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AVAKE COUUAGE:
THE FOUND TREASURE.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN
By MATTIE A. S. SHANNON.
BOSTON :
LOCKE AND BUBIER.
1873.
CONTENTS.
—<—o—
CHAPTER If.
The Wilmer Family, Ste oe, at ere ea y
CHAPTER Ii.
The Storm, ee meh aati et aie Me LT,
CHAPTER III.
The Grandmother, - - siliasel Se ge Se ot
CHAPTER IV.
Household Cares, - - : - - - - 30
CHAPTER VY.
The Visit, - Stem oer ge Le eo 8S
CHAPTER VI.
The Offer, - Pier ee ears re he Aa
CHAPTER VII.
WUhemWinters -) == =) y= > = a 66
%
Iv
The Sled,
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
The Excursion, - Se
Christmas,
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
The New Year, - - Ss
Trees,
Spring,
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Discovery, - Sg 65
CHAPTER XV.
The Box and its Contents, - -
CoRR ale
78
87
98
111
115
122
131
152
axa @ @orzaga;
OR,
Che Hound Greasure.
—<—»«
CHAPTER I.
THE WILMER FAMILY.
T was a hot, sultry day in August.
All nature seemed hushed in an anx-
ious, oppressive stillness. Not a leaf
‘© stirred upon the trees. The little
feathered inhabitants of the forest flew un-
easily from bough to bough, seeking to
shelter themselves in the deep shade of the
old trees, from the burning rays of the sun.
7
8 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Worthy Peter Wilmer would very wil-
lingly have followed their example; “ but in
the sweat of his face must maneatbread;†and
honest Peter and his wife had felt to-day the
full force of that decree.
He had, with her help, just loaded his last
cart-full of grain; and now walked leisurely
beside it, while he wiped away the bright
drops that stood so thick upon his brow.
His thrifty wife had laid her rake upon the
load, and now busied herself, in spite of the
intense heat, which made stooping so painful,
with gathering the green herbs that grew in
her path, for a dainty meal for her favorite
goat. :
While her eyes had been fixed so intently
upon the ground, Peter had been casting
anxious glances at the sky, where he noticed
heavy clouds rising. He endeavored to
hasten the slow steps of his oxen; but when
he found that they could not be induced,
THE FOUND TREASURE. 9
either by blows or entreaties, to alter their
accustomed pace, he raised his eyes again to
watch the progress of the threatening clouds,
and then turned them upon the lake lying by
the side of the road. In it, the dark clouds
mirrored themselves, and it appeared as
angry and restless as the approaching tem-
pest itself.
““ Wife,â€â€™ said he then, “while you are so
diligently providing for Peggy’s supper, you
do not see what a storm is coming. I can-
not drive the oxen any faster, and I am
afraid I shall not get the load into the barn
before it bursts upon us. Hasten home, and
let the goat be satisfied to-day, at least, with
fresh hay. Grandmother will be uneasy, if
she hears the storm before she knows we
have returned.â€
Frau Wilmer raised herself, at these warn-
ings, from her task, her face glowing with
heat, and said anxiously: “Oh, Peter, why
10 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
did you not speak to me sooner! ‘The storm
will be upon us in an instant! Oh, gracious
Heaven assist us! How black the water is,
and what a moaning there is beneath it, and
how it foams and dashes! Alas! the chil-
dren! may they not have left their grand-
mother to ramble in the woods!â€
The anxiety of her motherly heart gave
wings to her feet, and she scarcely heard,
even, as Peter called after her, to drive the
cow, which was feeding with her calf in the
meadow, close by, safely into her stall, and
to open the gate-way.
Already a roar as of a distant tumult filled
the air. She heard a murmuring above her
in the neighboring forest as of far-off, angry
epirit-voices.
The surface of the lake grew rough and
heaving, as if, in a moment, it had become all
life and motion, and spoke with a thousand
tongues.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 11
The sun, shining so brightly only a short
time before, had disappeared behind the
clouds, which were growing ever blacker
and blacker; the bright day faded every
moment more and more into a gloomy
twilight.
The heart of Frau Wilmer throbbed with
anxiety. She ran as fast as her feet could
carry her; and only stopped to take breath
again, when she came in sight of her pleasant
little dwelling, peeping out from a grove of
trees.
. Her eager eyes quickly discovered the old
grandmother, sitting upon the bench under
the large linden tree before the door. She
held little Rose, a child of four years upon
her lap, and Carl, two year older, sat at her
feet.
“God be thanked!†exclaimed Frau
Wilmer. “Grandmother is surely telling
them one of her pretty stories, or else the
little romps would never sit there so quietly.
12 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
When she knew that her dear ones were
safe, she remembered the good cow, that was
still grazing unconcernedly in the meadow,
while now and then she turned her head to
caress her calf.
“You must leave your feast earlier than
usual to-day, good Daisy,†said Frau Wilmer,
as she drove the cow hastily before her
homeward. Soon she reached the little
cottage, which now for ten years, had been
her home; and which she fondly loved, as
she had never had another.
It was, indeed, already old, and had
yielded here and there to the pressure of
‘irresistible Time; but, in return, he had,
with a gentle hand, adorned it so lovingly,
and clothed all the marks of age so carefully
in garments of freshest green, that one could
scarcely discover his ruder touches. In
front, where the windows looked out. upon
the lake, it. was enveloped closely in green
THE FOUND TREASURE. 13
vines; and the other sides, which were
buried in the perpetual shade of the forest
which surrounded the little house, were over-
grown with ivy. The windows, only, peeped
forth from the dense green, like bright
friendly eyes; for even the thatched roof
was covered long ago with green moss.
Peter Wilmer had inherited this little
property from his parents. It had been in
possession of his mother’s family for a hun-
dred years; and on account of the many
sweet. as well as sad associations which clus-
tered around it, was as dear to her as Peter
himself.
Along by the side of the broad lake, ex-
tended green meadows, and here and there a
tract of cultivated ground, some of which
belonged to Peter Wilmer. The greater
part, however, was owned by farmers, who
lived in the city, on the other side of the
lake.
14 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Peter’s little dwelling stood entirely by
itself; for the dense forest extending a mile
or more separated it from the neighborhood
upon that side; and, in fact, the forest-
keeper’s house, situated half a mile farther
into the forest, was all the neighborhood cf
which it could boast.
-The little household lived here in this
seclusion, and rarely ever found it oppres-
sive. Cheerfulness, joy, and industry were
their constant companions, and they felt no
need of others. When, however, the season
of hay-making came round, all was life and
activity on the borders of the lake. Then
the other owners of the meadows came over
in boats from the city, to superintend the
labors of the harvest; and it was a time of
joy and festivity for the good Wilmer family.
There were many dear, familiar faces among
those who came; and many hearty preetings
were exchanged by loving lips,
THE FOUND TREASURE. 15
When the Autumn came and scattered
these pleasant guests, it became more quiet
and solitary than ever: still they thought no
other place could be half as pleasant, when
Winter drew the family together around the
vright fire, and with barn and cellar filled to
overflowing, they could enjoy a refreshing
rest from their more wearisome labors; and
the quick, merry hum of Frau Wilmer’s
spinning-wheel was heard, while the grand-
mother opened for their entertainment the
rich treasures of her memory.
As she drew near her house, the recollec-
tions of all the glad, bright hours she had
passed in that little dwelling, rushed quickly
over her soul, accompanied by a feeling of
anxious forebodings; but as the children
sprang joyfully towards her, she felt her
heart grow light again.
She grasped the hand which the grand-
mother extended to her, and exclaimed: “TI
16 LAKE COTTAGE.
ran home as fast as I could, grandmother, for
I was so anxious about you and the children.
There is a fearful storm approaching. Hark
now ; it thunders!â€
“T felt it coming, my daughter, and so did
not allow the children to leave me. I have
heard the sea moaning all day long. May
God protect us!â€
“Take my hand, grandmother ; I will lead
you into the house first, and then look after
the animals. Carl, open the gateway.â€
Frau Wilmer led the grandmother into the:
house, for she was blind, and seated her
_ gently in her comfortable arm-chair, and told
little Rose to stay with her, and not to be
frightened by the thunder.
She had just succeeded in making every-
thing secure, as Peter drove his load into the
barn; and in a short time, the little family
were all assembled in the pleasant sitting-
room.
CHAPTER II.
THE STORM.
e533
‘ OW the tempest burst in all its vio-
lence. The windows shook and rat-
AY’ tled, and the tall trees of the forest
@ bent their heads before its fury. A
fearful tumult filled the air; the waves. of
the lake rose high, while thunder and light-
ning followed peal after peal.
Little Rose had buried her head in her
grandmother’s lap, whose lips moved in
silent prayer. Peter and his wife sat side by
17
18 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
side, their hands clasped, while Carl could
only with a great effort, keep back the tears.
‘Frau Wilmer became more and more
ecm She took the grandmother’s hand,
and said, with a trembling voice, while she
listened anxiously to the tempest: ‘Oh,
grandmother, did you ever know such a -
storm ?â€
At the same time, little Rose, lifting her
head, asked: “Is God angry with us, be-
cause we have done something naughty?â€
The grandmother repeated, in a calm,
firm voice, those beautiful verses from the
Psalms: ‘God is our refuge and streneth, a
very present help in trouble. Therefore will
not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carricd into
the midst of the sea. Though the waters
thereof roar and be troubled, though the
mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of
Jacob is our refuge.â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 19
They all listened devoutly. Their faith in
God was soon to be put to the trial.
As a terrific clap of thunder burst over
their heads, the large linden tree before the
house, cleaved by a stroke of lightning, fell
to the ground. Its strong branches in fall-
ing, crashed against the windows which it
had shaded so long; and a pale flickering
flame leaped from the tree upon the thatched
roof, which in an instant was in a bright
blaze.
“Great God! the house is on fire!†cried
Peter Wilmer, as he ran in terror out of the
house to convince himself of the terrible
truth. His wife and children followed
shricking. Wilmer ran quickly back again,
and with tears in his eye clasped his mother’s
hand as he said: “Oh, mother, it is not
God’s will, that you shall die in the home of
your fathers! You must hasten to leave
it, never again to enter it!â€
“The earth is everywhere the Lord’s, my
20 LAKE COTTAGE.
son,†said the old woman, with quivering
lips, as she left the house, which had been
her home so many years, and which con-
tained everything she had ever possessed and
loved.
Peter led his mother hastily under a large
old oak tree which stood upon the shore of
the lake. The storm still continued, but its
fury was spent. Frau Wilmer quickly re-
covered her presence of mind, and with
Carl’s assistance, dragged beds and every-
thing else she could save out of the burning
house.
Peter hastened to set free his cattle, for
the flames had already communicated them-
selves to the adjoining stable.
The sad labor of saving was soon over.
Scarcely a half hour had passed when the
little dwelling fell in ruins, and soon the out-
buildings followed ; and then there remained
to Peter Wilmer, of all his temporal posses-
sions, nothing but a heap of ashes.
CHAPTER ITI.
THE GRANDMOTHER.
( LTHOUGH the grandmother was
the most helpless of all the family,
yet they all looked to her for advice
and comfort.
As the burning house fell to the ground,
Frau Wilmer threw herself weeping upon
her breast, and the children clung to her
knees.
When the grandmother knew by the
crashing sounds, that the house was no more,
where she and her parents had experienced
all the joys and sorrows of their lives, she
felt as if a two-edged sword had pierced her
21
22 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
soul, and two scalding tears rolled slowly
down, from her sightless eyes over her
withered face.
Soon she recovered herself, and said, calm-
ly: “The Lord gave and the Lord hath
taken away; blessed be the name of the
Lord. My son, despise not thou the chastcn-
ing of the Lord, nor faint when thou
art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord
loveth he correcteth. ‘We know that all
things work together for good to them that
love God.’ Why should we complain, my
children? Should we not rather be thankful
that God has permitted us to enjoy so long,
what he has now taken from us? That roof
has sheltered me for seventy years; is not
that long enough, and we realize, for the first
time, how long it was, now it fails us.â€
“Oh, mother,†answered Wilmer, “it is
not for myself, or for my family that I grieve,
we are young and strong; but for you, that
THE FOUND TREASURE. 23
you have nowhere to lay your head! The
wind scatters your gray locks, and I cannot
offer you any shelter. Where can you stay
until I have again a house of my own?â€
““My son,†said she, gently, “do not be
troubled about that. He who gives to
the clouds, to air, and to the winds a path,
will also provide a way wherein my feet can
walk. See! the storm is over; I feel a
warm ray of sunlight falling through, the
branches upon my hand; perhaps there is a
rainbow in the sky. Let it be to us a token
of comfort and promise.â€
“ Yes, grandmother,†cried Carl, “there isa
beautiful, broad rainbow, which reaches over
into the lake, and you have told us that God
made it when the flood was over, and He
was no longer angry. Grandmother, will he
not love us again, and help us?â€
“Certainly, my child,†said the old woman.
“Pray and work, then God always helps.â€
24 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Though their condition was for the time so
comfortless and helpless, Peter and his wife
both felt themselves strengthened and en-
couraged by the fortitude and submission of
the grandmother. Their only care was to
procure for her all the comforts which their
circumstances rendered possible. Peter had
seated her under an old oak, which, of all
the trees growing upon the shore, she loved
best. To it, she allowed the children to lead
her, in warm days; and here Peter had con-
structed a comfortable seat for her.
The tree was very old, and time had long
ago hollowed its trunk, and the restless
waves of the lake had, by degrees, worn
away the earth from some of its roots; still,
its branches were green and flourishing, and
hung far over the lake, and also over the
grandmother’s seat.
Under this oak she had played when a
child; and here, in later years, she had often
THE FOUND TREASURE. 25
come, in sorrow and in joy, to pray alone.
Here she still loved to sit, though her eyes
could no longer enjoy the fresh green of its
leaves; but their pleasant rustling, like the
plashing of the waves, spoke to her of van-
ished years, of trials which prayer had
strengthened her to endure, and of hopes
which reached beyond this world to the
other.
As she sat here now, encircled by the lov-
ing care of her children, her spirit seemed to
lose itself in the distant past. ‘This is not
the first time, my son, that I have passed a
night under this tree,†said she. ‘I remem-
ber one terrible night, when the ground was
wet with blood. The French fled hither
across the lake, and the Prussians pursued
them. A horrible slaughter followed, and
our little dwelling was soon full of friends
and foes. We fled, but we knew not whither,
for the forest was full of pursuers and pur-
26 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
sued. When night came, all was still about
us, yet we did not trust ourselves to enter
our house, but crept back to conceal our-
selves under this oak; for then it was sur-
rounded by thick bushes.
“Just as we reached the tree, a soldier
sprang down from it, and we turned back
again in terror; but he seemed as frightened
as ourselves, for he ran as quickly as he could
into the forest close by; but the tree was
stained with blood. He could not have gone
very far.â€
FRIENDS IN NEED.
The recollections of the grandmother were
here interrupted by the exclamation of the
children, “Here are people from the other
side of the lake!†It was true, that many
boats, bringing the kind neighbors from
across the lake, to offer aid and sympathy,
had already landed; for they had seen the
flames, and suspected what had happened.
THE FOUND TRIASURE. oT
Heinrich, the old smith of seventy years,
had been the first to set out, and now ap-
proached the grandmother, while the others
expressed to Peter and his wife their sympa-
thy. ‘God help us, Grandmother Wilmer ;
this is a sad affliction, but you will bear it
with a submissive spirit, as you have so many
heavier trials,â€â€™ said he.
“You are right, Heinrich,†answered the
grandmother, for she had recognized him im-
mediatcly by his voice, “you are right. It
is not the heaviest trial that the Lord has
laid upon me. When my husband and my
two children died of the fever, then, friend
Heinrich, it was hard for me to sar ‘O Lord,
Thy will be done!’â€
“But you have been tried, and have not
been found wanting, grandmother, and you
will be sustained in this by God’s grace.
My wife has already arranged a comfortable
room for you and the children, and expects
28 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
you to come back with me; and then we will
see what we can do for your son and his
good wife. His house must be rebuilt this
fall, so that he can occupy it in the Spring!
Keep up a good heart, Peter! we will all of
us set to work, to-morrow, and build a little
cottage for you, that will, at least, shelter
you from the wind and weather, while you
have work to do upon the farm; and the
winter you can spend in the city.â€
These kind offers were very thankfully
accepted. The grandmother and the chil-
dren found a pleasant and comfortable home
with the old smith; and the neighbors gave
‘to honest Peter, all the assistance which
their means would allow.
rary building was soon erected, and then
they made preparations for rebuilding the
house. Old Heinrich proved himself, in this
emergency, a true friend; for he loaned to
Peter, not only what money he needed, but
THE FOUND TREASURE. 29
also the necessary amount of seed-corn. It
is true, that Peter followed his plough with a
heavy heart, and anxious care left deep lines
upon his forehead; but the pious submission
of his mother, strengthened his courage,
and his trust in God, so that he did not
despair.
CHAPTER IV.
HOUSEHOLD CARES.
< HREE years have passed since the
§) events we have just mentioned. A
Na
i neat, pleasant dwelling house has
@
taken the place of the former cot-
tage; and a commodious barn has been
erected for the faithful animals.
Upon the top of the latter, a stork had
~ built her nest, to the inexpressible delight
of the children; and, better than all, before
it flew away in the autumn, a dear. little
sister had come to them, to the delight and
joy of all their hearts.
The grandmother sat again in her com-
fortable arm-chair by the fire; and instead
30
THE FOUND TREASURE. 51
of the large linden tree before the door, a
young, slender fruit-tree had this year put
forth its delicate blossoms for the first time.
Green vines climbed again up the sides
of the house, and everything was fresh and
new; but anxious care had taken up its
abode in that dwelling, and would not be
driven out, let Peter and his wife labor ever
so diligently. The proverb which the grand-
mother often repeated to them: ‘God blesses
war and fire with a liberal hand,†did not
seem to be fulfilled in their case. Peter had
thus far been unsuccessful with his harvests,
and in addition to this, the interest money
which he owed, according to the proverb:
“‘eat at the same table with the femily,†and
when this is the case, the proverb says, “ the
father of the famiy goes away from it
_ hungry.â€
It was not yet quite so bad as that with
Peter; on the contrary, the table was well
82 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
supplied, and there was always a piece of
meat upon it for Peter and his mother. But
Peter’s brow was often clouded and anxious,
and many tears did his faithful wife shed in
secret.
The hot sun had poured his scorching rays
upon the fields, week after week, until they
were brown and parched for the lack of rain.
The grain grew sparsely, and led Peter to
fear the harvest might entirely fail. He
owed interest money for the former year, and
if he were not able to sell grain this year, he
knew not how he could pay it. The kind
smith, who had advaned him the capital, was
dead; and his heirs were hard-hearted,
avaricious people, who had already threat-
ened to sell poor Peter’s house, if he did
not pay the money.
The harvest drew near. This year it was
no joyous festival; but the scanty sheaves
were brought into the barn with many sighs,
THE FOUND TREASURE. 83
- for they were barely sufficient for a single
family, and to think of selling any, was out
of the question. Frau Wilmer might man-
age as sparingly as she could, it did no good.
For some time the mid-day meal had grown
more and more frugal, and now there was
only a piece of meat upon the table for the
grandmother. They wished to conceal from
her, as long as possible, the sad condition of
the family; and Wilmer often felt thankful
for her blindness, which as he imagined, pre-
vented her from knowing the sorrow and
anxiety which their faces revealed.
The nest upon the stable was long ago
empty and deserted. The cold winds of
autumn played with the yellow, falling
leaves, and sighed mournfully among the
bare tree-tops. The waters of the lake
moaned and dashed incessantly; and the
hearts of the children were often full of
fear, as they gathered in the twilight around
their grandmother’s chair.
34 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
The more dreary nature became, the
heavier grew Peter’s heart. The interest
money was due upon St. Martin’s day, and
he had not a thaler with which to pay it.
In vain, he had begged for indulgence from
his merciless creditors, and now he must be
prepared for the worst.
With sad faces they sat around the table
to-day, upon which was their simple meal;
the table was not quite bare, however, but
Peter and his wife could not swallow a
mouthful for sorrow.
“My children,†said the grandmother at
length, “although I am blind, I can see your
sorrowful faces as plainly before me, as if
the light had never left my eyes. Let me
remind you of those comforting words,
which the Holy Scriptures contain, for all
anxious, care-burdened souls; which you,
perhaps, have forgotten in your despondency :
‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall
THE FOUND TREASURE. 85
eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your
body, what ye shall put on. Is not the
life more than meat, and the body than
‘raiment? Behold the fowls of the air; for
they sow not, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than
they? Therefore take no thought, for your
Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things.’ †3
Peter was much moved, and pressed his
mother’s hand, as he said: ** Dear mother,
your pious words and hymns have often
infused fresh courage into my sinking heart.
May they help me now! The day after to-
morrow, it is market-day in the little city
yonder; if the storm abates, so that I can
cross the lake, I think I shall take the good
cow over, and sell her. She is a fine cow,
and I shall receive for her nearly enough to
pay those cruel people what I owe them.
86 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
What matters it, dear wife? Many another
eats his piece of bread with salt, and the
goat gives milk enough for the children.â€
A momentary silence followed these words,
and then little Rose and Carl burst into
tears.
“Sell our good Daisy!†cried Frau Wil-
mer, astonished ; then she quickly recovered
herself, and said, ‘You are right, Peter,
she must go, and next autumn the little
brindle cow will bring usa calf. Dear old
Daisy ! but there is no other way!â€
“Truly, my children,’ added the grand-
mother, “we ought not to fasten our affec-
tions so entirely upon earthly things, and
fold our hands in inaction. We shall all feel
sadly to part with the good cow, but we
must submit to it.â€
Little Rose and Carl ran to the barn to
enjoy the sight of the good creature as long -
as possible.. They stroked her smooth sides,
THE FOUND TREASURE. ef
while they told her,-amid scalding tears, of
the coming separation: for it was settled
that she must go, as it was only by this
sacrifice, that crushing care and want could
be averted from the family, at least, for a
time.
CHAPTER V.
THE VISIT.
Wi; EANWHILE the storm had in-
creased. The raging of the waves
could be plainly heard as they beat
upon the shore. As evening ap-
proached, a violent snow storm set in, and
the windows shook and rattled, as the howl-
ing wind drove the flakes thick and fast
against them.
Peter and his wife were busy without, and
the grandmother sat alone with the children
in the comfortable little sitting-room. They
had been quietly rocking the cradle in which
their little sister was sleeping, and at length
38
THE FOUND TREASURE. 89
little Rose said softly: ‘‘ Grandmother, wont
you please tell us a story? One that will
make us happy again, for we are so sorry
that our good Daisy must leave us.â€
“Don’t let us tease grandmother for a
story now,†said Carl. “She looks very sad
herself, and I believe she is praying.â€
It was now quite dark in the little room,
and a deep silence prevailed for some time.
It was suddenly broken by the barking of
the house-dog, Watch, who would not be
silenced. “Light a lamp, Carl,†said the
grandmother, aroused by the noise; ‘ per-
haps the forest keeper has been hunting in
the neighborhood, and has come to seek a
shelter with us from the storm.â€
Carl did as he was told, but he nearly let
the lamp fall from his hand, as he saw a
strange, white face, with coal black eyes
and. hair pressed against the window pane,
and gazing into the room. He heard him
40 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
speak in aloud tone as he opened the door,
but the wind prevented him from under-
standing a syllable of what he said. He
thought of the water-sprite, which, it is
sa‘d, sometimes appears to men, for when the
stranger at length entered the room he was
dripping with water.
“ Pardonnez, Madame,†said he, bowing
politely as he saw the grandmother, and then
he continued, speaking in tolerable German,
“T beg your pardon, good woman. I have
travelled a long way to-day, through this in-
terminable forest, and I hoped to cross over
the lake to the city to-night; but I must seek |
a shelter here for the night, as the storm and
darl.ness prevent my going farther.â€
The grandmother had started at the first .
sound of these foreign words, and seemed to
find it difficult to at once reconcile the
strange sounds with the present. As he
ceased speaking, she said half to herself, as
THE FOUND TREASURE. 4]
if lost in her recollections: “ For thirty years
Ihave not heard those sounds, nor listened
to the language of my fathers from the lips
of a Frenchman; but I could never for one
moment mistake them. All the horrors of
those days, when they so often met my ears,
rise from the grave before me. Have we not
peace? Why does our enemy come into our
country?†,
“Oh! pardon me, madame,†rejoined the
stranger, “if my person or my voice awakens
painful recollections within you; but you
will not visit upon the child the injuries
which perhaps his father has committed, and
drive him forth into the darkness and storm.â€
“No; my good sir, whoever you may be.
I trust you have heard that my countrymen
fulfil the words of Scripture, which bid us,
‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you.’ My
eyes were still bright enough to see how God
42 ; LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
humbled the pride of that cruel army, when
naked and hungry, they came back from
Russia, humbly begging for help, — they,
who but a little before, had placed their
pistols to our breasts, to extort from us the
last of our possessions, and for whom our
best was not good enough! I thought that
time had consumed every drop of bitterness
in my heart, and yet, something of it still
stirs my breast! But I trust that no one in
need shall ever leave our threshold unre-
lieved. Carl, place a chair for the stranger
by the stove; its warmth will do you good.
Sir, my son will bid you welcome, directly.
You must blame your countrymen, that I
am not a better hostess; for one of them
held a pistol to my forehead, while he laughed
at my distress. To be sure, he knew well
that it was only loaded with powder, but as
he fired, the powder flashed in my eyes; and
after that, gradually, their sight was de
stroyed.â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 43
“Tt pains me,â€â€™ said the Frenchman, in a
voice rhuch agitated, “that my countrymen
have given you so much cause to hate them.
It pains me all the more, since — since I have
business in this neighborhood, which may
compel me to make a long tarry here.â€
“Business in this neighborhood!†re-
peated the grandmother, in amazement.
“Yes,†replied the stranger, with some
hesitation. “I am commissioned to survey
the lake and its shores, and make a drawing
of them.†Turther conversation was here
interrupted by the entrance of Peter and his
wife.
CHAPTER VI.
' THE OFFER.
HE grandmother explained to them in
a few words the presence of the
‘ stranger, and he repeated his request
6 fora shelter, until he could cross the
lake.
“You are welcome, my good sir,†said
honest Peter, as he extended his hand to
him. “I would not close my doors upon
any man, in such weather as this, to what-
ever nation he might belong!†The stranger
then told them how he had left France in the
spring of the year, and expected to have
commenced his work here in the summer.
~ 44
THE FOUND TREASURE. 45
“But,†he continued, “I had scarcely
reached Germany, when I was seized with a
severe illness, which detained me for many
months in a little city. Now,†he added.
much agitated, “I cannot probably commence
my work here at present, as the winter has
set in so early; but I am recommended to
some people in the city yonder, and I hope
to find employment there in a trading-
house.â€
There was certainly nothing very remarka-
ble in this narration, and yet it all seemed to
good Peter a little peculiar. Who, in the
name of heaven, in distant Irance, could be
go interested in this isolated locality, as to
wish to have an accurate map of it? Then
again, what motive could the stranger have
to deceive him, and enter his house upon
false pretences? The appearance of the
man was not such as either to excite suspi-
cion, or to dispel it. He might have been
46 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
twenty-one years old, was tall and slender,
with dark eyes and hair. He was very hand-
some, though his face was still very pale,
from the effects of his long illness ; his dress
was plain but genteel. His eyes had at
times an anxious, uneasy expression, and
they wandered incessantly around the room,
as if making a careful examination of it, and
remained longer upon the grandmother’s face
than anywhere else.
Meanwhile, Frau Wilmer had laid a clean,
white cloth upon the table, and proceeded to
place upon it some cggs, and a dish of
potatoes.
“You will have to put up with our poor
fare,†said Frau Wilmer, apologizingly; “‘ we
would gladly give you better, if we had it.â€
“Tam already very much obliged to you,â€
said the stranger, politely.
As they sat around the table, the stranger
turned to the grandmother and said, “ Did
THE FOUND TREASURE. 4T
you live in this neighborhood in the time of
the war?â€
“ This is the place where I was born,†she
answered; “and, if it is God's will, I hope
here to lay down my head in everlasting
rest.â€
“ And did the wild tumult of the war ex-
tend even to this quiet spot?’? asked the
stranger again.
Peter happened to turn his eyes upon him
just then, and noticed that a faint flush
spread itself over his pale cheeks, as he asked
the question.
“We have seen much more of it than we
could wish, or can ever forget,†she an-
swered, “and under those trees by the lake,
many a victim of it lies buried — friend and
foe lying peacefully side by side.â€
“Under those trees by the lake,†ex-
claimed the stranger in a startled tone,
“and—and when were they buried there,
48 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
good woman, before or after, the great battle
over yonder?â€
The grandmother shook her head distrust-
fully, as she said: “ you knew of that battle,
and yet you asked if the tumult of the war
had extended to us.â€
“Yes, I knew of it,†he replied, somewhat
confused. ‘I believe it was in that battle,
that my father was wounded.â€
“The French were pursued across the
lake,†continued the grandmother, ‘and so
large an offering was sacrificed to the water.
sprite in its depths that day, for a long time
he demanded no more. Those who could
not find boats, threw themselves into the
water. Oh, it was a fearful sight! I could
almost wish that my eyes had been sightless
then; for the terrible picture of those poor
soldiers, struggling in vain with the waves,
haunted me for many long years; and even
now, I often seem to hear their pitiful cries,
when the wind sweeps across the lake.â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 49
“They buried the dead under those trees
by the lake,†said the stranger again, half
to himself.
“The Prussians crossed the lake farther
down,†the grandmother proceeded to relate,
“and I cannot say that they showed any
mercy. The soldier follows a terrible pro-
fession! Those who did not perish in the
lake, were cut in pieces with the sword.
My husband and I, even, buried many ; for
when we again ventured forth the dead lay
all about us.â€
“And the dead lie buried under those
trees by the lake,†repeated the stranger
once more in an agitated voice; then turning
suddenly to Peter, he said: “You probably
know, my good man, the very spot where
my countrymen rest. I cannot remain in
this neighborhood without visiting their
graves. ‘¢And—and,†he added, hesitating-
ly, “were the rest of the dead, those who
50 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
were not buried by you, laid so kindly to rest
under green trees?â€
“They were buried on the borders of the
forest,†the grandmother rephed; “ but this
is not fit conversation, so shortly before
going to bed; your slumbers will be dis-
turbed with bad dreams. My daughter can-
not offer you the softest couch, for you have
sought shelter with poor people.â€
“Then you are really pocr,â€â€™ said the
Frenchman, while a gleam of delight almost
flitted over his face; but a sigh escaped from
his lips as he continued, “yet if you could
oblige me so much, as to let me lodge with
_you for one or two days, I should be very
grateful to you. What I have just heard
makes this place interesting in the highest
degree to me; and I should like to learn
more about it.â€
“JY must go across the lake to the city the
>
day after to-morrow,†answered Peter, “and
THE FOUND TREASURE. 51
I will make you the proposition to remain
here till then, and let us make the journey
over tozether.â€
Peter had mentioned his intended journey
not without a touch of sadness in his voice
and a sigh from every breast accompanied
his words.
The stranger glanced from one to the
other, and immediately concluded that Peter
must be going upon a sad errand.
“You do not seem to go to the city very
willingly,†he remarked.
Peter did not answer immediately, but
Frau Wilmer said sadly, “Alas! it is on ac-
count of our good Daisy!†Then she
quickly recovered herself, and added, “we
are obliged to sell our best cow, dear sir, and
that makes us all very sad.â€
“Why can you not keep her?†he asked.
“ Are you really so badly off, that you must
sell her?†He turned his eyes as he said
this inquiringly upon the grandmother.
52 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
“The truth is,†said Peter, “‘I owe a hard-
hearted man, and as I have no money I must
sell the cow in order to pay him.â€
Frau Wilmer quietly wiped her eyes upon
her apron, while little Rose hid her tearful
face upon her mother’s breast.
“How much do you owe that man?†in-
quired the stranger.
“ Alas! my good sir, fifty thalers! and I
scarcely expect to receive that for the cow.â€
They had risen from the table, and the
Frenchman walked up and down the room,
apparently lost in thought. At length he
stopped before Peter, and said,
“T have a request to make of you, my
good man. Take from me, now, these fifty
thalers, and in return for them, let me have
a little chamber in your house, so that I can
come and go when I wish. Perhaps my
business here will soom be accomplished ; but
it may be that it will oblige me to remain
THE FOUND TREASURE. 53
here a part of next summer. My ordinary
abode will be in the city yonder; but I would
like to be able to come here when circum
stances render it necessary.â€
A feeling of joy diffused itself through
each heart at these words, and only upon the
grandmother’s face a shadow still rested.
Peter noticed it, and replied with some hesi-
tation; ‘Pardon me, dear sir, that I do not.
at once accept your kind offer, and express
to you the deep gratitude which I feel; but
we have known each other only for a few
hours; look first at the little room which is
all we can offer you.â€
“Your hesitation, good people, at receiv-
ing into your house, without more ado, an
entire stranger is very natural, but you need
have no fear. If I am a Frenchman, I have
an honest heart, and the money which I offer
to you, has been honorably earned, and I
trust the blessing of God will rest upon it;
54 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
but more of this to-morrow. Now, I will
bid you good-night.â€
Peter conducted his guest up the stairs,
and opened the door of a snug little chamber
under the eaves, with white walls, in which
Frau Wilmer had spread a clean, white
couch. When Peter returned to the little
sitting-room, his wife clasped his hand, and
said, with much emotion:
“Oh, my husband! God sends us help in
our need, and I am not afraid to accept it,
because it comes from a stranger.â€
“Grandmother shall decide for us,’’ an-
swered Peter. ‘I see very plainly, mother,
that you have some doubts about the offer of
the Frenchman. Tell us whether we ought
to accept it or not.â€
'“Do you wish me to decide, my children,
when you know my eyes are sightless, and
cannot look searchingly into the stranger's
face? Yet, I will not deny that, though I
THE FOUND TREASURE. 55
cannot see, as I felt his eyes often fixed upon
me, antl heard those foreign but well remem-
bered accents, a painful feeling of suspicion
stole over me. But let us leave the matter
till the morning, my children, and in the
meantime, ask the good Lord to preserve us
from gold upon which wrong may rest.’’
ce 1 >
h, mother,†exclaimed Frau Wilmer,
“did you not hear how he assured us that it
was honestly earned? Oh, if you could
only see what an honest and frank expression
there is on his face; and when his eyes
rested upon you, they were full only of real
pity, for the calamity which his country-men
had brought upon you.â€
The grandmother reached out her hand to
her, and said, smilingly, “I sce plainly, my
daughter, he has a good advocate in you, and
the good cow shall yet furnish us’with milk
and butter for a lone time, if it is God’s will.
It may be that the recollections of days gone
56 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
by, makes me distrustful; but God will
enlighten our minds through the night, so let
us go to rest.â€
They all sought repose, and Frau Wilmer,
full of hope and joy, ere she closed her eyes
in slumber, fervently thanked God for this
unexpected help in their need.
These happy feelings did not forsake her
even in sleep, but fashioned themselves into
sweet and pleasant dreams as she slumbered.
She wandered in a lovely flower-garden, and
gathered the most beautiful flowers in her
apron; then as she attempted to twine them
into nosegays, bright, shining thalers fell in
abundance from each blossom.
The noise of their falling awakened her,
but flowers signified joy, and silver a bright
day; so with a light heart, she left her
couch.
As she prepared the morning meal, her
fancy pictured to her all the pleasant things
THE FOUND TREASURE. 57
which would follow from this day. First of
all, the good cow need not be sold; and at
Christmas time, she would carry what butter
she could spare to the city, and with the
money she received for it, she would buy a
warm shawl for the grandmother, a cap for
Peter, and soft warm dresses for the chil-
dren; and with what remained, she would
surely buy a Christmas cake; and she would
decorate the Christmas-table with all these
things on the holy Christmas Eve.
Peter also awoke with the conviction that
God, in his love, had guided the stranger to
his house, that he might render them aid.
He was resolved to accept of it thankfully,
but fancy painted no such glowing pictures
for him as for his wife. He felt that only
the first ray of light had pierced the night of
his cares: but he trusted that it would con-
tinue to grow brighter around him, and in
this hope, he went forth to his work.
58 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
The grandmother had lain awake much of
the night. The events of the day had
aroused the recollections of long forgotten
injuries. She thought of all the misery
which the war had brought upon her country,
upon her friends and relations, and upon her-
self. Iler two brothers had been killed in a
battle with the French; they had abused her
husband, plundered their humble dwelling,
and deprived her of the sight of her eyes.
She feared that perhaps all these painful
remembrances, had made her suspicious, and
unjust in her opinion of the young French-
man. IJad she aright to refuse his helping
hand, because his countrymen had done her
harm? Where now were all those who had
once treated her dear ones and herself so
cruelly ?
She had herself, even helped to prepare
a quiet resting place for them, and now
after so many, many years, ought she to
THE FOUND TROASURE. oo)
cherish bitterness in her heart towards one
of that nation? She felt repentance and
sorrow, as all good people do, when they fear
they have done wrong, and she blamed hev-
self for not treating the stranger twice as
kindly, and resolved that he should be
furnished with a chamber in their house
whenever he wished it.
The young Frenchman, his name was
Mon. La Lire, had slept sweetly and sound-
ly, a slumber, such ag ever visits the couch
of youth. The pale November sun was
shedding its faint beams around the little
chamber, as he awoke from his refreshing
rest. He dresscd himself quickly, and
walked to the window. His eyes wandered
in that direction where he knew beautiful
France must lie—his distant beloved coun-
try! Tears rose to his eyes, and he clasped
his hands involuntarily in silent prayer.
Then he murmured in a low tone: “Oh, my
60 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
loved ones, are you thinking of me at this
hour? I knew your prayers for my success
accompany me, but will they be answered,
or must I leave this cold, unfriendly land
without realizing my desires? Are those
graves, the graves of my hopes, also? Alas!
there comes to me from out those bare
branches no whisper of promise! They
seem dead, but the spring will awaken them
to a new life, and clothe those limbs so
brown and bare with fresh, green foliage.
Ch, that I might with them, awake to a
new, joyous existence! He was interrupted
in his meditations by a light knock at the
door. It was Peter, who had come to sum-
mon him to breakfast. A smoking hot soup
was upon the table, and the little family
bade him a pleasant good morning. The
grandmother cordially reached out her hand
to him, and enquired how he had slept.
The spirits of the young stranger brightened
THE FOUND TREASURE. 61
with this hearty greeting. He returned it
in the same manner, and sat down to break-
fast with these good people with a lighter
heart. Frau Wilmer looked somewhat
anxiously at the soup, which was scarcely
colored with milk, as the goat had given a
very small quantity to-day. She was afraid
that her guest would find the meal too
frugal, and would regret that he was to be a
lodger there in the future. Meanwhile, she
saw with unutterable joy, the contents of his
plate rapidly vanishing, and when he asked
for a second plateful, he had established him-
self completely in her good graces.
He understood how to win the love of the
children, and they soon climbed upon his
knee, and listened with delight to his pretty
stories ; and when he promised to bring back
with him from the city a charming picture
book, they thought he could not have been a
Frenchman, who had treated their grand-
62 LAKE COTTAGE; On,
mother so cruelly long ago. ‘For,’ said
Carl, “he is a 'renchman, and how good and
kind he is!â€
Meanwhile the Frenchman had often looked
out longingly upon the lake, but the weather
continued so stormy, that he feared it might
seem strange if, in spite of it, he took a walk
upon the shore, but a3 the afternoon ad-
vanced, and the storm did not abate, he
could not restrain himself any lonzer; and
Peter saw him walking up and down upon
the shore.
At length he paused by those old trees,
and looked carefully about him on every
side. He stayed a long time by a clump of
old beach trees, which stretched their boughs
over the graves of his countrymen. Peter
had pointed out this spot to him as being
their resting place. It was not to be won-
dered at, that he tarried a lonz time there,
but why was it that the rest of the trees
THE FOUND TREASURE. 63
occupied so much of his attention? Peter
saw him take out his pocket-book, and search
in it; and then his eyes wandered over the
lake. It was lashed into fury by the storm,
but of the tempest which agitated the breast
of the young Frenchman, Peter could know
nothing,
He heard neither the deep groans which
were wrung from his breast, nor saw the
tears which rolled slowly down over his pale
cheeks.
The water-sprite only, in the bottom of
the lake, seemed to sympathize with him, for
his groans were accompanied by dull moan-
ing sounds, which proceeded from its depths.
“So I stand,â€
said the Frenchman, gloom-
ily to himself, “so I stand at length under
these trees, which waking and sleeping, I
have felt for so many years, would whisper
to me from out their thick branches the
promise of a happy future. Yet as I stand
64 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
here, no rustle discovers to me their dark
secret. Have the strivings of so many years
been for nought? Alas! how different from
the reality are the airy brilliant creations of
our fancy? How I have thought that happi-
ness would be already restored to me, if I
could only be permitted to find out this
corner of the earth and visit it? How have
I exerted all the strength of my youth to
reach this spot? But the carth remains si-
lent; neither the waves nor the trees will re-
veal to me what has been done here!â€
le attempted to displace some of the
earth with his cane, but it was frozen hard
and would not yield to it.
“Dumb! Dumb!†he said sadly. “ Yet
the spring will break this hard crust, and
everything which now lies shut up within
it, will awake to new life. Will it be so
also with my hopes? I care not for myself,
it is only fur you,—for you, my distant
loved ones! Then courage, courage!â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 65
The evening had already approached as
Mon. La Lire returned from his wanderings.
He was silent and sad, and Peter shook his
head, and knew not what to think of the
stranger..
The following day was clear and bright,
and the Frenchman expressed his desire to
go over the lake to the city. ‘I may come
back again, may I not?†he asked. “ And
you will keep the fifty thalers I have offered
you, and not sell your cow?â€
Peter and his wife expressed their heart-
felt thanks for his kind offer, and gladly ac-
cepted it; and the children made him prom-
ise that he would not stay long away.
Peter returned thanks to God, who he
felt, had provided him with the means to pay
his hard-hearted creditor; and he set forth
upon his journey over the lake, with his
guest, with a light heart.
CHAPTER VII.
THE WINTER.
~«) family, and its radiance for many
J, weeks, continued to cheer their soli-
tude and dispel their cares. It furnished
abundant subject for conversation during the
long winter evenings: and they exhausted
their imagination, in endeavoring to conjec-
ture the circumstances which had brought
lim there.
Meanwhile winter began more and more to
assert his rigorous sway, and to announce his
coming by sharp chilling winds and storms
of snow.
66
THE FOUND TREASURE. 67
The roar and tumult of the forest, where
the wind like an evil spirit wrestled with the
naked branches, soon gave way to a benumb-
ing cold, which congealed everything with
its icy touch. The waves of the lake, so
wild and boisterous, were now silent and
motionless, vanquished by the strong hand
of winter.
As charming as was Peter’s little cottage
in summer, yet in the cold season of the
year it seemed equally dismal to those who
were not accustomed to its solitude. Rarely
did the foot of man cross their threshold ; for
the lake was a treacherous highway, and
no one trusted the water-sprite, who the
peasants believed at this season of the year
especially, deluded men and dragged them
down into his depths.
The ice seldom formed a safe bridge over
it, and so the Wilmer family were separated
from the city almost the whole winter, when
the lake did rot remain open.
68 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
It was truly, a dreary place; for sometimes
when the lake was bound fast in icy
chains, you would be startled to hear,
through the still night, a noise like thunder
—a dull rumbling sound along the lake.
“My old nurse,†the grandmother remarked
once upon such an occasion, “ used to tell me
many stories about the water-sprite, how he
suffers when the lake is frozen over, and how
hard he tries to throw off the hard cover in
order to breathe the air again.â€
The children would listen eagerly, gath-
ered around the bright fire to these tales of
the old nurse, and Frau Wilmer’s spinning-
whecl hummed again with its quick, lively
motion, as the grandmother repeated story
after story.
One evening as they heard again a loud
report like thunder from the lake, Carl said,
coaxingly, “O grandmother, please tell us
something your old nurse said about the
THE FOUND TREASURE. 69
water-sprite. I want to know why he stays
down there, and plagues and frightens
people.â€
Then little Rose climbed upon her grand-
mother’s lap and caressed her wrinkled
cheeks, as she said: “Ah! tell us a story;
grandmother, please do! I have tried to be
a good girl and learn my verse to-day, and I
want to hear one so much!â€
The grandmother kissed the dear little
coaxers and began: The Story of the
Water Sprite—‘‘ My nurse used to tell me,
that where now flow the restless waters of:
the lake, a great and splendid castle once
stood. A powerful but wicked king dwelt
in it with many knights and soldiers about
him; and all these were as fierce and cruel
as himself. Where the city now hes, over
yonder, were: then open fields and meadows:
but the peasants reaped no benefit from
them.
70 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Scarcely had the grain sprung up and
given promise of a harvest, when this wicked
king would come with his knights and
attack them; and the blessings of the fields
were soon crushed and broken under the
hoofs of their powerful steeds.
The king hated tuese peasants, because
pious men had come and taught them that
there was only one all-powerful God, who
had given His Sou to die for men, so that
they loved and worshipped Him, and would
not worship the strange gods of the king.
He had already seized very many of these
good men, and sacrificed them to his cruel
idols.
In the depths of the forest, you may find,
even now, a great stone, which is called
‘Runenstein;’ there he had built an altar
to his idols, and all his captives were sacri-
ficed upon this horrible place.
The ground had been wet with the blood
THE FOUND TREASURE. 71
of thousands. Nature mourned over such
wickedness, and not a tree or shrub would
strike its roots into that bloody soil. Even
now-a-days, the place is bare, and the oaks
which have stood about it tor centuries,
could proclaim to us the horrors of those
days, if we could only understand the lan-
guage of their rustling leaves.
The king’s heart was as hard as the stone.
No prayers or tears could rescue a single vic-
tim from that altar. He believed that the
more blood he shed, the more power his gods
would bestow upon him. ‘To him had never
come those words of our Saviour: ‘I will
have mercy and not sacrifice. God is a
spirit, and they that worship Him must wor-
ship [im in spirit and in truth.’
He devided those who wished to proclaim
the truth to him, seized them and cast them
into chains, and put them to death with
many tortures.
72 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
There came to the castle one day a holy
man. His locks were silvery white, and en-
circled his head like a halo of light. The re-
port of the cruel deeds of the king had
reached him, and he had set out fearlessiy
upon a journey to his dominions.
He preached with power and success, and
many of the vassals of the king wore con-
vinced by his words, and permitted them-
selves to be baptized.
The king lay prostrate with a wound which
he had received in battle, and so the pres-
ence of the holy man remained concealed
from him for a long time.
Now the king hada sweet young daughter.
Her soul was as pure as crystal, and her
heart tender and loving. She abhorred the
life her father led, and often wept bitter
tears over his cruelty. She had embraced
with all her heart, the teachings of this
saintly man, and she hoped that her childish
THE FOUND TREASURE. 73
entreaties might induce her father to listen
to him also.
One evening, as he seemed kinder and
gentler than was his wont, she threw herself
down by his couch, and told him about this
wonderful preacher, and that many had been
converted, and that she herself also had been
baptized.
At first, the king was speechless and
motionless with rage; then a deep red flush
shot across his face, and his eyes glared like
those of a wild animal. He patsell himself
quickly from his couch, and dealt such a
blow upon the defenceless head of his child,
that she fell lifeless to the earth.
A cry of mourning and lamentation rang
through the palace, and reached the ears of
the preacher. He shuddered, as he heard of
this fresh crime. Full of holy anger he pre-
pared to go and announce to the cruel father
the vengeance of God, if he did not repent,
TA LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
and humbly confess his sins at the foot of
the cross. Those who loved and followed
him, tried to hold him back; for the com-
mand was already issued to seize him and
put him to death with terrible tortures,
upon the altar of the cruel Gods. But he
repeated to them those words of Scripture:
‘Fear not them which kill the body, but are
not able to kill the soul; but rather fear
Him which is able to destroy both soul and
bey in hell.’
Unmoved, he entered into the presence of
the king ; but as he saw him he foamed with
rage, and unmindful of his weakness, seized
the preacher with his powerful hands, and
dragged him by his silvery locks to the altar,
His servants stood ready with the bloody
knife, but he would finish his cruel work
himself, and in his fierce rage he pierced the
breast of the holy man. A stream of blood
flowed from the deep wound, and ag the
THE FOUND TREASURE. 75
sacred cross fell from his lifeless hands, the
king trampled it under his feet.
Then the earth trembled, the sun hid his
face behind dark clouds, a sighing and moan-
ing was heard among the trees of the forest,
and the air was full of ominous sounds.
Tear scized all hearts, and they fled in terror
from that place of cruelty, and hastened to
the castle.
Scarcely had the king entered it, when its
lofty pillars trembled and shook, and that
proud roof and those solid walls fell together
in ruins. The earth opened her mouth and
swallowed up castle and people; all sank
down into her depths.
But from the yawning chasm spouted up
the angry waters, and seethed and foamed as
they rolled over the place. For a long time
did they mount up with a loud roar, as if
they would proclaim to men what had hap-
‘pened there.
-
76 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
The peasants, who had been oppressed so
long by this wicked king, had witnessed
with astonishment the destruction which
God had brought him, and they did not
venture for along time to go near the unholy
place. '
At length, as the waters became more
quiet, they came over in boats, and found
the body of the good man entirely unhurt,
while the idols lay in ruins. They carried
him back with them and buried him with
solemn rites, and over his grave they after-
wards built their church; and even now-a-
day the present one stands upon the very
spot.
But the wicked king could find no rest
even in death. They say he was banished to
the sea until he should become better. His
groans and cries down there in its depths
often echoed far and wide through the still
night. Sometimes his old evil propensities
THE FOUND TREASURE. TT
awake again, and then he will spring up and
seek to scize a victim, and drag him down to
his dismal abode. For that reason, my dear
children,†concluded their grandmother,
“never venture upon the lake, for he is a
great enemy to children.â€
Carl and little Rose promised very seri-
ously to avoid the lake, and kissed their
grandmother in return for the story.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SLED.
{ITIL such stories, as they rose up
fresh in her recollections of the
days of her childhood, did the
grandmother beguile and enliven
many along winter evening; at the same
time the instruction of the children was by
no means neglected.
After supper, when the table cloth had
been removed, and the baby Annie had been
rocked to slecp with a soft lullaby, Peter
would take the large Bible from its place in
the closet, and Carl was required to read
“3
THE FOUND TREASURE. 79
many chapters from it to him. After that,
little Rose would come with her primer.
Peter endeavored to teach the children as
well as he could from his own stock of
knowledge ; but he was well aware that this
was not sufficient, and he would have been
very thankful to have provided them with a
better and more complete education. He
hoped at some time to place Carl at school in
the city, but at present he lacked the means
of doing so.
The grandmother also did all in her power
to make the children familiar with God and
His holy word. Livery day she made them
learu by heart verses from the Scriptures
and sweet hymns, with which her memory
was richly stored, and by which she had
often comforted and strengthened the hearts
of her children in their hours of despondency.
Thus the festival of Christmas gradually
drew near; but most of the castles which
80 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Frau Wilmer had allowed her fancy to rear,
had in the meantime fallen in ruins, as it
often happens in life! To be sure, they still
kept their good cow, but the stock of pro-
visions was so scanty, and her food must be
measured out so sparingly, that the pail was
not nearly as full of milk as in former days.
Frau Wilmer might save as much as she
could, yet she could not continue to fill the
pot of butter, which she was in hopes to
carry to the city to sell, and she thought
sadly to herself, how bare the Christmas
table would be this year! Besides a deep
snow had fallen, so that it was impossible to
cross the lake to reach the city.
The children, however, were happy, and
often asked, if they were good, would the
holy Christ Child come to them also. Such
questions always pained their mother’s
loving heart, and as she sat alone with the
grandmother one day in the little sitting-
THE FOUND TREASURE. 81
room, she said to her, sadly: “ Alas! Grand-
mother, in eight days it will be Christmas.
The children are eagerly looking forward to
it, but with what can I adorn the table?
How happy rich people must be now, for
they can buy whatever they wish for their
children of all the beautiful things. that are
for sale. Iam sure our children deserve to
have something pretty, they have been so
good ; but I fear it will be a sad Christmas!â€
She wiped away the fast falling tears, and
the thread slipped from her busy fingers.
“You forget, my daughter,†the grand-
mother replied, “that a child’s hand is easily
filled, and the contented has always enough.
Peter can find a pretty little fir tree, and, if
you cannot afford any other lights, some
fancifully cut pine knots, will make it very
bright; and then you know, you have the
nuts and apples, which the forest-keeper’s
ae
wife sent you in the autumn, in safe keep-
82 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
oO?
ing; and I am sure you will see your chil.
dren dance as merrily around the tree as the
children of the rich, who have never lacked
beautiful presents and plenty of sweetmeats.
They are healthy and happy, and health and
happiness are far better than gold and costly
treasures. There are no riches to compare
to health, and no happiness like content-
ment.â€
Just then Peter entered the room, and at
once inquired the cause of his wife’s sadness.
“Why, wife,†said he, smiling, “then you
have not noticed how diligently I have
labored to provide a pleasure for the chil-
dren. I wanted to surprise you, too, but
come, now my work is nearly completed, and
you shall enjoy it.†Peter led his wife into
his little work-shop where he was accus-
tomed to manufacture all the implements
necessary for husbandry, and lo! there was
the prettiest little sled, with a nice back and
arms, all fashioned by Peter’s skilful hands!
THE FOUND TREASURE. 83
Frau Wilmer clapped her hands for joy,
and fell upon her husband’s neck in a loving
embrace. Then she hastened back to the
grandmother, to describe to her this wonder-
ful piece of workmanship.
She was soon interrupted by the children,
who came rushing in in great glee. “ Hark!
Hark! mother! grandmother!†cried both
of them, quite out of breath. They listened,
and heard the merry jingle of bells in the
distance, coming nearer and nearer, and
presenily a beautiful sleigh emerged from the
forest, and drove rapidly towards the little
house. It was drawn by a splendid black
horse, and he was decked out with a crest
of feathers, and a gaily-colored robe, and
from both sides hung down bright little bells.
In the sleigh sat an elderly man, wrapped
warmly in fur. The children were nearly
beside themselves, as the sleigh actually
stopped before their door.
84 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
“Why, it is the forest-keeper!’’ exclaimed
their mother, as she quickly sat her spinning-
wheel to one side. Peter had gone out to
bid him welcome, and now conducted him
into the room.
“‘TIow do you do, good people?†said he,
in a cheery voice, as he shook hands with all
the family. ‘Good gracious! what a deep
snow! My black Bess could hardly bring
me through it! I have promised,†said he,
turning to Peter, “to deliver a large quan-
tity of wood in the city before Christmas ;
but one of my horses is lame and cannot
work, and it is high time for it to be there.
Now I want to know, Peter Wilmer, if you
can help me with your oxen, to carry over
some of the wood. These are hard times, so
you must not refuse to take some money in
return for your kindness.†Peter gladly
agreed to assist him, and the forest-keeper
continued, “I am going now with my light
THE FOUND TREASURE. 85
sleigh to see where we had better make a
road; so good-bye.â€
When he came out, he found the children
gathered in wondering admiration about the
pretty sleigh and the gaily caparisoned
horse, and he said to them kindly, “So you
like it, children? How would you like to
take a ride in it some day? Look here;
Frau Wilmer, when we have made a good
road over the lake with our woodsledges, let
us take the children over to see the market-
place there at Christmas time for once. I
will come with my boy, for you and the
children.â€
Oh, what joy filled the hearts of the chil-
dren at these words, and Frau Wilmer ex-
pressed her thanks to him with unconcealed
delight.
Long after the jingle of the sleigh-bells
was lost in the distance, did Carl and Rose
continue to shout for joy. They were really
86 LAKE COTTAGE.
going in that splendid sleigh to the city,
where the holy Christ Child had spread out
all his treasures! They would see with their
own eyes all these strange and wonderful
things!: Frau Wilmer could not find words
in which to praise and extol the kind forest-
keeper. ‘Ah, grandmother, how sad I was
this morning, and how happy I am now!â€
“Sunshine follows rain, my child,†said
she, as she smiled and stretched out her hand
to her, ‘‘ therefore do not grieve, when, for a
time, everything seems dark around you.
You see how easy it is for our Heavenly
Father to change our sadness into joy.â€
CHAPTER IX.
THE EXCURSION.
PON the following morning came the
woodsledges of the forest-keeper.
The horses, which were attached to
them, had little bells upon their
harness, and their merry sound enticed the
children forth into the open air. The crisp
snow crackled under their tread, and Rosy’s
little feet often sank quite out of sight in it,
but the unusual activity in their quiet neigh-
borhood afforded them so much pleasure,
that they did not mind that, nor the keen
wind which soon made their cheeks glow.
They followed the sledges with their eyes
87
88 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
as far as they could see, and admired the
wide track which it left behind, for over this
they would soon be gliding in the beautiful,
sleigh with its merry, jingling bells.
Peter soon set forth with his oxen upon
the journey, and promised, when he returned
at evening, to tell them of all the splendor
which the Christmas market contained.
Searcely anything else was talked of, but
this anticipated journey, for it was an un-
usual event even to Frau Wilmer.
She took great pains to get ready all the
warm clothing she could for the children,
and though they really had nothing quite
suitable for a journey in such a cold season
of the year, yet Carl thought when one was
so happy it would be impossible to feel cold!
As the forest-keeper left with the last
load, he told them he should be at the door
the next morning at nine o’clock, and Frau
Yilmer promised to be all ready.
a
THE FOUND TREASURE. 89
Then their joy broke forth afresh, and they
scarcely closed their eyes for the whole
night, so anxious were they for the coming
of the morrow. They were both up and.
dressed by six o’clock upon the eventful
morning.
Frau Wilmer, also had made all her prep-
arations. She had packed her butter care-
fully in a basket, and covered it with a snow-
white cloth. She hoped to receive enough
for it to buy a warm shawl for the grand-
mother. She put on her Sunday gown, and
as they heard the sound of bells in the dis-
tance, borne upon the still morning air, she
wrapped up the children as warmly and
quickly as she could, bade the grandmother
and Peter a joyful farewell, and stepped out
of the door as the sleigh drove up.
“Good morning, rau Wilmer; so you are
all ready! Now, you litile folks, shall see
for once how pleasant it is to take a sleigh-
90 LAKE COTTAGE; on,
ride. Carl, you sit there by my Gustav.
Frau Wilmer, you sit here beside me, and I
shall take this little puss in my lap,†said the
forest-keeper, as he lifted little Rose upon his
knee. He tucked in snugly the robes,
snapped the whip repeatedly, in the air, and
away they went at full speed to the merry
music of the bells.
It was a beautiful bright winter’s day, and
the cold was not severe, so there was nothing
to mar the children’s enjoyment. On they
went over the lake usually so wild and bois-
terous, and little Rose could hardly believe
that they were actually passing over it.
They soon reached the city, and the chil-
dren gazed in astonishment at everything
they saw. They had not visited it since
their new house was built, and the recollec-
tion of their short stay here at that time
was entirely effaced from their memory.
Now, as they drove through the streets, how
THE FOUND TREASURE. 91
grand the houses looked! The high church-
tower which they could always see in the
distance, now that they were near to it,
seemed infinitely higher and grander than
ever.
. At length the sleigh stopped before a fine
house, and a pleasant looking man helped
them all out, and conducted them into a
warm pretty room.
“ Now, Frau Wilmer, we will first warm
ourselves a little, and then I must entertain
my little guests.†said the forest-keeper.
“Good landlord, bring us coffee and some-
thing nice to eat!â€
A large pot of coffee was soon smoking
upon the table, and a plateful of delicious
cakes was placed beside it. The kind forest-
keeper begged them to help themselves as
often as they wished to. Oh, how delicious
they were! Little Rose, with a keen appetite,
had already eaten very many of these nice
92 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
cakes, and she was just in the act of trans-
ferring another to her mouth, when all at
once she checked herself, and laid it beside
her plate.
“Why, little one,†said the forest-keeper,
who observed it, “have you had enough so
soon? Can’t you eat one more cake?â€
Little Rose grew very red in the face, and
faltered out finally, that she wanted to carry
it home to her grandmother. The forest-
keeper kissed her red cheeks, with his bearded
lips, as he said: “ You are a dear, good child,
not to forget her in your happiness, and you
shall have a whole paper full to carry home
to her.â€
Meanwhile the landlady, whom Frau
Wilmer knew very well, had bought her
butter, and given her two thalers for it.
With what a glad heart she now went with
the children into the market-place! Carl
and Rose were speechless with delight and
THE FOUND TREASURE. 93
astonishment. It seemed to them, as if they
were living in one of those fairy tales which
they were so fond of hearing their grand-
mother tell to them! Here was actually so
much honey cake, that one might have built
a house with it; and so many beautiful play-
things! Animals of every species, and
houses and trees, and, oh, what wonderful
dolls !
They went from one stall to another, and
gazed in wondering admiration at this pro-
fusion of beautiful things.
“Why! good morning Carl and Nose, so
you have come for once to the city!†The
children turned round at the sound of this
familiar voice, and to their great joy the young
Frenchman stood beside them. They heartily
returned his pleasant greeting, and Carl said
earnestly: “I had entirely forgotten, seeing
all these beautiful things, that you lived
here. But I am sure it would. soon have
94 LAKE COTTAGE; oR,
occurred to me, and I should have tried to
find you.†:
‘Had you forgotten all about me, too, you
little puss?â€
“Oh, no,†cried little Rose, “we speak
of you very often at home.â€
“Do you, indeed! That is very kind of
you, children. Now I must buy you a nice
honey cake for that.â€
‘Oh, how happy the children were to-day !
They had feasted upon those delicious cakes
at the inn, and now they were to have a
honey cake!â€
Frau Wilmer left them to the care of the
young Frenchman, while she made her few
purchases. A warm shawl for the grand-
mother was soon selected, and also a cap for
Peter; then she bought a new doll for little
Rose and a writing book for Carl. She was
very well satisfied with her purchases, since
she had money enough left to buy a doll of
THE FOUND TREASURE. - 95
honey cake for a groschen, and some little
wax tapers with which to adorn the tree.
Full of happiness, she sought the children
again, who displayed to her with radiant
faces their precious honey-cake. Frau Wil-
mer heartily thanked the young Frenchman
for his kindness, and begged him to avail
himself of the fine road over the lake, to pay
them a visit.
He promised that he would certainly do
so, and they left him with the hope of soon
seeing him again. The children could find
no words to express their love and admira-
tion for him.
“Oh, mother!’ exclaimed Carl, ‘ what
will father and grandmother say, when they
hear what a good time we have had to-day?â€
They were now joined by the forest-
keeper and his son, Gustav had received
many pretty things, but he had alreadv so
many like them, that his joy was not halt as
96 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
great as that of Carl and Rose, over their
honey-cake.
* Now, my little ones,†said the forest-
keeper, “we must say good-bye to all this
splendor, or the night will overtake us.â€
The children cast a last, long look upon
all those pretty things they must leave be-
hind, and followed him with a glad heart to
the inn. There lay upon the table a large
paper full of cakes for little Rose to take
home to her grandmother; and how her
heart overflowed with gratitude towards the
generous forest-keeper.
Frau Wilmer’s eyes glistened with joy,
for all the desires she had cherished in secret
were now fulfilled through the kindness of
this good man.
Merrily as it had begun was the journey
home accomplished, and as the twilight was
deepening into the night, the sleigh stopped
before the little cottage by the lake, frau Wil-
THE FOUND TREASURE. 97
mer thanked the kind forest-keeper from the
fulness of a grateful heart ; and she, as weil
as the two children, could not grow weary
of describing to Peter and the grandmother
the pleasures of the excursion. Thus easy it
is for the rich to bring happiness to his poor
neighbor.
CHAPTER X.
CHRISTMAS.
\}@°T length Christmas had come; that
beautiful festival which enlivens
with its brightness the dullest win-
fy ter day. How long beforehand,
dear children, did you put your little heads
together, and exhaust your imagination in
wishes and conjectures, as to what the holy
Christ-Child might bring you?
How pleasant were those hours of eager
expectations, and how joyfully your heart
beat, when finally the merry, eventful day
came, and its treasures were all spread out
before you!
98
THE FOUND TREASURE. 99
Richly decorated, I am sure, is the Christ-
mas tree for most of you, by your loving
parents; yet your delight at all these beauti-
ful gifts was scarcely so great, Gt could not
possibly be greater,) as that of the Wilmer
children, when at length their father threw
open the door with these words: ‘Come
now, Carl and Rose, and see what the holy
Christ-Child bestows upon good children.â€
There stood the little green tree, it is true,
only in the modest brightness of a few little
tapers, but yet what a radiance they shed
over the rosy-cheeked apples, the slender doll
of honey-cake, and the nuts which peeped
forth between its green branches!
What a delicious fragrance streamed forth
from the little wax tapers and the green
boughs of fir, and filled the room. To the
children’s eyes there could not be a more
beautiful tree, and they were quite aston-
ished at its splendor.
100 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Little Annie stretched out her plump little
arms towards it, laughing and crowing in her
infant glee, and joy and rejoicing filled every
heart.
Carl exhibited his bright-covered writing-
book and pen with a proud air, for until
now he had practised the art of writing only
upon the slate, and this book impressed him
with a great opinion of his proficiency.
Rose stood entranced before a little cradle,
which her kind father had made for her
secretly; from its snow-white little bed, a
rosy cheeked doll smiled upon her, and re-
turned her astonished gaze with its great
blue eyes.
But what is that which Peter is drawing
forth from under the low hanging table
cover! A sled to be sure, as fine as the
forest-keeper’s itself! Their father had at-
tached some little bells to it, which jingled
with every motion. Oh, how beautiful it
was!â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 101
The important air which Carl had assumed
at the sight of his writing-book instantly
gave place to a look of inexpressible delight.
Rose could not be satisfied, until she had
taken her seat in the sled, and been
drawn around the table amidst the merry
jingle of the bells. With joyous faces they
thanked their kind father and mother for
these gifts of their love, and what delightful
plans they arranged for the following day!
While the children were so pleasantly oc-
cupied, Frau Wilmer smilingly placed the
new cap upon her husband’s head, and
wrapped the warm shawl around the grand- —
mother. Both received these tokens of af-
fection with pleased surprise.
“God bless you, my child,†said the grand-
mother. ‘ You are a notable housewife ; not
many could do as you have done, to spare
from your poverty enough to provide happi-
ness for others.â€â€™
102 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
«A virtuous woman is more precious than
rubies,†said Peter, as he tenderly embraced
his wife. “You have nothing for yourself,
dear wife, but I am sure you are not less
happy than we, for I know how long you
have been contriving for the pleasure of this
evening.â€
“Oh, Peter,†said she, as she wiped away
the happy tears, “it is the most beautiful
festival in the year, and I should have felt
very sadly, if I had not been able to provide
some pleasure for you; and though we are so
poor, yet I hardly believe that there is any-
where, even among the rich, so happy a wife
as I.â€
“My child,†answered the grandmother,
“the rich are not always the happiest; for
contentment makes a light heart, and it is
the good fortune of the poor man, that he
needs only a little to make him happy, while
the rich needs so much to be even contented.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 103
Thus in the end, the blessings of this life are
more equally balanced than we sometimes
imagine.â€
Carl slept very little all night, he was so
impatient to try his beautiful sled out on the
snow. Both children were up and dressed
very early the next morning, and it was not
long before Rose was sitting in the sled, with
her doll well wrapped up, in her arms, while
Carl took upon himself the part of a horse,
even to imitating the neighing, as he ran at
full gallop over the smooth snow.
But when the light morning breeze bore
across the lake, the solemn sound of bells
ringing in the high towers of the churches in
the little city, then the family devotions of
the Wilmer family commenced, and the chil-
dren were never allowed to be absent.
This Christmas morning, as the children
entered the room, their grandmother sat in
her comfortable arm-chair, dressed in her
104 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Sunday gown, and Peter and his wife, who
had also exchanged their ordinary house
dress for their best, sat with their hymn
books in their hands ready to begin.
The children seated themselves quietly by
their parents, and Carl’s clear, sweet voice,
soon joined with theirs in a beautiful Christ-
mas song. Then Peter read from a book a
sermon, to which the little family listened
with quiet attention.
This simple service had never been omitted
upon Sundays and festival days by this fam-
ily, as long as the grandmother could remem-
ber. It was only very seldom that it was
possible for them to attend church, on ac-
count of the distance; and for that reason
this old and time-honored custom was held
all the more binding and sacred.
Meanwhile, a fat chicken had been broiling
before the fire, and soon a festive meal was
ready, such as had not been seen for a long
THE FOUND TREASURE. 105
time upon their table. [Frau Wilmer’s face
was radiant with joy and satisfaction, that
she had been able to set before her dear ones
such a sumptuous repast. Surely, no one
sat down that day to a bountifully spread
table with a merrier or more contented heart.
Her happiness that day was to be still
further increased; for, as it proved, the
Christmas festival did not pass by, without
leaving her a gift.
Towards evening, there came a knock at
the door, and upon opening it, there stood
the forest-keeper’s lad, holding a fine hare by
his long ears in one hand, while in the basket
he carried upon his arm was a beautiful
Christmas cake. Both were sent with kindly
greetings to Frau Wilmer by the good wife
of the forest-keeper. The large raisins that
peeped forth out of the nicely browned crust
secmed to tell of an unusual abundance within
it; but the children were obliged to content
106 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
themselves with only looking at it; for Frau
Wilmer declared that they had enjoyed so
many good things that day, it would really be
too much, if they should eat the cake besides.
To-morrow, they should have a pot of coffee
to go with it; and the children lay down to
sleep with great hopes and promises for the
next day.
The inside of the Christmas cake exceeded
all their expectations, and before evening, a
new pleasure awaited the children.
They had gone out to play with their sled
by the lake, and Rose was gencrously trying
to draw Carl a little way, when a kind, “ Bon
jour, my dear children,â€â€™ made them start for
joy. ‘ There, little Rose, you sit in Carl’s
lap, and I will be the horse,†said the
Frenchman, gaily ; and swiftly as an arrow,
he ran with the sled, and soon drew up the
little equipage before their home.
They all welcomed Mon. La Lire cordially,
THE FOUND TREASURE. 107
and Frau Wilmer thought of the hare with
great satisfaction, delighted that she was able
this time to entertain her guest as she would
like to.
But see what a charming picture-book he
is taking out of his pocket! and what can
there be in that marvellous little box he
draws out after it ?
“© See here, children,†said he, in his pleas-
ant way. ‘I have brought you something to
amuse yourselves with, when you have to
stay in the house in bad weather.â€
So saying, he pushed back the cover of
the little box, and displayed to their wonder-
ing eyes, rows of paints of various colors,
and two neat little paint brushes, lying be-
side the colors.
“You can paint with these colors, chil-
dren,†their kind friend continued, “as
pretty and bright a picture book as you could
even wish for. To show you how it is done,
suppose we make a beginning.â€
108 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
The children eagerly set. themselves about
such a pleasant task, and in a short time,
many ladies and gentlemen adorned their
papers, with the rosiest faces and sporting
the gayest garments.
Carl painted a horse that was almost as
fine as the forest-keeper’s black Bess; and
both of the children were continually calling
their parents to come and admire the fruits
of their labors.
This present came at a very fortunate
time as it proved; for the weather was so
stormy upon the following days, that they
could only play with their sled a very little,
and the amusement and occupation which
the paint box afforded, was doubly welcome.
Mon. La. Lire was obliged to remain for
some days with the Wilmer family on ac-
count of the weather. He was quict and
sad at those times when he was not busy
with the children.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 109
- The severe winter seemed to prey upon his
health, for he looked pale and _ thin, and
spoke continually with ardent longing for
France and the spring time. Tis expression
was so melancholy, as he looked out upon
the lake, and he would often exclaim with a
sigh, “Oh, when will those trees ever be
green again!â€
Tie knew how to turn adroitly, the recol-
lections of the grandmother upon the time
of the war, and it seemed as if he never
could hear enough about those fearful days,
when his countrymen suffered so severe a
defeat in this vicinity.
Restless and uncasy he would pace up and
down in his chamber, or wander off alone by
the lake, where he would often remain a
long time lost in gloomy meditation.
“TIad he not been born long after the
time of the war,’ Peter would say, “I
should think he must have committed some
110 LAKE COTTAGE.
crime then in this neighborhood ; or perhaps
he wishes to atone for the evil deeds of
another.â€
““God’s eye sees what is concealed,†the
grandmother would answer, “and He will
bring it to light in His own time. But
though he seems to suffer under the pressure
of some secret, yet I believe his heart is
pure.â€
CHAPTER XI.
THE NEW YEAR.
* HE end of the old year drew near.
Mon. La Lire, at the earnest invita-
tion of the Wilmer family, had con-
a sented to celebrate its departure
with them. Meanwhile he was even more
grave and sad than on previous days, and
every now and then a moisture glistened in
his eyes. His heart was far, far away; and
he spoke so much of the scenes and _ recollec-
tions of his childhood as to betray the state
of his mind.
Upon the last evening of the old year they
all gathered around the grandmother’s chair.
4%
111
112 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
As she sat thinking of the many, many years
which had passed over her, with all their
joys and sorrows, and of the many friends
who had passed away during that long time,
and were now sleeping in the cold bosom of
the earth, she said, “‘ How fruitless are all our
wishes and plans, my children, but there is
One who cares for us far better than we can
ask or think: therefore be not anxious about
what the new year may bring to you; but
remember, that ‘ all things shall work together
for good to them that love God.Չۉ۪
A low sigh escaped from the lips of the
Frenchman, and a shade of deep sadness
passed over his face. Alas! the wishes that
he entertained, stirred his breast so deeply,
that he could not dream of happiness with-
out their fulfilment! Still he endeavored to
raise his heart to Him who holds the destiny
of men in His hands.
Thus the last hours of the old year passed
THE FOUND TREASURE. 113
in earnest conversation. As the striking of
the clock announced the last hour, a slight
shudder ran over each one in the little circle,
and two hot tears rolled unbidden from the
eyes of the young Frenchman.
Neither were Peter’s eyes dry nor his good
wife’s, as the grandmother in trembling tones
wished them happiness and prosperity for the
new year. Oh! they both thought, if it
should be the last time they should ever hear
those kind greetings from her dear lips!
As if she had divined their thoughts, she
extended a hand to each and said, ‘“ Let it be
as God wills, my children. Be joyful in
hope, patient in tribulation!â€
The next day towards evening, the young
Frenchman sect out on his journey back to
the city. The children mourned over his
absence, and often spoke of him with lively
affection.
Their parents and grandmother also, had
114 LAKE COTTAGE.
grown very fond of him, in spite of the
mystery and uncertainty which surrounded
him.
CHAPTER XII.
TREES.
HE beautiful Christmas festival was
now over, and the old accustomed
quiet took the place of the pleasant
excitement which the festival had
occasioned.
The winter would still continue for many
weeks; and many months must pass away
before the fields would smile with new
harvests. Often did Frau Wilmer examine
the small stock of provisions, which must be
made to last them that long time; but she
tried not to be faint-hearted, and comforted
herself with the grandmother’s saying:
“When the time comes, the help comes.â€
115
116 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
One day they were all sitting quietly
together, each busy with his own thoughts,
which he would not utter, lest they should
disturb the other. It was a beautiful calm
winter's day. Not a breath of wind stirred
the trees, and everything in nature seemed
motionless. The only sounds which broke
the stillness, were the blows of the wood-
man’s axe, which they could distinctly hear
‘in the neighboring forest.
At length the grandmother sighed and
said :
“This year I fear many of my old friends
must bow their lofty heads. Tlow many old
friends I should miss in the spring, if my
eyes could only look for them? I have
grown up among these trees, and you would
scarcely believe what an affection I have felt
for them from my earliest childhood. Per-
haps it was partly owing to the stories which
my old nurse used to tell me about them.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 117
She used to tell us children, that there were
beautiful little fairies who dwelt in the trees,
and whose lives were closely connected with
them; and that one could often hear tiem
weep, and catch a low, sad melody when a
tree was injured; for they themselves must
wither away with it. But to him who loved
trees, they would appear in the soft moon-
light, and not untrequently guide him to
places where treasure lay buried, or warn
him of approaching danger.
A wanton destruction of trees causes them
the severest pain; and the sap which bursts
from the green boughs when they are cut
down, is the tears which they shed over the
cruelty of man.
Our old nurse had a motive for telling us
this. The forest-keeper had planted a little
fruit-orchard, and took the greatest pleasure
in watching their growth; but one night,
some malicious person cut down and de-
118 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
stroyed all his beautiful trees, so that none
remained. The forest-keeper was beside
himself with anger and distress, and offered
a large reward for the detection of the per-
petrator of the deed.
It was at this time our nurse told us these
stories, and instilled into our minds a love
and regard for trees. I often went to walk
in the moonlight, hoping a beautiful fairy
would appear to me; and not unfrequently,
I thought I saw their slender, delicate forms
flitting about among the trees, and nodding
to me out of their leafy bowers, for I felt
sure they must know how much I loved
them and their trees.
So strong and lasting are the impressions
-which one receives as a child, that even in
later years, they are not wholly effaced.
You old oaks! you know how well I love
you! You, above all others, have seemed to
whisper to me of future happiness.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 119
I smile at myself, when even now, some-
times these fancies come over me, and I be-
lieve, if the axe should cut down these old
friends, the long since dried up fountain of
my tears would flow afresh from my sight-
less eyes.â€
“No, mother,’ said Wilmer, “ you need
not fear that those trees by the lake will ever
be cut down. The forest-keeper has prom-
ised me that. He only cuts down the old
and dead trees in the forest; and for that
reason, I have been thinking lately, that I
might help him; and what I might earn,
would be a great help to us. The barn is
empty, so I have nothing to do, and I would
gladly work, but I know it will pain you,
for I see plainly you feel every blow that
strikes your beloved trees.â€
“The old must give place to the young,
my son; that is the way of the world. Our
gracious Father does not permit my old trees
120 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
to grow up so strong and tall only for the
pleasure of man, but also for his service.
You must not remain idle for a whim of
mine, if you can earn something for your
family. May God prosper you in the work,
my son. Man must often die in the midst
of his strength, why not an old tree?â€
After this, Peter went every day with his
axe into the forest, and his weekly earnings
dispelled his fears of want.
The grandmother would make him de-
scribe to her in the evening where the trees
stood that had been cut down that day.
“Oh, mother,†Peter would say, laugh-
ingly, “you have made the work very hard
for me by your stories ; and I often fancy, as
I cut into the tree, I shall see the blood of
these poor little wood-sprites flow out.â€
“Dear Peter,†said his wife, in fun, “ if
they know how it distresses you, they may
appear to you some time, and tell you where
a treasure is concealed.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 121
Labor makes life pleasant. Peter, it is
true, had never labored before for daily
wages ; but labor does not disgrace one, and
Peter was very thankful that God had pro-
vided him with this means of driving away
poverty from his door. ‘Thus profitably
passed the days and weeks, and the cold win
ter season gradually drew to a close.
CHAPTER XIIT.
SPRING.
T length the spring had really come,
n\ and dissipated every vestige of
C7v winter. The lake had burst its icy
A covering, and the thick cakes of ice
floated toward the shore. Peter endeavored
to protect the old oak tree from this violence;
but he could not prevent that portion of the
roots which was exposed to the waters of
the lake from being broken off.
It seemed to him, that his mother’s life
was bound up with the old tree, and he was
anxious to do everything in his power to
prevent its decay. But there seemed to be
122
THE FOUND TREASURE. 123
no danger of that at present; for its remain-
ing roots seemed to strike the deeper into
the earth, and he saw with delight, that the
buds had begun to swell, and gave promise
of unfolding.
Oh, how beautiful is the awakening of
spring in the country! Each day the fields
and meadows clothe themselves in a richer
green. The flowers awake from their long
winter’s sleep, and lift up their bright eyes
in friendly greeting !
A fresh fragrance and life pervades all
nature. Leaves and buds are bursting
everywhere, and joy and gladness flow into
every living breast. The woods are full of
active life. A thousand voices unite in the
glad song of thanksgiving, and the little
birds indulge in their merviest songs, as they
flit galy from bough to bough. The waters
so long bound in icy fetters seem to unite in
the universal rejoicing as they greet the
124 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
green shore with their gently swelling
waves. ‘
A joyous activity reigned in and around
the cottage by the lake. Peter went every
morning early with his oxen to the fields,
and felt hope springing up anew in his
breast, as he followed his plough. It seemed
to him and his wife, as if all their cares had
vanished with the winter, and with light and
cheerful hearts they breathed in the fresh
spring air.
The children, too, found their sphere of
activity greatly increased. They helped
their mother about the house and the garden,
and Rose would watch for the cackling of
the hens, and collect at evening in her little
basket the newly laid eggs.
It soon came time to set the good cow,
Daisy, and her calf at liberty to seek pasturage
for themselves. It was Carl’s duty to watch
them, and keep them from eating up the
THE FOUND TREASURE. 125
wheat, or browsing upon some strange
meadow; and Rose had the care of her two
snow-white geese and their twenty dear little
yellow goslings. It was a pleasure to see
how much they enjoyed the soft fresh grass,
and how they would spread themselves in
the sun to warm themselves in his bright
beams.
The baby Annie would sit for a long time
in her little wagon watching them, and when
she was tired, Carl and Rose would draw
her about the meadow.
Oh, what a delight it was to the children
to ramble over the soft grass, and run and
jump to their heart’s content!
One fine day Mon. La Lire came back
again, and declared his intention of being
their guest for some time, as he now in-
tended to commence his work there.
The children had waited eagerly for his
coming, as they wished to show him how
126 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
much they had learned in his absence. Asa
reward for their diligence, he bestowed upon
each of them an abundance of sweetmeats ;
but after that, he did not devote as much of
his time to them as formerly.
He seemed very uneasy, and spent most
of his time by the lake. He prolonged his
labors far into the evening, and it was often
late at night when he returned to the cot-
tage, and sometimes even day-break.
Peter and his wife noticed a great anxiety
in his manner. He avoided all conversation
in regard to his business, and if at any time
he could not help mentioning it, a death-like
pallor, followed by a burning flush, would
pass over his face.
Strange as all this was, yet these good
people had become so fond of him, that they
did not entertain for a moment the least dis-
trust of him in their hearts. They only felt
the deepest pity, as they saw the young man
THE FOUND TREASURE. 127
becoming more sad and silent from day to
day. There was often such grief and de-
spondency manifested in his pale face, and in
his whole bearing, that Peter would gladly
have shown his sympathy, but the fear of
seeming otherwise kept him back.
It seemed sometimes, when the young
Frenchman sat talking with the grandmother,
as if he had something on his mind, which
he would like to communicate to her; and
then he would suddenly break off the con-
versation, and hasten out to those old trees
by the lake, to come back only the more dis-
consolate.
“God knows,†Peter would often say,
“ whatever it is that worries him, I wish I
could help him! His pale face haunts me,
and it often seems to me as if he would
never live to see France again, and I shall
have the sad task of making him a grave be-
side his countrymen. He will stand and
128 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
gaze for hours at the place, as if he wished
to penetrate into those deep graves!â€
The grandmother sighed, but she did not
give utterance to her thoughts.
Frau Wilmer thought of his parents, and
how dreadful it would be for them, if he
should dic so far from home. Warm tears
of sympathy dropped from her eyes at these
thoughts, and she determined to fill a moth-
er’s place to him as well as she possible
could. ‘He expected to enjoy the spring so
much,†she said, “but it seems as if all the
beauty only made him the sadder.â€
“J think he is sick,’ answered Peter,
“and these nightly wanderings will only
make him worse.â€
The poor Frenchman was indeed an object
of pity. Agonizing were his emotions, and
painful the state of his mind. Often he
knelt in fervent prayer by the lake, and
stretched out his hands towards the distant
THE FOUND TREASURE. 129
country of France. ‘“ Have I then left my
beautiful fatherland, to follow a dream, and
sacrificed so much for my loved ones to an
idle fancy? Must I return only to extin-
guish their last hopes? My mother! my
mother! {thine heart will break, to see thy
child buried alone in a gloomy corvent!
Louise! Louise! my beautiful sister! Shall I
never see thy soft eyes glistening again with
tears of joy? Alas! what pleasant things I
have fancied for you, my dear little brothers
and sisters! How you should experience a
spring-time in your sad lives, and feast your
eyes upon the earth in all its beauty. You
have hardly seen a green tree! My father!
my father! it is not permitted me to gladden
your life, and secure plenty and happiness
for the evening of your days! Oh, that the
earth would but open, and take us all into
her bosom! Soon I must leave this spot of
my ardent longing; may not some accident
130 LAKE COTTAGE.
accomplish my hopes? There are yet three
days—but what then? then farewell! fare-
well, ye dreams! ye hopes that have brought
me hither!â€
Surely Frau Wilmer’s tears would have
flowed still more abundantly, could she have
heard these words; but the still night was
his only confident, and the stars alone looked
down on his tears.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE DISCOVERY.
(2? N the day following that evening
’ when we saw Mon. La Lire in such
distress, and listened to his sad
words, Carl and Rose were out in
the meadow as usual, taking care of their
respective charges. These were all conduct-
ing themselves in an unusually obedient
and proper manner.
The cow and her calf did not manifest the
slightest disposition to enjoy the forbidden
sweetness of the wheat, nor did they seem to
have any longing for any other pasturage
than their own. The geese, large and small,
even taking their midday nap in the warm
131
132 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
sunshine with their bills tucked under their
wings. Little Annie sat in her wagon; the
flowers with which she had been playing had
slipped from her baby fingers, and her little
head had sunk back upon the little white
pillow, and she was sleeping as sweetly as
the little goslings themselves. Carl drew
the little wagon into the shade of a hazel
bush, and lay down beside it.
Just then Rose took a pretty ball out of
her pocket, and said to Carl: “ This is a
beautiful ball that poor Mon. La Lire gave
me. It is a great deal prettier than yours.â€
“Yes, it is,†said Carl, “but mine will
bounce the highest. I will show you how
high it will bounce.†So he took out the
ball and bounced it several times; then the
children caught it and threw it to each
other.
‘“* Now you shall see how high I can throw
it,†said Carl. “Ican throw it over that
old oak tree.â€
THE FOUND TREASURE. 133
Sv saying, he threw the ball high into the
air, with so much force, that it flew over the
old oak, but unfortunately, as it came down,
it struck the tree and disappeared among its
thick branches.
“Oh! my ball! my ball!†cried Carl, “it
must be lodged somewhere in the old tree!
I must climb up and see if I cannot shake it
down.â€
“But you might fall, Carl!†cried Rose,
anxiously.
Carl, however, stood already upon the
back of the bench which their father had
made for their grandmother’s use, and sciz-
ing a strong branch which hung down,
climbed nimbly up.
The tree was high, and it was pretty dif-
ficult to climb, but at length he was able to
reach the top. Then he stood still, and
shook, or tried to shake a little, the strong
boughs. Suddenly there was a cracking
184 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
heard, and one of Carl’s feet slid down deep
into the trunk of the tree. He quickly drew
it out, and sought firmer footing. He had
stepped upon a decayed branch, and by its
breaking the opening into the hollow trunk
was very much enlarged.
“Oh, Rose,†said he, as he bent down to
speak to her, “I wish you could see what a
hole there is! Ido believe the old oak is
entirely hollow! There is a deep, wide
place in which I can stand. Jam sure my
ball must have fallen into it.â€â€ He reached
his hand down into it, but he could not find
the bottom. ‘* Yes, I do believe it is hollow
quite down to the roots,†said Carl, “ but
hand me that oar, Rose, and I can soon tell.â€
Peter was accustomed to fasten his boat
to the old tree, so that the motion of the
water might not dislodge it, and Rose after a
ereat deal of trouble, drew the oar from its
place in the boat, and reached it up to Carl.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 135
He skpped it down into the hollow trunk,
and then pushed it up and down.
“Wark! do you hear that clinking sound?â€
cried Carl. ‘I do believe that the oar will
come out at the bottom ef the tree, where
the roots have been broken off from the
trunk by the ice.â€
Rose stooped down to examine the place
where the roots were broken off, and soon
called to Carl: ‘Yes, Carl, a bundle of
leaves and straw has fallen out into the lake,
and your ball will certainly come, too, if you
push a little harder; but, oh, dear! it will
fall into the water!’ Carl continued to
push the oar up and down, and at length
Rose cried out: “ Oh, Carl, a large bird’s
nest has fallen out into the lake!â€
Carl climbed out on to another branch in
order to see better, and, sure enough, there
was a little heap of straw, feathers and
leaves joined into a ball and floating upon
the water.
136 LAKE: COTTAGE; OR,
A light breeze just then passed over the
lake, and the little nest was tossed up and
down on the agitated waves and floated all
the time farther from the shore.
“Oh, my ball must be in it!†cried Carl,
as he hastily drew the oar out of the tree,
and slid down. ‘“ We can easily get it, if
we only push off from the shore a little way.
We will come right back again, and father
and mother will not care.â€
Ie quickly unfastened the boat from the
tree, and forgetting all warnings, and all
fear of the water-sprite, both children
jumped into it. Carl pushed off quite skill-
fully, and then endeavored to steer his little
bark toward the floating nest.
“Only see, Rose, my ball is really in it!
T sce very plainly something bright in it.â€
Rose declared that she, too, saw something
shining.
“ After all it may be a gold piece which
THE FOUND TREASURE. 1387
one of the beautiful fairies who live in the
trees may have bestowed on us,†said Rose.
“What will become of them now? The
tree is old and they must die with it!â€
Amidst such conversation the search was
continued; but Carl possessed very little
skill in handling the oar, and the nest floated
rapidly forwards, driven by the wind.
Meanwhile Frau Wilmer had prepared the
children’s supper, and went out to call them,
but no children could be found. She could
see the cow and her calf, in the distance, en-
joying the forbidden wheat, and the geese
making general havoc in a_ neighbor’s
meadow.
“Oh, what naughty children!†said Frau
Wilmer, angrily, as she broke off a stick
from a hazel bush close by her to help in
bringing back the animals, and it was not
unlikely that Carl would feel some blows
from it as well.
138 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Just then little Annie awoke from her
long nap, and cried lustily, in her fright at
finding herself alone. Frau Wilmer ran to
the child, and soothed her caressingly in her
arms, while she looked about her again in
every direction for Cail and Rose. To her
horror she discovered the little boat tossing
in the midst of the lake, and— oh! could it
be possible—the children were sitting in
tl?
The hazel branch fell from her hand, and
she almost sank in terror to the earth. She
tried to call to them, but her distress had
deprived her of all power of speech, and not
a cry could she utter. In an agony she ran
up and down upon the shore. Oh! what
will she do now! there is Rose leaning over
the edges of the boat, and reaching down
her little hands into the water !
Frau Wilmer stood motionless, scarcely
daring to breathe, and a piercing cry issued
9
THE FOUND TREASURE. 139
from her pale lips. The children heard it,
and looking in that direction discovered their
mother. They nodded to her, and made
signs, but the stretch of water prevented
their calling to her.
Now, Carl seemed to draw something
towards him with the oar; he leaned over
into the water, seized it, and held it up
triumphantly in the air.
Rose jumped for joy, entirely forgetting
what an insecure foundation was beneath
them, so that the boat rocked alarmingly ;
they soon sat down in the bottom of the
7, in their
boat, unconcerned by its rocking,
eagerness to examine their prize.
Then Frau Wilmer found strength to call
to them once more. As Carl heard it, he
raised himself, and took the oar. Rose
nodded joyfully to her mother, and held up
in her hands the object of their search.
The boat drew nearer and nearer. Their
140 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
poor mother watched each stroke cf the oar
with every nerve strained to the utmost.
last the danger is past, the boat has reached
the shore, and the children sprung gaily
out.
Frau Wilmer clasped them to her breast
with tears of joy, and fails to remember their
double disobedience as well as the hazel
stick in the thankfulness of her heart over
their safety.
But the children did not need punishment;
for when they saw how much anxiety and
distress, they had occasioned their mother,
they both wept bitterly, and promised, as the
tears rolled down their cheeks, never again
to cause her so much misery and pain.
As the recollection of the cause, that had
led them to disobey parental commands came
back to them, their tears were dried, and
Carl proceeded to tell his mother about the
strange accident which had happened to his
THE FOUND TREASURE. 141
ball, and of their finding the nest, which he
took from Rose’s apron to show her.
It was now a nest no longer, but only the
remains of one; but in the midst of the
straw and leaves, which had composed it, the
children had found an old pocket-book. The
outside of it was very much weather-beaten ;
part of the leather had fallen off, and the
rest was covered with mould: but the clasp
was still bright, and the compartments upon
the inside were only partially damaged.
The .white leaves of writing paper had
long ago grown yellow and mouldy, and the
writing upon them was almost entirely ef-
faced.
What had particularly arrested the atten-
tion of the children, was a small, red leather
case, which had been carefully stowed away
in a particular part of the pocket-book.
They pushed back the clasp that fastened it,
and the fair, exquisite face of a young girl
142 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
gazed upon them kindly with her dark eyes.
It must have been painted a long time ago;
for the style of dress, evidently, did not
belong to the present time, and here and
there the coloring had faded out.
“Oh, mother,†cried Carl, “who could
have put the pocket-book into the old oak
tree?â€
‘“‘Perhaps it has been there since the time
of the war,†replied his mother. ‘“ Very
likely it was left there by that soldier whom
grandmother saw jump suddenly down from
the tree in that fearful night, when they
sought shelter under its branches. You
should not have caused me so much distress
on account of that; he to whom it once be-
longed is probably no longer living. Now
be more attentive. I must go home for I
have been delayed a long time on your ac-
count, and it is supper time.â€
The children still continued to examine
THE FOUND TREASURE. , 1438
the beautiful picture, and the faded hand-
writing on the yellow paper.
“The letters are entirely different from
those which father has taught me,†said
Carl. ‘I believe it is French.â€
> answered
“ There comes Mon. La Lire,’
Rose, “if he did not seem so sad we might
ask him.â€
“Tam going to ask him,†said Carl, as he
ran to meet the young man. ‘“ Will you tell
us, dear sir, if this is French?†said Carl, as
he handed him the pocket-book. Mon. La
Lire looked up, and took the pocket-book
out of the boy’s hand.
“Ch, there is a picture in it!†cried Rose,
“and we fished it out of the water!â€
The Frenchman looked at the pocket-book
and the picture, but his hands trembled so,
that he could scarcely hold them. His face
was very pale, and the children noticed that
he had all he could to do to keep from
falling.
144 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
“ Why, Mon. La Lire,†said Carl in dis-
tress, “you tremble just as my father did
when he had the fever!â€
The Frenchman shook his head and said,
“ Where did you find this ?â€â€™
“T pushed it down out of the old oak tree,
and it fell into the lake,’’ answered Carl,
The young man drew a long breath, and a
faint flush diffused itself over his pale
cheeks.
Rose observed it and asked gently, “‘ Do
you feel better, now, Mon. La Lire ?â€â€™
“Oh, yes, my little pet,†he answered,
though his voice still trembled. “But tell
me all about it, how it was and where you
found this.â€
Carl and Rose eagerly told him how it all
happened, and Carl gave him a long descrip
tion of the hollow in the old tree.
“Let us take the boat back again to its
place under the tree, and then you shall
THE FOUND TREASURE. 145
show me where the pocket-book fell out,â€
said the Frenchman.
La Lire took the oar, but he still trembled
so much that he could scarcely manage it,
and the bright drops of perspiration rolled
down his face, which had become as pale as
death.
At length the boat was again in its accus-
tomed place, and Carl pointed out the place
where the roots of the tree were broken off,
and said, ‘“‘ The old tree is hollow even down
to here.â€
The Frenchman stooped down and exam-
ined the opening. It was not very wide
here, and he could only reach into it with his
arm. Ile seemed to be reaching for some-
thing, for he looked into the place again and
again.
‘“* Your ball is not there,†he said at length,
in an unsteady voice; “ but I will buy you a
new one.â€
146 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
He seemed entirely exhausted, and sat
down on the grandmother’s bench. He must
really be sick, the children thought; for
what else could be the matter with good
Mon. La Lire?
He sat there with his hands folded, and
the bright tears flowing down his cheeks.
IIe no longer heard what the children said,
and his eyes glistened with a strange bright-
ness, in spite of the tears.
Carl assured Rose repeatedly “that he
must have the fever;â€â€™ and when they went
home to supper, they told their father and
mother about him.
As he did not come to his supper, Peter
became anxious about him, and went out to
look for him. He found him still sitting on
the bench, but he very readily went home
with Peter, assuring him at the same time
that he was not at all sick. He seemed
entirely different from what they had ever
~~
THE FOUND TREASURE. 147
seen him before; his whole being seemed to
be changed.
After they had all retired for the night,
Peter heard him leave the house again; but
in about an hour, he came back, and went up
stairs to his chamber. He was up very early
the next morning, and the change was still
more marked. His eyes were bright and
sparkling, and his countenance beamed with
joy.
The Wilmer family could not conceal their
astonishment at this transformation, and as_
he observed their surprise, he took Peter and
his wife by the hand, and said, ‘“‘ You wonder
to see me with sucha happy face; but. it is
because I have accomplished my business
here. I finished it last night; and ina few
days, I shall set out for France. Soon, very
soon, I shall see my beautiful fatherland once
more. Oh, I have been so homesick! but
now I am so very happy.â€
148 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
He hugged and kissed the children, and
pressed the grandmother’s hand many times.
“Oh,†he continued, “now that I must
leave you, I begin to fully realize how kind
and indulgent you have been to me. Only
two more days can I remain here. I havea
sacred duty to fulfil, and then I must leave
you, my kind friends.â€
The children hung caressingly about him,
and the rest of the family expressed the
deepest regret at his departure.
It was Sunday, and the young Frenchman
took part in the family service with a devout
and thankful heart. He read over and over
to himself the hymn which the grandmother
had selected, and his voice shook with
emotion, as he joined in the song of praise.
When this was over, La Lire returned to
his chamber, and spent almost all the re.
mainder of the time he stayed at the cottage
by the lake, in writing diligently.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 149
The evening before his departure, he went
to walk once more under those trees by the
lake; and he knelt a long time in fervent
prayer under the old oak tree. Often in
times past, had the waves accompanied his
sighs and tears with their low murmurs, and
the stars had shed their pale light over his
sad face; but now they shone upon his tears
of joy, and the rustling among the branches
of the old oak seemed to him like a soft
amen to his fervent thanksgiving.
Upon the following morning the farewells
were spoken, and the young Frenchman de-
parted. The little family were in tears, and
the children wept aloud as they clung to his
neck.
Peter was going to take him across the
lake, as it would make his journey much
shorter to go to the city again. While Peter
was making ready his boat, Mon. La Lire
took Carl by the hand, and led him aside.
150 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
“Carl,†said he, “I want you to do mea
favor. You will find up in my room a little
box. I have put it under the bed, and it
contains a little surprise for your parents,
and some letters for them. To-morrow even-
ing, when the day’s toil is over, and you are
all gathered around the grandmother’s chair,
then go up and bring it down, and give it to
your parents. Promise me you will not
before. You must think of me with love,
for by that time many miles will lie between
us.â€
Carl promised amid his tears to do as he
desired him, and received the last good-bye
kiss.
Frau Wilmer stood with the children upon
the shore, waving farewells to him as long as
the boat was in sight, and then they went
sadly back to the grandmother.
She said to them comfortingly: ‘“ My chil-
dren, it must always be so on earth! The
THE FOUND TREASURE. 151
pangs of separation will cost you many bitter
tears, for we must often be parted from our
loved ones never ty see them again upon the
earth. But God’s protecting arm is about us
all, and he will bring us all together again in
that beautiful home above.â€
Towards noon Peter returned, and brought
to the family the last adieu of the kind
Frenchman.
CHAPTER XV
THE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS.
N the next day Carl remembered his
‘ . promise, and went up stairs to the
“eee little chamber Mon. La Lire had
occupied. It was empty and bare,
for not a trace of La Lire remained. The
little fellow stooped down, and drew out
from under the bed, from the fartherest
corner, a little box.
It was made entirely of metal, and was
consequently pretty heavy. It looked old
and rusty, and Carl never remembered to
have seen it before. It was not locked, but
its contents were only intended for his
152
THE FOUND TREASURE. 153
parents, and he did not attempt to open it.
His kind friend had said, “When you give
the box to your parents, I shall be far, far
away from you; but you must remember me
with affection.†The tears stood in his eyes,
as he thought of these words, and remem-
bered that he should never see him again.
In the evening, when the day’s toil was
over, and they were enjoying rest and social
intercourse, Carl brought the box, and gave
it to his parents saying: “ Here is something
Mon. La Lire left for you. He told me not
to give it to you until this evening, when he
was many miles away, and that you must
remember him with affection.â€
Carl’s voice was a little unsteady, as he
gave this message, while he placed the box
upon the table.
“It is a curious box. I have never seen it
among the Frenchman’s things,’â€â€™ remarked
Peter. “It probably contains some little
154 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
token of remembrance from him; but that
was not needed. Good friends do not so
soon forget each other.â€
Peter raised the cover, and took out a
bundle of writing paper; but what were
those heavy rolls that lay below it? Peter
was startled, when he took one out, and saw
written on it fifty Napoleon d’or, and there
were ten such rolls!
Good Wilmer trembled violently, and
could scarcely find words to tell them what
he had found. His wife held up her hands
in amazement, while the grandmother ex-
claimed, ‘“‘ The Lord’s ways are wonderful,
but in the end, he sendeth prosperity. You
said, my son, that there was also written
paper in the box; that will probably give us
an explanation. Read that, before you do
anything else, and let us see for whom the
gold is intended.â€
Peter took up the written paper, and when
THE FOUND TREASURE. 155
he had recovered somewhat from his surprise,
read the following: “How I would fly upon
the wings of joy and longing, to my dear
fatherland, did I not feel that I owe to you,
my kind friends, some explanation of my
character, and the motive which brought me
hither. You have shown so much kindness
and forbearance towards me, in the saddest
hours of my life, and have never annoyed
me with questions, though many things in
my conduct must have seemed very strange
to you. Often the fateful words were upon
my lips, but fear and distrust always kept
them back. I ask your pardon for these
feelings a thousand times, and thank you
from the depths of my heart, for all the kind-
ness you have ever manifested towards me.
You shall see that it has not been bestowed
upon me entirely unworthy of it.
“I devoted the last days of my stay with
you to writing out for you the story of my
156 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
life; for it is very painful to me to think
that hereafter you might remember me only
with doubt and suspicion. I could have told
it to you by word of mouth in much less
time, but I feared that after all, you would
not accept the proffered gold, and for that
reason, I wished to be far away from you,
when it was presented to you. So, then, lis-
ten to my story.â€
“Oh, Peter!†cried Frau Wilmer, “so
all this gold is for us!â€
“ Let us hear the story first, my daughter,â€
said the grandmother ; “now do not inter-
rupt your husband.â€
Peter continued: ‘“ My father was among
the many thousands who followed enthusias-
tically the standard of the great Emperor.
He shared his victories, as well as the dis-
astrous defeat which overtook the great army
upon the desolate plains of Russia. . He was
among the few who survived a dreadful death
THE FOUND TREASURE. 15T
from starvation, and returned to their coun-
try sick and in tatters.
“Yet he was soon ready again to follow
the French eagles to new victories, as he
hoped. But fate, or a higher power, had
decreed otherwise, and the battle which was
fought in your neighborhood was the last
upon German soil.
“My father fought in that battle; but the
tide of fortune turned against his Emperor
and his countrymen; and after that, our
own country became the theatre of war.
My father had come out of every engage-
ment unhurt until this one, when misfortune
overtook him.
a sword-stroke on the head laid him senseless.
He was left on the ficld for dead; but the
kind-hearted peasants discovered signs of life
in him, and carried him to a neighboring
house, in which lived a hospitable and com-
passionate woman. LIIere he received the
158 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
tenderest nursing, without which, he must,
in all probability, have died. The best of
care, however, was not sufficient to save his
leg. Ile was obliged to submit to the dread-
ful operation of having it amputated.
Meanwhile, my father, through the gentle-
ness and patience with which he bore this
misfortune, and his cheerful submission to
God’s will, had not only secured the favor
of his worthy hostess, in a high degree, but
also the love of her niece, who lived with
her, and who had faithfully assisted in the
nursing of my father.
She gave him her hand in marriage, not-
withstanding his one leg, and her short ac-
quaintance with him. Her aunt was old
and without near relatives. She had learned
to love her protege, and she hoped that the
little capital, which she would leave at her
death, would be sufficient to provide a com-
fortable income for them, especially if my
THE FOUND TREASURE. 159
father should succeed in obtaining some civil
employment.
So he married his beautiful Manon ; and I
have often heard him say, in joke, that for
all the laurels he had won in former battles
he cared nothing, compared with those he
had gained with his one leg, meaning
Manon’s heart.
The first years of their married life were
passed in undisturbed happiness. My fathb-
er’s cheerful disposition was not effected in
the least by his misfortune ; and when my
mother, sometimes commiserated him on ac-
count of it, he would answer, ‘My poor
Emperor has lost his whole country, and I
can well afford to do without a leg, especially
as I have gained two such dear little feet as
yours, my Manon.’
My parents still remained in the home of
their motherly friend, and peace and happi-
ness smiled about my cradle, for nota care
160 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
or trouble had found its way into this happy
household. Alas! that it must ever be other
wise ! .
When I was two years old the kind aunt
diced. The property, as it proved at her
death, could not be disposed of according to
her desire, but must go to some relatives of
her deceased husband. So my parents were
obliged to leave their happy home. This
was the first grief which my dear mother
experienced, and it required all my father’s
cheerfulness to enable her to bear it.
In the meantime, he obtained through the
influence of an old comrade, some cmploy-
ment in Paris. I have so often heard my
mother describe the pain she suffered at
leaving the happy home of her childhood,
that it seems to me as if I had felt it myself ;
and could remember how my father tried to
comfort her, by telling of the hardships he
bad endured upon the icy, barren plains of
THE FOUND TREASURE. 161
Russia; and then he would add: “No! no!
we will not goto Russia. If I were going
to take you there, my Manon, you might
complain.â€
My mother would smile through her tears
at these attempts at consolation. Thus the
first years of their life in Paris passed happi-
ly enough, though it was very hard for my
mother to become accustomed to living ina
great city.
Keenly as she felt the loss of her home in
the country, yet she found in the affection
and devotion of her husband a rich com-
pensation for all her deprivations.
The sky of their good fortune became
more and more clouded. My father’s health
began to fail, and he could only attend to his
business very imperfectly. My poor mother
was very frail, and there were beside myself
six brothers and sisters.
Two of them it is true, after much suffer-
GQ ee. LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
ing, went to their home above; but grief at
their loss nearly broke my poor mother’s
heart.
In addition to that, the greater part of
their income was gone, and thus the strictest
economy became necessary.
‘My poor Manon, my father would
say, sorrowfully, when my parents found
themselves forced to part one after another
with the accustomed conveniences of life,
‘my poor Manon, an old soldier who has
bivouacked on the ice-fields of Russia, does
not mind it so much; but thou art a delicate
flower, who has only bloomed in the sunshine
of prosperity, and how canst thou endure
the storms of adversity?’
My mother struggled hard with herself,
but my father was right; she was a delicate
flower, and one could hardly expect her to
withstand very long.
My father’s illness continued a long time,
TH FOUND TREASURE. 163
aud his situation was filled by some one else.
Thus he was left with only his pension,
which was barely enouzh to keep him and
his family from starvation. I was at that
time about fourteen years old. I had in
tended to study for a profession, and up to
this time, I had received the best of instruc-
tion; now all thourthts of this must be
abandoned, and my parents prayed heaven
that I might be so fortunate as to find em-
ployment in some mercantile establishment.
But what was to become of my dear lit
tle brothers and sisters ?
My sister Louise was very beautiful, and
only three years younzer than myself: and I
loved her more than all the others.
We were both old enough to share the
distress of our parents, but we were too
small to be of much assistance ; the rest of
the children were yet tov young to under.
stand anything of it.
164 LAKE COTTAGE; on,
We had lived for some time in a narrow,
out-of-the-way street, and in small, dark
rooms ; but now that dwelling became too
expensive for us, as the small income which
still remained to my mother had gradually
dwindled down to a few hundred thalers,
and this would hardly suffice for the coming
year. So we were obliged to rent a far
meaner dwelling, up a great many pairs of
stairs.
With pain and difficulty only could my
father ascend them, and my poor, feeble
mother had to often stop and rest, before she
could reach the top.
Oh, how dreadful is the lot of the poor,
in a great city! You said that you were
poor; but how rich, how infinitely rich are
the poor in the country, in comparison with
the poor in a large city! Let his dwelling
be mean and small, and his roof ever so
humble, he need but to go forth, and above
THE FOUND TREASURZ. 165
him arches the broad sty of heaven, with its
all-reviving, all illuminating sun, and _ its
millions of brilliant stars. Let his chamber
be mean and poorly furnished, yet for him
the earth has richly decked herself. He can
walx over the soft green carpet, which
Nature has spread out under his feet, and
garnished with a thousand flowers, and
breathe in the refreshing fragrance which ex-
hales from them. Let his couch be ever s¢
hard, he can stretch himself upon the soft
moss in the forest, and listen to the whisper-
ing of the rustling leaves, and enjoy the
merry songs of birds. He hears the waves,
murmuring to each other their mysterious
secrets ; he sees how thousands of creatures
live and enjoy themselves, and his thouzhts
are turned to seek that Being, who has
decked the earth so abundantly, and a feel-
ing arises in his breast, that over him, also,
a kind Father watches. He is not alone and
166 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
forsaken in the world, but he is known by
all the neighbors, and cach one gladly ex-
tends to his poor brother a helping hand.
Tar different is the lot of the poor ina
great city! Te has a poor litile room up
many flights of stairs, and wherever his eye
rests, he sees only gloomy stone walls. Te
throws open his window, but instead of the
fresh, life-giving morning air, there arises
only the dust and infectious exhalations from
the narrow street. No songs cf birds greet
him, no fragrance of flowers is wafted to
him, and scarcely a ray of sunlicht brightens
his window !
low often have I thought with emotion,
of the delight my poor mother experienced,
when sometimes, during the longest days, a
pale sunbeam came through her little win-
dow! and how she used to take my little
brothers and sisters in her arms to show them
the little patch of sky which was spread out
over our narrow street with its few stars.
THE FOUND TREASURE. 167
The poor little things could scarcely be-
lieve, that this streak of sky stretched out
infinitely, and was studded with millions of
these brilliant lights. My mother was too
feeble to go with them to the gardens and
parks of the city, as they were a long dis-
tance from our home, ang I seldom ever had
the time to take them.
The sight of a tree or a grass-plat, excited
the greatest wonder and admiration in their
minds. My mother or father would some-
times tell them about the pretty barn in the
country where they had formerly lived, and
flowers which grew there, and it seemed to
their ears like a story of fairyland.
My good father never failed to try his
ustal mode of consolation, and he would
often say: ‘To be sure, my litle ones, the
earth is very beautiful; but let me tell you
there is a worse place than where we live.
In Russia, I have never seen a tree or a
168 LAKE COTTAGE; oR,
flower, and a room like this, poor as we find
it, would have seemed like a pzlace. It is
true, our table might have more luxuries, but
you would have considered our fare most
delicate, had you eaten nothing for eight
days, except now and then, a piece of raw
horse flesh.’
Meanwhile, my mother endeavored to reap
some benefit from her former skill in em-
broidery, and my sister Louise, rendered her
all the assistance in her power; but the deli-
cate creature soon sank under this constant
application and the entire loss of exercise in
the fresh air.
She became dangerously ill, and during
her sickness the rest of our small stock of
money was exhausted. Oh! what a dreadful
time that was! Let me hasten over it!
The rent would soon be due, and my
parents knew that their cruel landlord would
show them no mercy, and they must fear
being turned out into the street!
THE FOUND TREASURE. 169
In this dire extremity my mother had re-
course to an expedient, which, it is true, sup-
plied our actual needs, but in the end,
brought upon us a thousand bitter pains and
SOrrOWS.
She had one only brother. Tle, like her
self, had been educated in the Catholic re
ligion, and very early had taken upon him-
self holy orders.
As a general thing, both brother and sister
had seen but very little of each other, con-
sequently no very strong affection existed
between them; and when my mother mar-
ried a Protestant, he was so very angry,
that he declared he never wished to see or
hear anything of his sister again.
But now, forced by her extreme needs,
my mother determined to turn to him for
help. She wrote him a touching letter,
telling him of her distress and beseeching
his assistance.
170 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
His reply called up a fierce struggle in
the hearts of my parents, and especially in
my father’s. He expressed his willingness
to assist us, but only upon this one dread-
ful condition: that both of my sisters should
take the veil when they were eighteen years
old, as he wished the daughters to be edu-
cated in their mother’s religion.
My sweet Louise could not realize at
present the fearful fate that impended over
her, and perhaps my mother did not fully,
but my father was beside himself, at the
thought of secing his Louise, his dearest and
most beautiful child, vanish forever behind
the dark walls of a convent! All his own
suffering and distress had failed to extort
from him one expression of pain, but at this
prospect, I saw the hot tears coursing down
his scarred cheeks.
But the need of the moment was urgent.
Must not this sacrifice be made, in order to
THE FOUND TREASURE. 171
rescue the other dear ones from dreadful
misery ? it might be even a death from starva-
tion.â€
Besides, my uncle had let a possible way
of escape remain open, and my father seized
upon it with his ever hopeful nature.
It was thus. If Louise did not take the
veil when she was eighteen, we were to pay
back to the last farthing, every cent of
money which he had advanced for our assist-
ance. Thus there seemed at least a possible
means of rescue.
Louise was just thirteen years old, and
there were five years to intervene.
“Oh, what may not happen in that time!â€
said my father. ‘We may even become
rich like so many other people.â€
So the agreement was made, and by it
utter want was averted from our little family
for a time. Thus two years more passed
away, and I was eighteen years old and my
172 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
sister Louise was fifteen. Every member of
the family avoided speaking of that which
threatened us. Only my mother’s tearful
eyes betrayed that she had not forgotten it.
Meanwhile, Louise bloomed, like a rare
flower, into uncommon loveliness. She had
all her mother’s gentleness, but also inherited
a great deal of my father’s gayety and cheer-
fulness,
As little happiness as she had known in
her life, yet she was always joyous. My
mother’s early home seemed to her like a
lost paradise, and flowers and trees and
happy people, were the visions which
haunted her imagination.
She hoped to find all these things in a
convent, and it was only the separation from
parents, and brothers and sisters, that made
a convent seem so dreadful to her.
My uncle desired, that from this time
forth, she should sometimes attend mass in
THE FOUND TREASURE. 173
the convent for which he had destined
her ; and particularly desired her to be present
upon a certain Sunday, when a young nun
was to take the veil; in order that she might
learn more the importance of her future
destiny.
My sister and my mother, even, had never
seen a convent, and both awaited the car-
riage, which my uncle was to send for them
upon the appointed day, with no little ex-
citement.
I had obtained permission to be with my
parents on that day, and I watched them
drive away not without an anxious fore-
boding.
The convent was situated in one of the
suburbs of Paris, and one had to pass
through the most splendid part of the city
to go to it.
My poor sister had never been in this part
of the city before, and was beside herself at
174 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
the sight of so much splendor and macnifi-
cence. What happy life and motion in the
broad streets, and in the beautiful gardens
and parks by which they rode! What merry
laughing and talking among the gayly attired
crowd! What splendid horses and car.
riages! Oh, what a treat! what a delight
only to see it!
But they soon left these gay scenes behind
them, and the streets through which they
passed became more and more deserted. At
length they stopped before a gloomy looking
building surrounded by high black walls.
They alighted and rang the bell at a low,
mean-looking entrance. The old walls gave
back a prolonged and hollow echo of the
sound; and soon a bony hand opened the
door, and a pale form enveloped in black
garments looked inquiringly at them.
My mother handed her a letter to the
abbess, and they followed their guide into
THE FOUND TREASURE. 175
the chapel. The solemn service had already
commenced, and the chapel was full of dark
fizures.
The pale sunken faces, which gazed upon
my poor sister from out their thick white
veils, seemed like spectres and their mourn-
ful song made her shudder.
At the altar knelt the unhappy victim who
too upon herself these vows, not from her
own free will, but in consequence of some
sad family relations. The agony of death
was upon her face, as she mournfully uttered
the words of the dreadful, irrevocable vow.
The rich dark locks fell to the ground under
the shears of the abbess, and a thick veil
concealed from the beholders the anguish of
the poor novice.
But Louise had experienced it. She it
was that stood before the altar, and the
abbess with her shears seemed to her like
a bloody priestess, who was about to plunge
176 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
a knife into her breast. She felt the sharp
pain and sank fainting to the floor.
Tearful and distressed my mother and
sister returned, and sadly the latter threw
herself upon my father’s breast.
Her fate stood before her in all its fright-
ful reality! Her dreams of flowers and
happy cherished companions had vanished.
The convent seemed to her like a direful
prison, and its inhabitants like long banished
spirits, who stretched out their pale hands to
her, in order to draw her into their dismal
abode.
It is true, that after a time, her filial
affection gave her strength to conceal in a
measure the fearful horror she experienced at
the thought of life in a convent, but upon
my breast she poured out her tears, and my
heart was torn at her grief.
She grew thin, and the roses faded from
her cheeks, and her beautiful eyes were con-
THE FOUND TREASURE. 177
stantly glistening with tears. The distress
of my parents was beyond description.
Even my father made no attempt at conso-
lation; at least he seemed to find no comfort
in it even if he said, ‘Now, my dear Louise,
the convent can never be as bad as a journey
to Russia. Why, my child, there are still
three years before you need to enter it; just
think what along time, and what may not
happen in that time!’
Although he would say this in his old
cheerful way, yet the tears that hung upon
his eyelashes showed only too plainly, how
little he entertained the hope which he
sought to awaken.
I had now more leisure than formerly, and
spent almost every evening with my poor
Louise; but, alas! what consolation could I
offer her!
She was expected to be at the convent
more frequently now, and she always re-
178 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
turned in deeper sadness. The young nun,
whom she had scen take the veil, was dead,
and this only added another pang to our
SOrTOW.
‘Oh, Charles,’ she said to me, ‘I shall die,
also! and yet Iam so young, and the world
is so beautiful !’
What would I not have been willing to do,
in order to save my poor sister! Many a
night I laid awake and thought and thought,
but always to no purpose. I saw many drive
by me every day in splendor and magnifi-
cence, and what they often spent in a single
day, would have been enough to have made
us happy for life.
Doubly hard does the peor man feel his
sad lot, when he sees so much wealth and
extravagance about him.
Cne morning, I sat in our dear family cit
cle, and held my poor sister’s hand in mine
It was cold, and her head rested heavily
THE FOUND TREASURE. 179
upon my shoulder. Just then my mother
came in. She had been talking with the
wife of our landlord, who had told her about
one of her friends who had become suddenly
rich. A relation, of whose existence she
hardly knew anything, had died and left hex
heir to alarge fortune. My mother informed
us of this occurrence, and though she ex-
pressed no wishes for herself, two great tears
dropped unbidden from her eyes.
“My dear Manon,’ said my father, ‘I know
very well what your thoughts are, though
you do not express them! You are thinking
why might not such good fortune fall to our
lot, are you not? Who knows, my darling,
what may yet be in store for us? I have
thought frequently, of late, that there might
be a treasure destined for me, somewhere.
It may lic in a distant country, but if I only
knew the exact spot I would willingly hobble
there on my one leg, my dear Louise, and
fetch it for you!’
180 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
‘A treasure, my father!’ cried I, aroused
in an instant, as I raised my dear sister’s
head from my shoulder. ‘Oh, father! .I will
dig for it, let it be ever so many fathoms
deep in the bosom of the earth!’
‘I know very well, my dear Charles,’ an-
swered. my father, ‘that you would spare no
pains, nor need you conjure up any evil
spirit in order to obtain it. One of the
truest soldier-hearts that ever beat, bestowed
it upon me, but, alas! he died before he
could tell me where it could be found.’
‘Oh, tell us about it, father,’ we all cried,
with one voice.
‘That can soon be done,’ he answered,
‘but that will not discover the treasure for
us, my children, I fear. It was during the
last great battle in Germany, where every-
thing went topsy-turvey, and the division to
which I belonged had become entirely scat-
fered. We had collected once more, for the
THE FOUND TREASURE. 181
protection of the baggage, and fought with
our swords, like fierce wild beasts, who are in
danger of losing their young.
We knew that all the military chests had
been distributed among the wagons, and
that it was highly important that they should
not fall into the hands of the enemy. But
the Prussians bore down upon us in great
numbers, and our Major ordered the horses
of the forward wagon, which contained the
military stores, to be driven at the utmost
speed. It also contained the principal chest.
We endeavored, in the mean time, to hin-
der the enemy, and defended the rest of the
wagons with all our might. Just then, a
bullet whizzed through the air, and struck
our Major in the head. We saw him fall;
the soldiers became paralyzed ; the Prussians
improved their advantage, and our little
company was soon broken up, and fled in
every direction.
182 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
Our flight was obstructed by a broad lake,
but we threw ourselves into the few boats
we found lying upon the shore, and at-
tempted to cross the water. Bullets whizzed
all about us, and many of my brave comrades
fell bleeding overboard.
I was among the small number who
managed to reach the other side. But we
were not safe, even here, and hastily with-
drew ourselves into the dense forest which
skirted the shore.
I had received a slight wound in my
head, and was almost dead with exhaustion.
Weary and faint, I sank down behind a
clump of bushes, while my comrades pressed
farther into the forest. I soon lost all con-
sciousness in sleep, and after many hours, I
was awakened by a low moaning and groan-
ing near me.
Startled, I raised myself, and looked about
me. The moon shone through the branches,
THE FOUND TREASURE. 183
and its soft rays fell upon the deathly pale
face of my dearest comrade, who lay beside
me.
‘Is this you, my dear Rudolph ?’ I cried
as I gently laid his head in my lap.
‘Oh, La Lire!’ he murmured, in a faint
voice, ‘how happy I am to die in the arms
of a friend. Those Prussian balls have done
the job forme! I did not think it was so
bad at first.’
‘Perhaps it is only the loss of blood,
Rudolph,’ I answered, and tried to bind up
his wound.
‘Ah, no,’ he said, ‘I must die like our
poor Major, and I can never accomplish his
work.’
I held my canteen to his lips, and he
drank a few drops. It seemed to strengthen
him, and after a little while he continued:
‘The poor Major! for some hours I knelt
beside him, as you do now by me. It is a
184 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
soldier’s lot; now me, then you!’ He gave
me his pocket-book, and said: ‘Do not let
this fall into the hands of the enemy. It
contains the letters of my sweetheart and
her picture; and I want you to carry it to
my mother, if you ever reach Paris again.
Then hasten to take the chest from the
wagon; there are many thousands in it.
Keep it, or throw it into the lake, only do
not let the Prussians get hold of it.’
Thad barely time to take both before the
Major breathed out his last sigh, and the
enemy came rushing on. J ran along the
shore, till I was fortunate enough to find a
boat. The shore was almost beyond range
of the balls, but as I was getting into the
boat, a ball struck me in the side. I man-
aged to cross over, however, but where could
Igo with the heavy chest ! I was not yet
in a place of safety, and I looked about me
for some spot in which to conceal it. It was
THE FOUND TREASURE. 185
already night, and a large tree stood before
me.’
My friend spoke with much difficulty
After a pause, he continued, ‘At first I
thought I would throw the chest into the
water, and then it seemed wrong to me to
destroy so much precious gold. I did not
believe that death had overtaken me, and
this would make me rich for life. I deter-
mined to conceal it. But death never leaves
his victim, La Lire; you must take the
gold and the Major’s pocket-book. The tree
upon the shore
‘There stands a tree by- the lake,’ he re-
peated after some time. ‘The tree —the
tree,’ he murmured once more,.as his hand
grew cold in mine, and his eyes became fixed
in death.â€
Thus died the truest soldier-heart that ever
beat within the bosom of a man. I had
barely time to throw over him some boughs,
186 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
when J heard the shout of the pursuing
enemy, and I was obliged to continue my
flight.
‘Why, my dear father!’ I cried in the
greatest excitement, ‘have you never tried
to find the place among those trees ?’
‘As for that,’ he replied, ‘I had no time
then, andif I had, it must have taken a long
search ; for if I remember rightly, the whole
shore was bordered with tall trees. What
cares a soldier for hidden treasures! He
knows not whether he has any future on the
earth ; and I pitied my poor Rudolph, that in
the last hours of his life he should have been
harrassed with that gold.
Fate drove us ever forward, and we soon
had left Germany behind us forever.’
‘Did you never attempt to go back
again?’ J asked in the greatest amazement.
‘How was it possible, my dear Charles!
As long as I followed the colors of my
THE FOUND TREASURE. 187
Emperor, I never thought of the gold; and,
when I lost my leg by the ‘belle alliance,’
I found a better treasure, which effaced from
my memory every recollection of another,’
and he took his Manon’s hand tenderly in
his.
‘Yes, I must confess my darlings, I have
never thought of it again, till—till these
last, sad years, as I have seen the pale, sow-
rowful face of my poor Louise; and I have
been sometimes foolish enough to think, that
the gold might yet lie undisturbed under one
of those trees; for I can remember as much
as this, that it was a desolate neighborhood,
and I do not know that I saw a dwelling
anywhere about.
And yet if the earth still conceals it how
could we ever discover it? As I have said,
the noble heart of my comrade ceased to
beat before he could tell me more about the
place. And, alas! my children, how many
miles lie between it and Paris!â€
188 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
{ cannot describe to you what an impres-
sion this narration made upon me, and I
could not escape from the feeling, that I
must seek out this corner of the earth.
But how was I to accomplish it without
money and without a knowledge of the
German language? I puzzled over the mat-
ter day and night, and circumstances favored
me. I was offered the opportunity of in-
creasing my little salary, by making up
accounts for one of my wealthy but indolent
fellow clerks, and in this way was enabled to
lay by something every week. Alas! it was
only a very litile, and there were but three
more years before Louise must take the vail.
At length good fortune came to my aid
in another way. A new clerk came into our
counting-house one day. He was a German,
and a most worthy young man.
I tried to associate with him as much as
possible, and finally imparted to him my de-
THE FOUND TREASURE. 189
sire to learn the German language. Te was
delighted to instruct me, especially as I man-
ifestec so much zeal in mastering it; and
truly I spared no pains and no exertions, but
studied with all my might to obtain the
necessary proficiency.
One day I informed my sister Louise of
my plan, and the transport with which she
listened to it rewarded me amply for all my
pains, and all my intense application through
many a sleepless night; and I never came
home after that, without her thanking me
with tears of joy.
At length we told our parents of the plan
which I had formed. Their hopes were not
as strong as ours, but I could see by the
tears which glistened in their eyes, that they
shared them, in a measure.
My good father racked his memory to call
up again the long forgotten words of his
friends, but, they threw no more light on the
matter.
190 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
This did not trouble me much, however,
for I felt as if Heaven must bless my under-
taking, and could I only once stand upon the
shores of that lake, its waves and the rust-
ling of the trees would proclaim to me where
the treasure lay. I provided myself with an
accurate map of that part of Germany, and
waking and sleeping, I tarried among those
trees. They waved constantly before my
fancy, and their green branches seemed to
beckon me on with a promise of success.
Thus nearly two years passed by, in almost
uninterrupted study. I had become pretty
familiar with the German language, and had
laid by a small sum of money, but not
enough to cover all my expenses.
One day, when the German asked me why
I had been so eager to learn the language of
his people, and I told him that I intended
making a trip to Germany, for the purpose
of obtaining some money which I stood in
THE FOUND TREASURE. 191
great need of, he very generously offered me
a little sum for the journey. Now nothing
stood in the way of my departure, and I felt
that it was time for me to start.
Only one year’s respite remained, and this
one year would decide the destiny of us all!
Let me pass over in silence my lcave-taking,
and the tears and fervent blessings of my
mother and sister. My father clasped me in
his arms, as he said: ‘May God grant your
desires, my son. But if it cannot be, He
will never let your love and devotion go
unrewarded.’
My friend, the German, had given me let-
ters to several people known and related to
him, and they were of great service to me ;
for, as I have already told you, a severe
illness overtook me as soon as I reached
Germany.
How can I express to you the feelings with
which I approached your neighborhood! I
192 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
had prepared to travel over it on foot. The
trees of the forest through which my path
lay, rustled above me, but gave me no prom-
ise of success.
The autumn wind sighed mournfully among
theia branches, and faint and weary, both in
body and mind, I reached your dwelling.
I expected to find it there, for I had found
out that there were people living very near
the place where I hoped to find the treasure.
Could it have remained concealed from
them so long, I asked. myself. When I
entered your house, and saw no evidence of
abundance, I felt my heart grow lighter.
I sought, by asking questions, to awaken
the grandmother’s recollections of the war ;
and when I found she had helped to bury
some of my countrymen under those trees by
the lake, a distressing anxiety seized me.
Must she not have found the buried treasure,
long ago?
THE FOUND TREASURE. 193
Then again I said to myself that those
trees that grew above the graves of my
countrymen were not the only ones upon the
shore, and thus I alternated between hope
and fear!
The earth was hard and dumb, and months
must pass away, before I could penetrate
into its depths. How my courage rose
again, when you told me that you were poor,
and in need of a certain sum of money, to
pay a debt that you owed!
When the Spring came, with what an
anxious, beating heart I commenced. my
search, and what I suffered as all was fruit-
less, I can never express to you. One day
passed after another, and I saw each one
vanish with inexpressible anguish.
Only half a year remained, and here I was
still with empty hands, and hopes well nigh
extinguished.
I often determined to impart to you my
194 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
seeret ; but, oh, pardon me! inisfortune had
made me so distrustful, that I was afraid to,
lest you might have discovered the treasure
long ago, or would, in some way, prevent me
from enjoying it, were I so fortunate as to
find it.
How often have I knelt in fervent prayer
under those trees, long after you were buried
in sweet slecp, and not in vain did they
ascend to the Disposer of our destinies.
Your children were the good angels that
showed me the way to the happiness I had
waited and prayed for. How can I describe
my feelings, when they showed me the old
pocket-book, and I actually held it in my
hands! I could not doubt that it was the
poor Major’s. The words of affection which
had once flowed out to him from a tender,
loving heart, were long ago effaced, and the
hand that penned them must have long since
‘grown cold and stiff in death; but a new
THE FOUND TREASURE. 195
existence would dawn upon me from out
those yellow, halimouldered leaves of the
old pocket-book.
The chest with the gold must be found
where the pocket-book was placed. Trem-
bling with excitement, I listened to the
words of the children. They told me they
had found the pocket-bcok floating upen the
lake, mi¢ht not the heavy chest have been
buried long years azo in its depths ?
Agitated by alternate hope and fear, I
went with them to the designated place.
My breath almost ceased, as I leaned out of
the boat to examine the opening among the
roots of the tree. A fecling of relief and
joy filled my breast, as I found that the
opening was too small to allow anything
much larger than the pocket-book to fall
through it. I reached down into it again
and avain, and soon to my inexpressible de-
light, I was convinced that my hand touched
196 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
cold metal—a heavy mass which my hand
had not the power to move!
Overcome by my emotions, I sank down
upon the bench, under the old tree. My
little angels thought I must be sick, and I
really believed myself that I should die of
joy.
I sat there many long hours till my agi-
tated feelings had vent in tears and fervent
prayers of thanksgiving.
You remember my altered appearance that
evening, and when you had all retired to
rest, I left your house with the necessary
implements for enlarging the opening in the
tree, and at length I held in my hands the
treasure I had sought for so long, and had so
ardently desired. The gold which would
dry so many tears, and bring to us so much
happiness !
There is enough to buy the home where
my mother passed her happy childhood and
THE FOUND TREASURE. 197
youth —that paradise of which my little
brothers and sisters have constantly dreamed !
There will my beautiful Louise find flow-
ers and trees, and all the happiness for which
her pure nature has longed!
But I could not be happy, my kind friend,
unless I had bestowed enough upon you to
relieve you of all present anxiety, and pre-
pare you for a brighter future. It is no un-
lawful gold which I offer to you, and from
which your sense of right and justice would
compel you to turn away. There is no one
who can lay any claim to it. Those who
once had control over it are now no longer
on the earth.
May it bring happiness to us all, and may
the blessing of God rest upon it! .
Remember me ever with affection, and be
assured that in a F'renchman’s breast, a true
and honest heart may beat, and that I re
198 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
joice to make amends for the injuries which
my countrymen may have once committed!
I remain, your true friend,
Cuar_es LA Linr.â€â€™
Peter was often interrupted in his reading
by his own emotion, as well as by the fre-
quent exclamations of his family. They all
shed tears of joy and delight, but they were
as much for the kind I'renchman and his
good fortune as for themselves; and they
only asked pardon of him a thousand times
in their hearts, for the distrust which they
had sometimes entertained in regard to him.
Upon the following day they all repaired to
the old oak tree, and as the grandmother
sat under its lofty shade, Frau Wilmer, said
to her,
“ Ch, grandmother! your dreams have not
deceived you. The old oak has actually
brought us the good fortune of which it
THE FOUND TREASURE. 199
seemed ever to whisper to you. You have
not loved it so fondly in vain.â€
†she answered, with
“Twas just thinking,
a smile, “of the fancies of my childhood,
and how they have been realized, only it is
not owing to a beautiful fairy, but to the
blessings of our gracious Heavenly Father.
You see, my children,†she continued, in a
sprightly tone, “love seldom goes unre-
warded, and even trees are grateful for it.
Cherish them in your affections, when I am
no more.â€
This request was faithfully observed by
the family, and Peter bought all the trees
that grew upon the shore of the lake, so that
his mother might never experience the pain
of having them cut down.
Ife was now wealthy and prospcrous, and
was able to enlarge and improve his little
property. IIe was able to keep a fine pair
of horses besides bis oxen, and in addition to
200 LAKE COTTAGE; OR,
the good old Daisy and her calf, there were
four other fine cows, and Frau Wilmer’s
butter and cheese brought the highest price
in the city.
After some years, they were made very
happy by the receipt of a letter from their
dear fhiend Mon. La Lire. It was dated
from his mother’s early home, where his
parents and brothers and sisters now lived
so perfectly happy. ‘ My little brothers and
sisters,’? he wrote to Rose and Carl, ‘‘ who
had scareely ever scen a tree or green grass,
now frolic as gayly upon the green meadows
about us as yourselves, my little angels. I
have told them a great deal about you, and
they would like above all things to see you.â€
Many beautiful and expensive playthings
accompanied the letter.
A few years later, Mon. La Lire had occa-
sion to visit Germany for a short time, on
business, and he did not neglect to seek out
THE FOUND TREASURE. 201
his old friends in the cottage by the lake.
This visit was among the last pleasures
which the grandmother enjoyed in this life.
Although she had experienced many troubles
and trials during her long life, the evening
of her days was calm and bright, and though
she had reached a great age when she died,
it was only far too soon for the love and
attachment of her children, and her death
was the first bitter pang they experienced
after the happy change in their affairs.
The old oak withered away with the
grandmother. In the last spring-time which
she lived to see, its branches failed to grow
green, and Peter and his wife watched its
decay with a sad foreboding in their hearts,
and with tears in their eyes.
When the grandmother was dead, Peter
sadly cut down the old tree, but its memory
was held sacred by the family, as well as the
place where it had once stood, and as they
202 LAKE COTTAGE.
often gathered here, it seemed to them that
the spirit of the departed still lingered near
them.
They cherished a strong regard for the
rest of the trees by the lake, and could we
understand the language of their rustling
leaves, and of the murmuring waves, they
would tell us much about the contentment
and happiness of the inhabitants of the cot-
tage by the lake.
