Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-05-27

MY ten months, and we all
HH1eo knew him by the name
@V EN;: ofDutch Jake. He was
" " VI not particularly com.
municative as to his antecedents, and
we didn't trouble ourselves much to
inquire into his past history. He was
industrious and very obliging, and
when he was not busy with the traps
he was ever reading couple OF much
worn volumes in German, which he
invariably carried in his saddle-bags.
Sometimes We would become talkatiye.
but he never spoke of his native coun-
try beyond few remarks, which gave
us to understand that he had been q
soldier, and we all made up our minds
that he had deserted.
When Jake came among US he knew
scarcely anything about rifle. shooting,
but before he had been on the plains
Fix months there were few better
shots to be found than himself. He
possessed cool, undaunted courage,
and, under the most adverse circum-
stances, never lost hope. IT one was
sick, Jake knew of some simple
remedy that wonld alleviate his suf-.
fering, if not restore him to health,
and when old Pete Swsyne was thrown
from his mustang and picked up with
broken arm, Dutch Jake set the
limb and nursed the old man, who al.
ways declared that his arm was the
stronger OF Jake's skill.
It was no wonder, then, that we
were all fond of Jake. There wasn't
o squatter that would not have stood
by Jake, even had he got on the wrong
side of difficulty. But Jake never
became involved in troils; he was too
peace,ble, and took matters too philo-
sophically to lose his teh2er or his
reason. Jake was we'll read; but, as l
said, it was only at certain times that
Jake would talk much. When the
spirit moved him he'd treat the boys
to a genuine free lecture; but gener-
ally he answered "Yes" or sNo," and
would go about his work and never
join in the arguments.
One evening in June, when We were
seated around the fire, some of the
boys got out an old newspaper that
had been given US by some traders.
and began by reading the advertise
ments and ending with the European
news.
There had been drea5fn accident
on the Rhine, at a yiHage called Pitt.
tersdorf. It happened or board one
OF the steamers as she was landing
passengers.
serhat must be in your country, !"
said Ssm Rivers, addressing Jake.
Inerer saw Jake's face turn pale
before, butIt became as white as the
face Of the dead.
s.I was born there, = he replied, and
then his head fell upon his bosom.
Old Pete Swayne frowned at Rivers,
who ws.s reading the paper, and the
latter t,ok the hint, and, lighting his
pipe, tossed the paper into his lap.
After Jake had finished reading the
paper nis spirits suddenly became
very happy. and he began to sing
some German songs. By and by he
said: 'sBoys, I never told you any.
thing about my life, and, as none of
asked me, I thought you wouldn't
care to be bothered by q story that
might possess no interest for you.
But that newspaper has awakened old
.ecollections in my heart, for I know
the place there described as we'll as I
know this camp, and, if you'd like it,
I'll tell 7ou story about Fatherland. "
$50 On, jake" we cried. "We'll
give yon strict attention.
Jake ,oughed, and, giving one of
his good-natured smiles, spoke as fol-
lows:
~ shall never forget how I used to
sit at church with my eyes riveted on
the face of Maria Blinzler when she
was singing in the choir. thought
she was good enough for an angel.
She had deep blue eyes and clusters
of yellow hair, vet tue people never
called her beautiful--perhaps it was
because sha was 80 pale, and had such
q high, white forehead; but I loved
her, aud cared little what folks might
say aboat her beauty. Maria was
brave; she neither feared misfortune,
danger or death. Had ahe lived in
the early ages she would certainly
have been a heroine or o martyr.
Though she had suffered many af1ic-
tions she bore them bravely, and gave
way to violent grief but once, and
that was when her brother, who be-
longed to Bavarian corps, fell dead
in q skirmish on the frontier. We
didn't suppose We were so near the
war, but it came upon US before we
could we'll understand the cause. 1t
was that ugly Italian business. Every
man in Germany had his name in.
scribed on the books where he resided.
They dor't make mistakes about such
matters. It's not like here. When
they want you they know where to
find you, and you can't dodge the
CONSUMPTION.
swell, remember ii was a sum.
mer afternoon when Plittersdorf was
startled by the bugle and drum.
About 200 soldiers came there, and il
was a grand sight to see how they
hurrahed The prospect of war
seemed to make them happy. ]
couldn't understand it then, but did
afterward.
"We were in school when we first
heard the sounds of the music, and the
master allowed us to stand in the porch
and watch the soldiers as they halted
in the public square. Among them
We espied a number OF young men
from Godesberg, o town near by our
village, After school was dismissed
went to the barracks to look at the
soldiers again; there was fascination
about them that pleased me. l was