The true northerner., 1896-11-04

such thing That was the thrush, she
said. He Is not usually ~ much afraid.
"He lifted her cut OF the swing, and she
went tn the trellis There lay the dark
yellow fruit amid the foliage.
"'Your thrush has given you treat
he said
"She shook her head and laid beauti-
full apricot I'm his hand YOU she said
softly.
Now your great grandfather came hack
% the garden again. Take care, said he.
You will not easily get rid of her. Then
he spoke of business matters, and both
went into the house.
'In the evening little Barbara was al
lowed to sit at table with them. The kind
young man had asked for her. Things
were not quite as she could have wished.
The guest sat ut the head beside her father,
but she was only little girl as yet and
had TO sit down at the foot next the young
est clerk and that Is why she finished her
supper so soon. Then she rose and stole
to her fathers chair, but he was talking
so earnestly with the young man over
premiums and discounts that the latter
had no eyes for the little Barbara. Yes,
yes, 1t is 80 years ago. But the old grand
mother remembers well how impatient lit
lte Barbara grew at that and was not to
be propitiated by her good father. The
clock struck 10, and now she had to say
good night When she came to your grand
father, he asked her, Shall we swing again
tomorrow and Barbara was quite happy
once more He makes fool of himself
over children, said your grandfather,
but In reality he was himself unreasonably
fond of his little girl.
''The next day toward evening the young
man went away.
"Then eight years passed. In the win
ter time little Barbara would often stand
by the glass door and breathe on the frost
ed panes Then she would look out through
the peephole down into the snowy garden
and think of the beautiful summer time,
of the dancing leaves and warm sunshine,
and the thrush which always made its nest
In the trellis and how once the ripe april
cots were shaken down upon the ground,
and then of one particular summer day Of
which she always thought when she
thought of summer Mt all So the years
went by Little Barbara was now twice
as old-in fact she was no longer little
Barbara-but that one summer day was
always a bright spot in her memory. Then
at last he came again
"Who?" asked her grandson, smiling
"The summer day."
Eyes" said the grandmother. "He was
q veritable summer day"
"And them"
"Then there was betrothal, and little
Barabra became your grandmother who
now sits among you telling old tales. But
it had not yet gone quite so far as that
First there was a wedding and then your
great grandfather had this hall built. With
the garden and the flowers ell was now In
deed over But no had no longer need Of
them He soon had living flowers to en-
liven his noon hours. When the hall was
finished, the wedding came of there. 1t
was merry wedding, and the guests
talked about 1t long afterward. You who
sit here, you were not present then, 1t Is true,
but your fathers and grandfathers your
mothers and grandmothers, were, many
of them, and they were people who could
put In their word. Those were quiet,
modest days. We did not seek to know
more than the kings and their ministers,
and he who thrust his nose into politics
was called by us a state tinker, and If he
were a shoemaker we gave his neighbor
our boots to mend. The servant maids
were all named Trine and Stine and
every one wore a dress which suited his
position. Now you even wear mustaches
like young squires or cavaliers. What
would you have, pray9 Do you all want to
rule too?'
Yes, grandmother, said the host.
"And the nobility and the high gentry
who are born for that, what is to become
of them9'
"Oh, nobility" said the young mother,
looking up into her husbands face with
proud, loving eyes.
He smiled and said: Abolished, grand
mother, or we shall all be barons, all Ger
many, man and mouse 1 see no other al
tentative.
The grandmother made no response to
this. She only said: "At my wedding
there was no talk about state history The
conversation went on its even gait, and
we were just as happy as you in your new
tangled companies. At table amusing rid
dies were propounded and doggerels COM
posed. At dessert we sang, Your health,
my good neighbor, till empty the glass;
and all the other pretty songs that are now
forgotten. Your grandfather clear tenor
voice was always to be distinguished.
People were more polite TO each other In
those times. Disputing and clamor were
regarded as very unseemly in fine COM
pany. Now everything has come to be diff
ferent, but your grandfather was gentle,
peaceable man. 1t Is long since he left this
world He went on before me. 1t is time
that L followed him."
The grandmother was silent moment
No one spo.se-only she felt her hands
seized. Every one wanted to hold them
A peaceful smile fitted over the dear old
face. Then she looked up to her grandson
and said: Here In his hall stood also his
coffin. You were at that time only years
old and stood by the coffin weeping Your
father was an austere, undemonstrative
man. Don't cry, little onel' he said and
lifted you upon his arm. See, this is the
way an honest man looks when he Is dead,
and then he secretly brushed away the
tears from his own face. He had always a
great veneration for your grandfather
Now they are all passed over, and today
have now stood as godmother to my great
grandchild, and you have given her the
name of your old grandmother May the
good God suffer her to arrive as happily
and peacefully at my agel''
The young mother fell upon her knees
before the grandmother and kissed her
soft hands
The grandson said: GRANDMOTHER, we
will tear down the old hall entirely and