Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-12-29

Paul Korner was a landscape
painter; he was, also, a daily visitor
{ the Einhorn, the respectable little
i'm OF Gruningen. Here he drank
his bottle Of Ingelheimer every even
ing except Saturday; on that night,
after the heat and burden of the
week, he felt justified in substituting
champagne for Ingelheimer.
This had been his inVariable habit
from the time IF his settling in the
village, two years before. He had
never once devlated from this rule,
for, unlike many of his brotherhood.
he led a well-regulated life.
One Saturday night, finding him.
self at the inn rather earlier than
usual, he sought to pass away the
time until his companions should ar
rive at the reading table.
The Eastern question was agitat-
Ing the public mind just then. and
people were specializing much over it..
Paul began listlessly turning the
leaves of bound volume of illustrat-
ed papers, looking indifferently at the
wood cuts.
Between the pages lay fragment
of political newspaper. His eyes
fell on letter from Vienna cor
respondent, who, in diplomatic and
ocular fashion. discoursed upon the
situation" winding Zip with the re-
markable declaration:
I'VE are standing upon a volcano.
and no one knows What a day may
bring forth!"'
Paul, who had never been especial
ly interested in politics, closed the
volume with startling clap.
The words, 1--WE are standing on a
Volcano" seemed to affect his mind
very materially.
THE deuce!" he muttered to him
self. War is imminent, and war is
the declared enemy of all the muses.!
What will become of me in the event
which, according to this correspond
emit. is close upon US? Horrors!
Who will buy pictures when bomb
shells are bursting2 Alas! alas! l
must begin at once to adapt myself
to circumstances, and to live sparing-
ly and economically.
Now see what followed.
That evening he ordered, instead
of his customary champagne, a mod
est quantum of Ingelheimer, with
the words:
I'm these hard times We cannot In
dulge in luxuries."
This remark made a profound i'm
preston on Herr Grundhuber, the
landlord, and the next morning, when
his wife asked for the money to pny
for the Sunday loaf of cake, he waved
her back, saying:
I'm these hard times there's no
money to waste on cakes!"
The bakers boy, who, according to
Gruningen custom, delivered his
sweet wares at their patrons houses,
stared blankly, and did not fail to
repeat to his master, word for word,
Herr Grundhuber's remark concern
ing the hard times.
The baker, who thought himself
quite a politician, looked up and
down and around in terrible perplax-
ity.
HIN! Herr Grundhuber. the we'll
to-do host of the Einhorn. denies
himself his usual Sunday treat!
There must be something in It!
Things must be bad! His self-denial
is proof positive that the times are
hard indeed"
An hour later when he entered his
wife's room, the baker found her cx-
aiming with evident delight guam
tity OF dress material spread out he
fore her.
Which piece had better SELECT
for Mathilde?" she asked, smiling
"Alack!" the baker exclaimed, I'VE
have had many expenses lately, and
now in these hard times we must buy
only what is absolutely Necessary.
What do you think? Grundhuke r
has taken no cake for to-day, add
under such circumstances our chill
dren must take what they can get,
and wait for fine clothes till the tim es
mend"
His wife's wits quite deserted her.
Heaven preserve us!" she criUd.
What will become of us? TherO'll
be war! there'll be war! i always
said there'd be war, and who knows
how soon we shall all be Turks? Oh.
dear! oh, dear! Lottie, carry all this
stun back as quick as you can, ADD
tell Herr Kleemuller that we capt
afford to buy with war hanging
over us, and while the times ore 90
hard"
The servant hurried away OF her
errand.
Herr Kleemuller, one of the me IL
eyed men among the merchants OF
the town, listened to her message In
dismay.
This is a fine prospect" said he
to himself. IF the baker thinks even
now of economy the situation must
indeed be bad Well, we must be
ready for anything; the crisis may be
close at hand. First and foremost
we must indulge in no needless ex
penditure."
Thereupon, Fastening to his desk
he wrote and dispatched the follow
ing letter:
Herr Paul Korner:
Dear Sir-I am obliged to giVt
you a different answer from what
had intended, in regard to ycui
Landscape by Moonlight which
had hoped to buy IS soon as 1t shoult
be finished. To my great regret, CIV
ing to the depression of business I
is necessary for me to deny my&el
the qualification OF possessing thi
masterpiece. Let me express Mt
wish and the hope that the times vii
soon be better, when | shall feel j,ls
titled in purchasing one of your trul!
admirable works Of art. remain
dear sir, very truly yours,
"ALOIS KLEEMULLER.
This letter was like thunderclal
10 our artist He had counted upoI