Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-11

| ing refiectiVely before him. If some
one would only tell me in what direc-
ton the land of gold is" He raised
| his head and gaZed thither and yon,
but nowhere was there Il gayly cOlored
sign post, with an arm pointing toward
the land of gold. Crispin scratched
| himself behind the ear. To run
around the world at random" he
philosophical. would be foolish. In
stead of reaching the land of gold,
might come on to the land of canni-
balls And | also lack money for the
| journey Crispin, you were Just about
to do IL very foolish thing. The best
thing to do is to look about in the
neighboring town for work and in the
meantime be preparing myself for my
long journey"
That was well thought out. He
packed the SeyenIeague boots on top
OF his knapsack, waved his knotted
stick i'll the air and went on his way
in good spirits.
1t was a sunshiny morning. In the
fields through which the road led the
reapers were swinging their ScytheS
and maidens with red handkerchiefs
were turning the hay with rakeS.
The next thing | shall do will be to
wander through tropical lands" said
| the shoemaker; through plantations
| where blackamOOrS are cutting sugar
cane and shaking down coffee beans
from plum trees. Yes, you old poplars,
| it will be Il long time before you will
see me rambling along again between
you. In a few weeks I'm going to be
promenading beneath palm trees,
| knocking down the cOcOanutS with my
stick, and instead Of sparroWs and
| yellOw-hammerS, parrots and cOcka-
toOS will be sitting in the bushes and
monkeys and balloons will be kissing
their hands to me. If Il lion or a tiger
should come down the path to deyOur
me-One, two, three, | shall skip off
| over the mountains and laugh from
there in the beasts faces. No, certain
Iy, no man ever was us lucky as |
ann
| Toward midday our fortunate shoe
maker reached the town and found
work at once. With his first earnings
|
were pictured all the countries of the
world, and he also bought an old book,
which told of strange journeys by land
and sea. SO on holiday evenings, when
the other fellows went off to the inn
to tipple and dance, CriSpin sat i'll his
room studying like Il magistrate.
But the ways and manners Of the
industrious fellow pleased his master
and one Sunday afternoon he invited
him to take walk with him. That
was a great honor. The trio walked
out past the town gate, but the third
person was Mistress Anna, the masters
| beautiful daughter.
| The evening of that day Crispin fail
ed to spend porlng over his maps, but
he walked with long steps up and down
his room until his sleepy roommate
rebuked the restless Wanderer. Then
Crispin, too, crept into his feather bed,
! but he could not close his eyes the
| long night through.
The next Saturday when the men
were paid off Crispin did not betake
| himself to the secondhand dealer who
sold old books, but instead went 10 u
diapers shop and on Sunday morning
the masters lovely daughter wore Il
new blue silk ribbon to church and Oh
it stood in golden letters:
! Marble may break and roses decay,
But the light of my true love
! VIII neer fade away.
"Crispin," said his roommate, Il
wicked, jealous sort of fellow, Girls
pin, you are in love. Don't deny it.
You are in love with the masters
daughter. But your labor will be for
naught. That blonde fellow who
waits in the shop opposite, he is ahead
of you. She has great filtration with
him. Naturally you have never motto
ed it, you studious old professor
| "Silencew snarled Crispin, doubling
his fist. silence, or I'll strike you to
the GroundT'
Then he went to his room. 1t is
quite time [ started off on my journey"
he said sadly, as he creased the seven
| league boots. 'Adieu, my country;
adieu my master and thou beautiful
-" Here he began to choke and sob
| i'll a way to make one pity him. When
he had calmed himself somewhat he
packed his belongings in his knapsack,
putting the map on top, and went
! downstairs to bid the master good-by.
when that is over" he said to him
self, Il shall so out the door, pull on
my seyen-league boots, and by evening
l can easily smoke opium in the land
of the pigtailed Chinese
But when evening came he was not
sitting in the land of the Chinese, but
at a table between his master and love
ly Anna. He was holding her white
hand in his work-worn one and calling
the masters daughter his beloved
bride, and heaven seemed full of bass
viOlS to the betrothed couple.
Naturally, for the present, nothing
came of the plans for that long Journey
around the world, but put oc it is by LII
means given up. The young man was
obliged to make his masterpiece, then
came the wedding, and the year after
a small squaller had appeared on the
scene. Who would now think of travel
ing?
After a time many a care appeared
in the shoemaker'S workshop. The
number of little heads grew with every
year and Crispin was obliged to keeI
his hands busy from morning to night
But when at last he laid off his leath