The daily Alaskan., 1907-05-18
TIE CROAKER
LOrIgIuaLl

a hard time of 1t, for they haU no money with which to stock their farm. when a son was born to them. The father did not welcome the little stron- ger giving as an excuse that be saw nothing ahead for the boy but a life of poverty, and poverty meant slavery. Not so Katrina. A mother Is too 0b. sorbed in her child to worry about It's future. She couteuted herself with the care of little Peter, as he was named, trusting to his own strength when he became a man to bring him comfort.
 The father never got over Croaking, as the mother called it, about Peters future, and when the boy was old enough to play with little Gretchen Becker. the daughter of George Beck CT. who occupied the adjoining farm, Hans said: "Sec, there is more misery coming. By and by they will marry and bring more children into the world to suUer." This constant fOreboding hung like a dark cloud over Eotrinas life. It tended to draw her nearer to her son and esUange her from her hus- band. The mother gets the greater part Of a child's affections, and little Peter showed his preference for his mother from the first This was nat ural How could he love a man who was continually telling him and his mother that he would grow up to beg gary?
 One matter especially tended to make this division In the family Of the father on one side and the mother and son on the other. Hans had a secret which be told neither of them. From little Peters birth every now and then he would go somewhere at night after they had gone to bed. always remain ing away about the same length of time. au hour. Katrina dII not ask her husband where he went She knew that # be wished her Co know be would tell her. When her son became old enough for ucr to talk with him about hls fathers absences. the secret drew them closer together and separated them the more from the husband and father Peter suggested that be follow hls father to see where he went and what be did. but Katrina said No, and Peter though very young, had the good sense to agree with her.
 As Peter emerged from childhood to enter upon youth It was noticed that be and Gretchen were as devoted as ever. None but themselves knew when the change came between a childish friendship and the love Of maturity. but there came a time when all who knew them saw that the bridge had been crossed Katrina dreaded the moment when her husband would say to her: "I told you so. There are two fools sowing the wind to reap the wbirlwInd." But for long while Hans had ceased his croakiHg and said noth Ing about what he saw plainly.
 Haas was a hariworkIng man and good husband and father. Neither his wife nor son had any complaint to make Of hlm except the morose view he had always taken of the boys fu ture. As time went on he got money to buy stock and tools for his farm and before Peter came of age had farm and stock and tools paid for. But be yond this he had nothing to show for twenty years Of toll.
 One day Katrina nerved herself. to speak to her husband about their boys love affair She told Hans that Peter was going to marry Gretchen.
 "Tes: know" said Hans. "When will they be married:"
 As soon as the crops are gathered
 Hans turned away without a word Katrina sighed. She would have rath- CT had him say, "I told you so." than nothing. People who will not either oppose us or agree with us are the most irritating. Peter had been told that if he left his fathers farm he would be employed on Beckers farm, but could only expect the wages of an ordinary hand and that only when the crops were being gathered. Peter had saved enough to carry him and wife through the first winter. He wanted to ask bis father if he could continue to work for him, but dreaded to speak of the matter.
 However, the wedding day came round. The two families were sitting at the wedding supper when Hans rose and said:
 Katrina, now show you where ] have been going nights"
 5 Followed by the party, he went out, taking a lantern with hiu. and across to the barn. where he stopped for a spade. Then be went on to a corner 1e his land farthest from the road and occupied by clump of trees. In the center of this thlcket he began to dig and soon unearthed an old trough with | a cover on It. Taking up the trough, be carried it to the house and turned ! lt over on the table Out rolled a pro mlscuous heap Of coins all the way 1 from cents to gold double eagles and | bills from one dollar to a hundred
 Here my boy" said Hans, "s your wedding gift, which I have been sav- 1 Ing for more than twenty years. If
 ladnt done It my way, I couldn't have