Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/519

 478

family pictures, each had its peculiar family pa. Now, Fritz, would you rather go and live history which the Squire brought out in de with your ma, or stay here and live alone tail. During these enforced reminiscences with your pa?" of their married life, Christian and Katie Little Fritz gave the Squire a frightened glanced uneasily at one another. look and ran over to Katie, "Vy — vy — "Wai, anything else?" the Squire asked, moder," he faltered in childish reproach, "you vouldn't go off und leaf fader all alone, when the list was finally nearing completion. "Yas, ve got an olt cradle, aber dot ain't vould you, moder? vat could fader do mitout vort notting," said Katie evasively. you und little Fritz — he — he vouldn't haf "Oh, yes, put everything in," persisted anybody to blay horse mit if I vas gone." His lips trembled and his voice choked so the Squire; " when did you buy it?" "Ve bought it ven liddle Hans vas born, that he could say no more. Suddenly he ran into the corner and grabbed up a wooden he vould be nineteen years olt now." "Dead?" the Squire asked gently. Bit which had a long string tied to each end. Katie nodded her head. "Coam on, fader," he cried, forcing a The last thing on the list was a trundle mirthless smile through his tears, " coam on bed; the Squire asked all about this. Each of und blay horse mit little Fritz," then drop their children had slept in it, — little Fritz, ping the bit he ran to Katie again and plead their youngest, slept in it now. ingly clutched her by the apron and began "Wai, the one who gits little Fritz will to jump up and down in an agony of childish take the trundle bed, I s'pose. Now we must grief. This was more than Katie could endure, take down the children." They had six children living, — had buried she covered her face with her apron and three. The Squire talked about them in a began to cry . with a violence which she sympathetic way. Yes, he remembered the could not control. Christian's eyes grew moist and he pulled last one who died, little Annie. He had often seen her at the village and noticed how out a big red handkerchief, and began to much she looked like Katie, only she had blow his nose vigorously. "The fact is, Christian," said the Squire Christian's big blue eyes. He was at the funeral, the Squire was, and stopped in at confidentially, " while it hain't in the juris diction of the court to interfere, still I must their house on the way back from the grave obsarve that you and Katie air doin' a fool yard, didn't they remember? Katie remem bered. Christian was twisting his- thumbs thing; I kin draw up these separation papers if ye want 'em, but they'll hev to go through and looking gloomily out of the window. "Wai, you've got to divide the children up the circuit court, and the costs will be more'n between ye and ye might as well begin with two hundred dollars. You kin buy a organ fer sixty dollars and, so fer as Katie's workin' little Fritz, — here he comes now." "Say, fader! " shouted little Fritz as he outdoors is consarned, she'll git sick if she scrambled headlong into the room, " dere's does that much more, — she's gittin' too old, a voodshuck in de orchard und I chase him and ye know doctor's bills air high. We can't under — " He stopped short upon noticing divide up them children, neither, look at the Squire and the troubled looks of his little Fritz there." A tear began to course down Christian's father and mother. weatherbeaten cheek. "Come here, Fritz," said the Squire, and "Wai, whut d' ye say," urged the Squire, he drew the boy gently toward himself, "your pa and ma ain't goin' to live together pushing his advantage, " shell I finish the any more; your ma is goin' to leave your papers? "