Year: 1868

Now, Martin we must separate. perhaps
never to meet again in this world. You will,
no doubt take your family from the little bo-
tel and commence business in some way or
other. wish coulo assist you; but have
no more money than will take me TO Eng
land can stay here no longer, now that
my castle has fallen, and all my wealth has
gone with it. God bless you, Martha III
! am conscious Of anything, will pray for
you on my death-bed."


"May God bless you, BaronI' replied the
humble fisherman. 81 want nothing for my
labor. l have only done my duty; May
heavens blessing follow you p


Martin sold his boat TOR seven dollars, and
then took his family far back into the coun-
try some forty miles off. lie hired little
cottage on the outskirts Of greet forest and
procured bow and arrow in order 10 shoot
game for livelihood for himself and his
family. There was plenty of game in the
forest but tdid not belong TO him, and he
had rs yet no right to shoot any of the
pigeons, or rabbits, or deer that abouuded
from one end of il to the other.


A thought occurred to him. He told Il 10
his wife and children one evening in these
words This great forest Is full of game
and have learned that it belongs TO an old
Duke, who can't live much longer anyhow.
The overseer of his whole estate lives about
two miles from here, and | will go and see
If can't he allowed the privilege of shoot
ing game in such splendid place If I
succeed, then we'll all have good times
Take courage, all Of you


Next morning, while the dew was still


sparkling on the grass, and the rising


sun was peeping through trees, Martin was
on his way to the old Dukes overseer.


He was successful. Privilege was granted


to hunt there for the space of six months -


And that night found Martin and his family
as happy as they had ever been in the fisher


mans cottage on the banks OF the Rhine.


Once Martin shot two beautiful stays, and


was taking them off in wagon TO the nearest


market town. He was met on the road BY
q gentleman and lady in a large coach, drawn


by two horses. "Where are you going 2"
said they as they stopped and looked at the
beautiful stays.


al am going to town to sell my veni-
son." replied Martini ait is very kind in the


old Duke to let me hunt in his forest"
) The coach drove on, and Martin returned
in the evening with the money for his two
stays. About midnight rapl rapl was heard
at the door


Who's there 2" said Martin
"Never mind, open the door," was the
answer.


IAN henest man is afraid Of nobody 50 id


Martin, and he struck light and opened
the door. Who should he see but two large
d. policemen. The to d him that the Duke had
: ordered his arrest for stealing deer from hi:
forest and that he must be put in prison un.
: til the Duke should see fiji to have him come
into his presence.


!. After hasty farewell to his weeping wife
. and children, Martin got up into the wagon
and drove of with the policemen. When
{ he had gone his wife called the children
? around her, aud taking down her old biblt
, read to them, and then prayed that Goo
e would return to them again their best earthly
e friend. And at the same time Martin wa.
' praying in his heart that God would soor
d restore him to his dear family again.
& lie was two weeks in prison, and ther


the same two policemen took him to the oll
g Duke.


e "You filthy dog" said the enraged old no
u bleman, 'how dare you steal and kill m,
Il deer. You have been proven guilty by you
e own confession He swore bitterly, an,


scarcely gave poor Martin time to say a word
q But he did find time 10 explain the Who'll
g matter and prove that the overseer ha'
I given permission 10 hunt in the great forest
n But all was of no avail. Martin was 10 b
l. put in prison for two months. He had on


privilege, however aud that was TO see hi
Il wife and children whenever they came 10 tn
e prison. All their furniture and little carn


ings were taken by the old Duke to pay 70
e the deer that he said Martin had shot an
10 sold. But God watched over the mothe


and the children; yes, and over Martin tn
r prisoner too.


lr One day while Susan and the eldest chile
le went to see Martin in prison she asked hir
r how the old Duke looked and what his rea


name was.


10 "He has only one arm" answere
It Martin, land he slammers when he talks
rt The overseer told me one day that his res


name is not what he calls himself but
r Duke Won Balter.'


r "Now, Martin, think there is a brghte


day before us, replied his good good wife,
y {" Last night, after had finished prayer
De little Anna got hold of my old Bible. Yo


know the leather cover was worn almost oi
Ell on one side months ago Well, little Ann
le pulled the whole cover off when none of Il





Is er,d with dust and very brown fell out.
ie had been between the cover and the back @


the book many years. picked 1t up an
Y read il. Ii was the note OF Duke Won Balte
= to my father for eighteen thousand, dollar


dated eighteen years ago and ! am sure tn
70 hard hearted man who has falsely accused 20
ID and put you in prison is the same man 70
g my father often said that he had lost an arm
'g in bate when young, and that he alway


stammered when he talked"
d, "God be praised" said Martin, "the wick
is edness of the wicked has an end
l. A few weeks more and Martin was out {


prison, and the sheriff reading the above not


to the onraged old Duke he could not den
d, il, His rage and bitter oaths proved th
al truth OF it,


'e In three days from that time, the ol
- Dukes forest and estate had to be sold I
lie pay the note with heavy interest. Aud Maj
- lin, the fisherman, was the purchaser
IS IL was great change Tor bis humble fam
I'd lily TO live in such great ivyacovered hous'


But the, kept him hnmble still. Aud th
at old family Bible was placed on the parlo
!. table. The same old leather cover was care
h. fully stitched on again, and every night tbs
IN Bible was read, and prayer was offered
lis God for His preserving care and tender mere,
in Martin made a present Of three thou
be sand dollars to the Duke (who was pennies
ID after the sale of his estate for the proceed
4 would not meet the MOTEL and he went off |
nv Berlin and boarded in private family.
But Must not forget to tell you of a Gil
IA cumstance that happened one evening, ju
az after family prayer, II Was ten o clock i
,,s night. A str niger drove up TO the doc
~ aud inquired if Martin Melting lived lher
y, ~ On being answered yes, he WAS invited in.-
Of Martin spoke TO him, and the richly dresst
W stranger reDlied thusi