Evening journal., 1909-07-07
THE CROAKER
[orIEInall

hard time or IL, Tor tney haO no
money with which to stock their farm,
when son was born to them. The
father did not welcome the little stran-
ger, giving as an excuse that he saw
nothing ahead for the boy but a life
of poverty, and poverty meant slavery.
Not so Katrina. A mother is too alb
sorbed in her child to worry about its
future. She contented 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 II. about Peters |
future. and when the boy was old |
enough to play with little Gretchen |
Becker, the daughter of George Beck |
er, who occupied the adjoining farm,
Hans said: "See. there is more misery |
coming By and by they will marry
and bring more children into the world
to suffer" This constant foreboding
hung like a dark cloud over Katrina's
life II tended to draw her nearer to
her son and estrange her from her hus-
band The mother gets the greater
part Of a childs affections, and little
Peter showed his preference for his
mother from the first This was nat
ural. How could h 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
he 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, an hour. Katrina did not ask her
husband where he went. She knew
that II he wished her to know he would
tell her. When her son became old
enough for her to talk with him about
his fathers absences, the secret drew
them closer together and separated
them the more from the husband and
| father. Peter suggested that he follow
his father to see where he went and
what he did, but Katrina said mo-
and Peter, though very young had the
good sense to agree with her.
AS Peter emerged from childhood to
enter upon youth 1t was noticed thai
he 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: IL told you so. There are two
fools sowing the wind to reap the
whirlwind." But for long while Hans
had ceased his croakiEg and said moth
ing about what he saw plainly.
Hans was hardworking man and a
good husband and father. Neither his
wife nor son had any complaint to
make of him 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.
"Yes; l know" said Hans when
will they be marriedT
"As soon as the crops are gathered" /"
Hans turned away without a word
Katrina sighed. She would have rath.
er had him say, Il 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 IL he left his fathers farm he
would be employed on Beckers farm
but could only expect the wages Of al
ordinary hand and that only when th'
crops were being gathered. Peter hat
saved enough to carry him and wifi,
through the first winter. He wanted
to ask his father If he could contlnu,
to work for him, but dreaded to speal
of the matter.
However, the wedding day cam,
round. The two families were Sitting
at the wedding supper when Hans ros'
and said;
Katrina. now / show you where
have been going nights"
Followed by the party, he went out
taking n lantern with him, and acros
to the barn, where he stopped for
spade Then he went on to a corne
Of his land farthest from the road ant
occupied by a clump of trees. In tn
center OF this thiclxet he began to di
and soon unearthed an old trough witt
cover on It, Taking up the trough
he carried Il to the house and turnel
1t over on the table. Out rolled a pro
miscuous heap of coins all the wa.
/, from cents to gold double eagles AM
bills from one dollar to a hundred
"Here. my boy" said Hans. sis you
wedding gift, which l have been say
ing for more than twenty years. If
! hadn't done IL my way. / couldn't hay
done il at all There is enough to bu
a you a farm. put house on it an
y stock It we'll"
: Katrina and Peter gave each othe
: look full OF surprise. pleasure an
contritlon. Then Peter ran to his Il
s ther impulsively and threw his arm
|. around his neck. Katrina Joined then
h and the three were locked in one en-
n brace. Then Peter went to Gretche
s and said: