The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-06-24


He too was summoned and made to
name those whom he had seen 20 by.
They were all brought to the deputy,
who went from one TO the other, with
the girl and old man, remained stand
ing for q moment before each, and ask
ed: WAS this the other robber?" Karen
shook her head each time he questioned.
AT length they stood before her own
master, the rich Terkel Dam; he was
among those whom the brush gatherer
had seen pass, and he had been sum-
! moned with the rest. Terkel stood and
ratified the cover of his pipe. Look
sharp now and see if you can recognize
me, F" he said with laugh. But again
Karen shook her head, and there was
nothing more that the deputy could do.
The two soldiers were afterward tried
and sentenced. They were to be taken
out TO the hill behind the church and
there executed. The morning that they
were carried through the village Karen
stood among the others to watch the ex-
ecutioner's wagon pass On the way one
Of the robbers reached down and picked
up great white stone. This he cast in
the direction of Terkel DAMS farm gate,
calling out so loudly that all could hear:
By this remember that when my
white stone becomes black he shall get
his due, who sits there grinning at u.s. "
Soon after, when they had come to the
hill and he lay with his bare neck upon
the block, he laughed and called to the
executioner: ''Slash carefully with your
sword, you wretch, so that you get no
nick in it! You'll certainly want to use
it again for the murder on Vissenbjerg
road. " when will that be-" question
ed the judge. "When the little wench
there is no longer afraid to tell what she
knows" he answered. The sentence
was carried out and the people talked
about the affair for many day but no
one could imagine what the poor rascal
had had in mind when he cast the white
stone toward Terkel's farm.
At Michaelmas Karen was dismissed
from service. There was so much talk
about her, and the people Of the parish
charged her with trying to deceive and
vex them by claiming that there were
three robbers, when in reality there
could only have been two. The after
noon that she should go away she stood
crying, out in front of the house, lit
tie bundle Of clothes under her arm.
Ebbe carried out to her roll of frieze
"You shall have this for your faithful
service" he said. May I kiss your
hand for thanks?" she begged. where
do you think of going?" That don't
nd / II
may find another herd of cattle to watch
and another forest to hide myself in. "
why do you care so much about stay.
ing here?" Because here l can see
you," she answered. without lifting her
eyes. You have brought it all upon
yourself, he said, "by speaking falsely
in regard to the robbers; you said that
there were three, when there were only
two" Karen stood silent awhile look
ing at Ebbe, before she answered then,
II will tell you how it was; couldn't
name the third because it was-your
own father. The farmers son turned
pale. Lets go into the house, he said,
taking Karen by the hand.
1t was a little while before supper
time; the men hadn't yet come in from
their work. Terkel sat alone in the
room. He stared at his son and asked
why they came together. I'VE have
news for you," said Ebbe. Karen and
l are betrothed. "In that case there
will be two to go away" said Terkel;
''you IL not live here with me; under
stand:" Now wait, will you, and let
me tell you how you owe it to her that
You are sitting here in this room at the
present moment" "What do you
mean?' "She did see who the third
robber was, down in the Vissenbjerg
road but she wouldn't tell his name. "
Terkel shrunk back; he fell heavily
against the wall, but after q few min
utes he lifted himself up and said in
broken voice, ''Let everything be as you
wish, and now you will take the farm
and manage it and the household. +"
From that evening Terkel left every
thing to the young couple. He would
feed and watch the fowls out in the
barnyard, but this was about all he did,
and he said little. Every day he went
and looked at the white stone by the
farm gate, and he would never let it be
removed. II think that it's becoming
black, oh, so blackp' said he, looking
round to see if any one was watching.
Then he would wash the dust and mud
from the stone, making it white again.
But every evening, just before bedtime,
Karen would take down the hymnbook
and read from it to the old man.
The next summer when the committee
went around from farm to farm begging
pieces of brass and copper for the new
church bell they came in turn to Terkel.
He stood and bethought himself "Why
should you go around begging at every
house?" said he. II will give it all. -
He went into his bedroom and brought
out great bag of money which should
be used in purchasing the new bell. The
men broke out into ordinations of
gratitude and praise fer Terkel, but he
had turned around to see if Karen had
witnessed what he did. Accompanying
the committee were the choir boys from
the charity school, in white gowns, who
stood before each house and sung verse
of some hymn. Before Terkel's they
sung a whole hymn. He was deeply