The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-05-14
JAKE AND HIs MARIA.

90 the Iinkfrph pfAilf tu heh'pA' -
we alI knes bin by tue lame o. Date
Jsis tie sss hut particularly eommante
,irsn 20 hn aBtsosdeuis, aud ve dldn
trouble ourselre, much 70 inq lite iuio b
pact history. he wss Industrious "a
very obi sins sBd sbea be vas DOT bus
wiib the trap, b. ~ss ever feadiDs 90
pie oi mach worn Voinmes 10 Gcrmau
whioh be Iur.utbly carried 10 bis s.ddl
/ bags. Sometimes we would become talk
+ tive bat be never spoke OF bis native c0ul
/ try bryond lev remNks. ~hleb gave
TO understand that be hsi been soldier
sud We oil msde up cur minds tbst b.
/ had dessited
when Jake came smong ns te knes
scarcely anythins about rife shooting
bot before be bsd been on the plains sii
months there were ies better sbo's TO b,
touod than binseli. He possessed a coo
uud.unted courags. and, uudet the mosi
savarse circumstances, never losi hope
Il one WAS sick. J.ke koes oi some simple
remedy thst would sllcviste bis suffering,
II not restore him 10 health. and when
old Pete Swsyne was tbrosn from his N us
tang aud picked up With broken arm,
Dutch Jake set the limb and nursed the
old man, who always declared that bis
arm was the stronger OF Jakes skill.
It was no wonder, then, ,hst we were
all fond Of Jake. There sssn'ts squs ter
that wouli not have stood by Jake, even
had be got on the wrong side OF q dlHicu
~. Bot Jake never became involved in
hrois; be was too pescesble, and took
mstlers too pbiIosophicslly to lose bis
temper or bis reason. JAKE was we'll read
but, as said, II vas only at certain times
that Jake wonli talk much. When the
spirit moved bin he'd treat the boys to
genuine rec lecture; bat generally be an
,gered YES" or No" and would 60
,bout bis work aud never join 10 the srgu
neuts.
One evening 10 June, when we were seat
% around the lire. some Of the boys got
,ut an old newspaper that had been given
is by some traders, and began by reading
be advertisements aud ending With the
European news.
There had been dreadful sccidunt on
be Rhine, at village called Plitttrsdori.
/ happened on board one OF the steamers
IS she was landing passengers.
That must be 10 your country, suii Sam
Rivers addressing Jake.
| never saw Jske's face turn pale before, |
,ut it became rs white as the face OF the
lead.
was born there. he replied, and en
lis head fell upon his bosom.
Old Pete Swsyne frowued at Rivers. who
'ss reading the paper, ard the latter took
be hit and, lighting bis pipe. tossed
be paper into bis lap.
After Jake had finished reading the pa
er bis spirits suddenly became very hap
y. and he began to sing some German
ouss, BY and by he sid Boys, never
Did you anything about my life, snd, ss
one u you asked me. thought you
ouldn't care TO be bothered by u story
lst might possess no interest for you.
ut that newspaper has awakened old re
elections 10 my heart, for ! know the
lace there described as well as | know
lis camp, and, il you'd like it, I'll II
gu q story about Fstherland.
Go on, Jake, we cried. Wen give yon
riot attention.
Jake coughei and, giving one OF
is good s,ured smiles, spoke as fol
IRs:
shall never forget how | used to sit at
lurch with my eyes rveted on the face
Msiis Blu zcr when she was singing 10
le choir. lthousht she was goo enough
r 40 angel. Sne had deep blue eyes
I'd clusters OF yellow hair yet the peopIs
,vsr called her besuli al perhaps It was
.osuse che was so pale and had sucb q
gb, white forehead; but loved her and
,red little what folks might say sb ut
,r beauty Maria was b.sve; she either
ared misfortune, danger or desth Had
e lived 10 the early ages she would Ger
inly have brea heroine or y martyr
u ough she had uttered many sfilctioos
ie bore Il en- brsyely, aud gave way TO
olent grief but uce, and that was when
u brother, VITO belonged to the BaVar
O corps, fell dead 10 sklrmisb 90 tue
outier We didn't suppose we we're 30
,sr the war but it came upon us before
. could we'll understand the csnse 1t
as that ugly Italian business. Every man
Gsrnapy bad bis name inscribed on the
,oks where be resided. They don't make
istske, about sueb matters. It's not
se here. When they wsut you they know
here to hnd ,ou. and yon cant dodge
e couscfiptioo. |
Well. remember It was summer after c
Don when PIitletsdor was startled by
e busle aud drum. About 200 soldiers {
me there, sud IL us arsnd eight 10 {
e Los they hurrshed The prospect Of =
N seemed 10 mske them happy. II(
uldut uBdert.nd 1t then, bot did after t
sri, q
We were 10 school shen we fret hestd
e sound. Of the music, sud the nssttr
Ioved us 10 stand 10 the porch sud wsteh E
. soldiers IS they halted 10 the pubhn 2
usre Among them ve espiei nun Der d
Young men from u1desbsrs. iouu
sr oy cur vills.s Alter 20 ool sss
/, missed scot 10 the b.rrscts TO look d
tie soldiers sg.in' there VAS fasoina q
% sbout Zen tbst pleased me. | sss {