Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-08-31
GRETCHEN's GRIT.
BY ozIAs MIDSUMMER.

Hold wandered about amid va.os Of disaster,
And Climbed the high noun aims OF woe,
And now besat perched on stump in the pas
tune,
And dit not know whittier to CO.
oh. why, sang his heart has the earth in its
No place where tramp may find rest?
IN 20 to yon house and will ASK them TO shake up
Some kind Of O. wanderers nest.
He went to the window, aud saw within, sitting,
Some SON of Che Rhine, on chair,
While close by his side wee fraulein sat knit
Some eeautiful striped footwear.
he ssacit the sweet limburger cheese through
the koyhole,
Mixed with the rare flavor Of kraut,
And mingled with these was the smell OF tne
Coming through the keyholo without
His heart went up into his mouth in an instant,
When fell his hard fist on the door;
When instead of coming unto his assistance,
They left him stand just as before;
And, fur hermore, then and there all became
And Sr not the the least sound could he hear,
Exceptnow and then as they blamed their re-
And then again sampled the beer.
Thus forevernore might these things have con-
So far as The tramp was concerned,
Had not man then ard there, bony and SIN
Him in the deep darkness discerned
The words of the man came, in deep thunder
languaged,
And said, %You Dutch son of gum
But ere he said more the poor poor tramp l"n
And for his life could not hayo run.
The man quit tho tramp when he thought he
was dying
Might very soon give up the ghost;
When the tramp heard the dear little Dutch
lady crying,
And learned that the man was his host.
He learned, Furthermore, that though he was the
victim,
He'd lust got what was the girls beaus;
Her father'd designed and intended to Tx him,
And give him lesson to 60.
The tramp soon arranged plan whereby they
put him
To bed in the tidy spare room,
And there he made love to the little Dutc1
Tho tramp, indeed, had struck boom.
He stayed through the cold stormy days OF Inc
And fingered along into May,
Declaring on honor, he was great sinner,
If able to 50 Oh his way.
But time brought change. "You must so, OF
The father said NOW do you hear"
When Gretchens arms folded the tramp's form
about
She told the old man to stand clear.
The father beheld in his daughter the mettle
Which came to them from hi goot sire ~.
He thought the pan should not say black to TIT
kettle,
80 put his foot down on his ire.
They sat by the kitchen stove calmly discuss
The ills of the tramp and his woes;
The little Dutch fraulein the meantime kep
fussinG
To tickle the old fathers noso;
And soon was delighted to see him smell gently
Then fill his lungs with the perfume
As came cut the kraut, beer, and Limburge
scently
Their odors pervading the room.
@The hone of tho woman lies in her lords stom
ach."
Thought wise little Gretchen, with smile;
~If father will eat and drink all see him take
The will of her lords is his child's.
Tho plan was successful, and worked III MIN
AS Gretchen had hoped that it would;
So winked to her lover again to begin 1t,
And settle the matter for good.
The lover began, but, before he could finish,
A1awyer drove up to tho door;
Who said my dear sir, if your name is ia
Winnsh,
You're worth forty thousand or more.
Your uncle is dead aud has left his whole estat
TO you en- condition you we'd.
SO so about quickly and hunt up good mate,
Or be Il poor tramp till you re dead
He said "I am Mayor of Centerville town here
AS such la ,e the ri sht and the will
10 tie knot snugly, and do IL up brown dear
just now, if you two will stand still. :,
So while the old father was taking long pull,
To settle Limburger and kraut,
The dainty wee knot was tied quickly, 1or 1eal
of kicking should he find it out
CHICAGO, Ill.