The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-25
PART I.

Saying nothing OF his purpose
Whom indeed should he speak nov
that Christel was dead? the little oil,
man set forth. This, in substance, is TIA,
tale he told the lawyer whom b,
journeyed to town to consult:
= His name was Jalxob Bleibtru-s
peasant of Sonnenheim. seventy-thres
years old. He had lived laborious and
honest life. None of his race was ever
charged with crime or misdemeanor
For more than two hundred years they
had titled the soil of Sonnenheim, toiled
in their cornfelds and vineyards
wronged no man. and been gathered,
ripe in years of stainless reputation. to
their fathers. Such had been the Son.
nenheim Bleibtreus, not, indeed, among
the richest. but solid, thrifty, law
abiding race.
He had owned his cottage, his fathers
and grardfather's before him. In II,
on his own land, he had lived forty-nin
years with his wife Christel. During
that long time they had met their share
OF good and iii luck with cattle, wine,
and crops, had lost both sons-good lads
and sturdy as you'd seldom find-in tho
war; one daughter had married and
moved away. and one had died; there
had been storm rs well as fair weather,
yet, oil in all. he would not say they'd
not been peaceful and prosperous
enough. and he could complain Of
nothing, for lie and his old Christel had
got on rarely together from the first.
1t was two years and,one month now.
since he had begun 10 build his new
tangled house near the village. What
induced him TO do IL he knew not. He
hnd never been one of those that are
troubled with ideas; never been tempted
TO start up ana do things; was always
content to plod along the safe way Of
his forefathers. But other men were
building. They talked large at the viii
lage inn over their beer. Times were
changing, they said. Some even proph-
csied that, before many years, the
shriek of the steam-engine would be
heard in those quiet meadows. II was
like fever-that talk at the Waldhorn.
Solid men, they said, should come for
ward when land was going up like pan
cakes, and show themselves enterpris-
ing and public-spirited, not stick in
their shells like snails. Projects, advice,
figures and probabilities were paraded
until his head swan.
He used to go home across the field
and try to explain what he had heard to
Christcl. He remarked, better than
the first time he broached
the subject. He came into the kitchen
md took of his boots, and she fetched
him his carpet-slippers and skull-cap-
ell still and friendly as was her way.
After they had their usual supper Of
good boiled potatoes and thick, sour
milk, which they always ate In silence
for il was best to give your mind to
vour meals-and after she handed him
his long pipe and tobacco pouch, and
he had pulled awhile. he began TO talk, |
and not before; for when he had any |
hing to say he liked to sit down quiet |
y and get rendy, and not feel hurried.
So he sat in his chair and smoked, and |
gp0ke between his whiffs, while |
,hristel sat In hers and knitted and said |
aothing. But, somehow, in the still |
0ttage AWAY from the mems sencourage-
nont, things sounded altogether differ
mt At any rnte, he could not rouse her
o any sense of their importance, or
make her understand. She listened
luite unconcerned, and clicked on
Justly, asking no questions and making
70 comments. But when nine o'clock
smo, and she got up to lay aside her
pcctacles and knitting. and look after
lre and lights, she said in her quiet
rsy-she was always q quiet woman,
10 wife Christel-she thought she and
or good old Jokel would be apt to sleep
'ell and long on il before they took up
utlandish notions. And, somehow, it
scrctly irritated him that sha felt so
scuue, and every day at the Waldhorn
he mems talk pulled him the other
Isy.
It was long before she seemed able TO
FAsp the fact that he was in earnest,
nd no wonder. for never before had
hey two divided opinions upon any
purse whatever. When she at length
erceived his mind was made up, she
pposed most bitterly. Why. at their
&c, 90 near the grave. build houses?
Thy have notions? Why sink their
savings in building. when
,ey had their own good Haus und Hof?
Thy vex themselves with noise and
hangc? Were they not well enough
nj content? Let strangers come 10 the
Illage--and the railway and loads OF
IL such things were TO be:
ut oil was not gold that glittercd. and
Ia queen of Sheba nnd her gorgeous
rss had not yet arrived. Sonncnheim
az pretty much as she remembered il
,irg on seventy years. except for an
nusual lot OF foolish men folks talk. (,
nrcly. she and her JolSel would not I
row fcather-braincd. but 20 on steady
I'd sure. hand in aand, end keeping 10
4 fashions. I
The more she pleaded. the more stub
Urn he became. as IL In his old age sud- |
My possessed OF a devil. He might q
,vc rpr,err,here1 Cl,riefel xv,o olrrays