The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-07-17
106gNOGaQ2T9@MdD OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

forgot that she was homesick and grew really inter
ested in her surroundings and later the dinner con-
sstng chiefly of fish and rye bread tasted very good to
the now hungry Katharine s...Fo
It was after dinner that the tragedy happened The
children had all started out for walk Before they
had gone than mile from the house the fog set
tied all around them-so dense, so thick blotting out
everything, that they could not see than step
ahead They not frightened however as all they
had to do to turn round and go straight ahead
toward home The children took anothers hands at
Gretes direction stretching themselves across the road
Katharine who held Gretes hand being at one end of
the line. They walked on slowly along the dixie for
short time talking busiy though able to see where
they going when suddenly Katharine felt her feet
slipping In trying steady herself she let go of Grete
gave wild clutch at the air, and then rolled rolled
right down steep bank. and, splash! into a pool of
water at the bottom. For moment she lay half
stunned not knowing what had happened to her; then,
her came, Oh" thought She must be killed
or drowned or soething!" She tried to cali Gretel"
but her voice sounded weak and far off, and she could
nothing Slowly she crawled of the pool only to
plunge splash into another She felt oh, so cold wet
and bruised must have rolled right down the dixie"
she thought "If could find it, I might climb up
again She got UP and tried to walk, but sank to her
ankles in water at every step.
She was little lame from her fall and soaked from
head to foot Her clothes hung around her most I'M
comfortably when she tried to walk But if she had to
crawl on hands and knees, she must find the house. so,
pungng turnbing rising again. she crawed in and out
of dches every minute getting cold and miserable
But she went, shivering and sore, every moment
wandering farther from her friends, who were out
searching all along the bottom of the dixie.
After what seemed to her long time she came bump
up against something hard She did not know what It
was, but she could have jumped for JOY if her clothes
in Dutch: Whats that? Who has hit against nv
door, Achl where in the world have you come from?"
Then in considerably milder tone: "Ach! the little
hearth"
"I-I-fell down the dixie have-lost-everybody
Oh, how shall ever get back to father?" answered
Katharine in her very poor Dutch
But tell me, little one, where you came from-ach!
so cold and wet ...
II was spending the day with Marie and Gretel-and
--Jan-and we were walking on the dixie when the fog
on then fell, and could not find my way.
Grete and Jan-couId they be Juffrouw Van Dyne's
children?"
eyes, yes, eagerly; that is where l was. Oh, can
you take me back, dear, dear juffrouw?"
"Yes, when the fog clears away, my child I could
not find the house now; is than two miles from
here Besides, you must put off these wet Clothes you
will get your death of cold-poor lambkin" a-
At this Katharines sobs broke forth afresh 1t must
be late in the evening now she thought; her father
would come to Marie's and would not be able to find
No, dear child it is only four o'clock in the after
noon. The fog may clear away very soon, and then
will take you back" q
about the stove. Katharine presently found herself
wrapped up in blankets great armchair in front of
the fire. cushion at her back and another under her
and comfortable that she fell fast asleep and awoke two
hours later to find the quite light the fog almost
gone, the juffrouw sitting beside her knitting, and
comfortable-lookng cat purring noisly at her feet
!" think have been asleep" she said
/ think you have" said Dame Donk.
Just then loud knock heard at the door, head
poked in then another, and still another The cot
tage was fast filling up There Stood first of ALL poor
arms, Jan with another smaller one Grete carrying
pair of Shoes and of the sisters completely filling
UP the doorway with her ample proportions, last Of all
1t appears that as the fog had begun to clear
the good Dame Donk had despatched boy from
neghboring cottage to let them know where Katharine
was and that her wardrobe would need replenshing
6rdi0 fhA chi safe and
may be better imagined than described How she was
kissed, cried, and laughed over what questions were
asked and not answered, she taken into adj
joining and arrayed in complete suit of Gretes
clothes, to the kompen, for, alas her French
shoes now in condition to be worm the pretty
blue fock torn and stained and hopeessy wet the hat
with its dainty plume crushed and useless indeed every
article she had worn looked only fit for the rag bag
Csreel was so much smaller than Katharine that the
Gretefs ankles reaching just below Katharines knees
and it funny little figure that stepped back into the
roon1-no longer a fashionably dressed New York
maiden but golden-haired child of Holland, to
the blue eyes, sparkling with fun and merriment
But didn't you bring cap for me, Marief" she
All, no, deary; never thought of cap"
well, you must put one on me the minute we get
Oh, what will father say7" she cried delightedy,
as she surveyed herself in the little mirror.
This sobered Marie at once. What would father
angry with her, that she had allowed the child to get
into such dangerf
"Where Katharne?" asked the colonel as he Stood
tall and commanding the threshold, later that
ing, surveying eight small Hollanders looking so much
alike except for the difference IN their sizes that they
might have passed tor eight Dutch dolls propped up
in row against the wall.
sudden shrek of laughter, and one Of the dolls was
in his arms smothering him with kisses Then every
one began talk at once usual and it not until
late the next evening, when he and Katharine were
steanng out of Amsterdam, that the colonel was told
the whole story and for the first time fully understood
all that had happened to his little girl that eventful
day
Meanwhile the new light in his daughters eyes and
the laughter on her lips Kept him from any desire to in
quire too deeply into the reason for certain embar-
rassed frightened look on the faces of the women
Before leaving Amsterdam the colonel obliged to
purchase complete suit of Dutch garments for Kaha-
rine as menento of this visit and because they
SO pretty father" she said and Oh, father just love
Hollandl AS for those Dutch children think they are
simply the dearest sweetest things ever saw and
have promised to write to Gretel as soon as ever get
to Paris"
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