They
are pure silver. It's the Gubich thou
| hast met"
Down the basket dropped. Around
| it grouped the mother and children.
| True, there lay the cones, silver every
| one. cleaning in the freight as had
| the beard of the little man in the gold
| en- glow of the sun.
The morrow's sun had tipped the
| graceful frs with gold. when again
| the mother stood at the edge of the
forest. In moment the Gubich was