The record-union., 1895-07-27

shine and storm have pelted them many
q long year. L venture 10 say, sir. that
your knees, now, meath long, black
pantaloons - mighty uncomfortable for
elm bing, l advise you to cut them short
well, as white as are your hands, Herr
Pastor. which surely much more COM
Portable are since you the gloves re-
moved
AS l prepared to move on the artist
called halt. and after trying in vain TO
press some money upon me said:
We'll, my good fellow. there's one
tnlng l ooyet, your picturesque old hat!
Too faded and battered? Not at all. The
better does 1t suit my artistic needs; and
that IS as graceful feather as ever
cocks tail could boast. At least you'll
take some pay for that, and buy another
when yon reach the village?"
Just then, as fate willed, this sketch
book, one he had not yet used slipped to
the ground and open. Quick as flash
came the idea, why not take that in ex-
change for the hat? And, he willing,
then and there, at the place which had
fallen open. made the first sketch; it is
the artist himself, and believe you, not
one kreuZer would he take for his hours
sitting either.
Look once, Herr Pastor; saw you ever
more general face or more clever
looking fellow? And would you believe
IT, Nc gave me ENCOURAGEMENT, was III
deed nightly pleased?
Also, can assure you, as we tramped
on together, he was such tirst-rate COM
pany that l forgot 10 resent the demands
OF the eternal hills, and before nighttall
we reached the village for which | had
all day aimed. And behold the book,
welI-nigh filled with my poor sketches,
which really seem to give you amuse-
ment. sir! Cannot understand it, for as
trng oF 81, n IL
whereas viewed through my eyes each
and every one tells u story as full Of life
and color, light and shade, as any picture
by our famous De1regger. Well, next
day l reached Nj in time to drive q
good trade with the crowd in from the
country around in town with their cattle
TO sell, for 1t was the autumn market;
and so. here we are, sir! Truly, number
three is scarce worth a look; suppose we
pass it by. What. you insist?
Then, If you wlll-but, did you ever at
tend d cattle market? No? Then as
suredly you can no fair idea have what
difficult thing it is to sketch mass of
moving, crowded peasants and beasts. SO
mingled: aye, laugh II you will! | my
self can scarcely tell where that cow
comes to end and the donkey next her
begins-and worse yet, whether the next
figure is more man or ass! TO tell the
truth, the beast was the finer specimen
though some OF those country chaps are
splendid. Swapping fellows. spite of
crooked legs and rounded backs.
But let us leave them now, for number
four is better done. though l do not say
it myself. Happy Hans" the neighbors
called him. and, on my honor, more
cOntented old fellow l never have seen,
nor one who a heavier load could carry.
Look once, have you ever seen such
heap OF wood on the back OF one poor
man2 II reaches a full meter above his
head-and still there's a smile on his face.
Keep his pipe filled, give him d crust and
mug of beer-for he lives across the
border in the Bavarian hills-and he is
as happy as King, ay, but deal hap
pier than his own poor crazy Otto, or the
Ludwig before him who took the fatal
leap. Yes, happy Hans can laugh from
dawn to dusk, and yet, l assure you, sir.
| know his sad story we'll, and am not
more alone IN the world than he, nor
have | had greater trouble. Still, TO keep
as cheerful face, and heart as thankful
for small benefits as is his, is oft-times
past my power. Nothing, however,
makes me reproach myself more than a
glimpse of HAPPY Hans;" ay, look at
his peaceful face will suffice to send the
evil spirit back into the internal regions
where it was born and bred and be-
longs.
The next page. Herr Pastor, is of no
great account. Only the "Gasthausn in
Cries with the landlord in the doorway.
You know Cries, perhaps? a little, low
nesting village not far from Bremen
hight This Is a quaint old house, where
there is ever good cheer and comforta-
BILE bed awaiting me-and for one-half of
what they are worth.
1t was thus it came about: Way down
on the road, full two miles from home, [
In q hn hs1f fDrno
years old, and like as not would have got
on to the tracks. He was worn out,
quite bewildered, could scarce tell his
name, but by inquiring at the nearest
farmhouse l found he belonged TO the
"Wlrth'' at Gries-and, God in Heaven
above. you should have seen their graft
tudei One would have thought [ had
done heroic deed, to carry the little chap
on my back, when it was but the sin-
plest plain duty. And so. every season
since-Pete is now fine fellow OF one
andtwenty-has Jakob Schmidt been
the welcome guest-ay, no matter how
full the house, there is ever bed for
him.
Should you once stop there yourself,
Herr Pastor, just mention my name and
you will be served like a King by every
one IN the house.
But ach, merciful God! Now comes
the saddest page of all-yet it is the dear
est! This Will explain, Sir, why for
time [ was carried away back to the old
troublOus times, and again stood on the
verge of despair. In truth, you have il
rightly guessed, that indeed is "miller's
Moidl'-I should say hunters Moidl,"
but it comes too hard as yet, though truly
l bear him malice no longer; that is swal-
lowed in her grave. Ay, she is dead,
Herr Pastor. But look once with care
for so-ach. holy Mary, pray for US! ia 1t
not too horrible? So did she meet her
DEATH And to think. sir, the good God
it willed that poor Jakob Schmidt should
find heri The good God led me--do you
doubt il, Herr Pastor? He alone guided
me TO the neighbOrhood of S. Indeed
in no other way can it be explained, for
long had l been away, full three years
had passed since l left my native village.
Suddenly something impelled me,
strange longing came over me, a desire
once more to see the old home, the
church, the mountains in whose midst
had been spent four-and-twenty years OF
youth. Well, | wandered back, selling
my wares by the way and at the end Of
the fortnight had reached small village
not many miles from S. 1t was late
when l arrived, and being very weary
had already supped at g shepherds hut
IN passing-I tumbied into bed without
stopping, as was my wont, TO gossip bit
III Inc W elnSluDe. 1t was Wen, OF
never an eye had L closed the whole
night, and had thus been less tit for the
work of the morrow. l was up before
the sun. and had taken my coffee and
paid my small bill, and was lifting my
pack to my back, when a few words
overheard made my heart stand still.
"What news of poor Moidl Meisner?u
Zach, uone-none at all. She will
never be found. All yesterday was the
whole village out, scattered all over the
mountain. Why. climbed clear to the
top-higher than ever tho edelweiss
grows-and not trace of her anywhere.
Toni Mesner is almost beside himself
has neither eaten nor slept since she left
l. 4 hafn