The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-06-12

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she filled with ordinary water. Ger
tainly the deception will soon be
found out, for now is it all over
with the everlasting youth. Alas,
alasl" But for the present she did
not wish to tell her husband any
thing about it.
Again considerable time passed,
and the couple lived together as on
the day when the priest had joined
their hands in marriage.
Each one carefully avoided letting
the other know that youth was past,
and each Sunday conscientiously
took the magic drop. Then it hap
pened that one morning q gray hair
remained between Hans fingers as
he oombed his hair. And he thought,
Nov is the time for me to tell the
truth to my wife. With heavy
heart he began: "Greta, it seems to
me that our water of youth has lost
its strength. Look therel l have
found gray hair lam getting old.
Greta was frightened, but compos-
ed herself and forcing loud laugh
cried: IA gray hairl When was a
little girl 10 years old, l had even
then a gray lock amid my hair. The
like has frequently happened. Thou
hast lately dressed a badger. Per-
haps something has Mapped to your
hair from the fat, for badgers fat,
you know colors the hair gray No,
dear Hans, the water has not lost it's
old virtue, or"-here she cast an
anxious glance on him-'or perhaps
thou also findest that am growing
old?"
Now Hans laughed very loudly.
Thou old Thou bloomest indeed
like a peonyr' And then he threw
his arms about her and gave her a
kiss. But when he was alone he
said, with quiet thankfulness: God
be thanked! She knows not that W,
are getting old Now it matters not "
And similarly thought the wife.
On the evening of the same day
the young folks of the village danced
to the fiddle of wandering must
clan, and no couple wheeled more
merrily under the linden than Hans
and Greta.
The peasant women made sarcastic
remarks, to be sure, but the two
heard nothing of the ridicule in their
happiness
After that it happened in the fall
as Hans with his family was eating
a Martinmas goose that Frau Greta
broke tooth. There was great la
menting, for she was so proud of
her white teeth.
And when the couple were alone
together the wife said in an unsteady
voice, This misfortune would not
have occurred if the water'-
But at this Hans blurted OUT
You think tho water is good for
everything. Has it not often hap.
pened before that child has broken
out tooth Dy cracking a nut? What
hast thou against the excellent wa
ter? Art thou not fresh and sound
as a roset Or perhaps thou hat
turned thine eyes upon another tina.
thou mistrustest the virtue of the
water?"
Then the wife laughed, wiped the
tears from her cheeks and kissed hcr
husband so that the breath almost
left him. But in the afternoon, when
they sat on the stone bench before
the house door and sang two Part
songs about true love, the passersby
said, The silly old people. How
ever, the happy ones heard them not.
So passed many years. The house
had become too small for the chill
dren. They had gone forth, had
married and had children OF their
own. The two old people were again
alone and were as dear to each other
as on their wedding day, and every
Sunday when the church bell rang
each drank drop from the flask
Then once again the day of the
summer solstice drew near. On the
evening before Hans and Greta sat
before their door and looked toward
the heights where the st. Johns fire
blazed, and from the distance sound
ed the mirth of the young fellows
and maids, who stirred the fire and
sprang through its flames in couples.
Then the wife said: Dear Hans,
/ would like to go once more to the
forest. If thou desirest it also, then
will we start early in the morning.
But thou must waken mo early, for
when the elder blossoms the young
women like to sleep until the sun is
high in tho heavens.
Hans agreed. On the next morn
ing he Weakened his wife, and they
went together into tho forest They
walked like lovers, and each gave u
careful heed to the steps of the other.
When Hans cautiously jumped