image007
MARGARET KAURNER.
A STORY OF GOLD AND COPPER COINS.——————
NO unimportant branch of education is letter writing. A great part of the commerce of human life is carried on by this means. In the days of old we find that letter writing was esteemed by the Romans in the number of liberal and polite accomplishments. Thus Cicero, a great and learned man, mentions with pleasure an elegant letter he had received from his son.
A fine letter does not consist in saying fine things, and the following anecdote of the Rev. R. Robinson, of Cambridge, is perhaps one of the most complete essays on the true art of letter writing that is to be found. The reverend gentleman was very fond of children, and used to make himself very familiar with them by adapting his conversation to their capacities, and joining heartily in all their sports. Still he never lost an opportunity of throwing out some hint that might be useful in after life.
Among his little favorites were two fine boys, sons of a much-esteemed member of his congregation. The elder, named John, was about ten years old; the younger, Robert, about eight. Upon one of Mr. Robinson's visits to their father, Robert, being told of his arrival, came bounding into the room, and, as usual, jumped upon his knee, when they entered into the following dialogue:—
Mr. R.Well, Robert, so you have taken your old seat; but how is it my other knee is unfurnished? Where is John?
Robert.Oh, sir, John is gone to London.
Mr. R.Indeed! How long has he been gone?
Robert.More than a fortnight, sir.
Mr. R.How many letters have you written to him?
Robert.None, sir.
Mr. R.How is that?
Robert.Because I do not know how to write a letter, sir.
Mr. B.But should you like to know how?
Robert.Oh, yes sir, very much indeed.
Mr. R.Then suppose you and I, between us, try to make up a letter to John; shall we?
Robert.Oh, dear yes, sir, if you please: I should so like to do that.
Mr. R.Well, then, let us begin: "Saucy Jack." Will that do?
Robert.Oh dear, no, sir, I should not like to say that at all.
Mr. R.Why not?
Robert.Because that would be so rude, sir.
Mr. R.Let us try again then: "My dear brother." There, will that do?
Robert.Oh, yes, nicely, sir.
Mr. R.Well, then, let us go on. "Last Thursday half Cambridge was burnt down, and—"
Robert.Oh, no, no, sir; that will never, never do.
Mr. R.Why won't it do?
Robert.Because it is not true; you know, sir, there has not been any fire at Cambridge.
Mr. R.Then suppose we alter it to "Last night our tabby had three kittens." That's true, you know, because you told me so just now.
Robert.(Hesitatingly.) Y-e-s, sir, it is true, but I should not like to write that.
Mr. R.But as you know it to be true, why should you not like to write it?
Robert.Because I do not think it worth putting into a letter, sir.
Mr. R.Oh, oh! Then, if I properly understand you, friend Robert, you think that when we write to our friends, we should, in the first place, never be rude; secondly, we must never say what is not true; and, thirdly, we must never tell them what is not worth their knowing. Am I right?
Robert.Yes, sir; if I were to write a letter, I should try to think of all that.
Mr. R.Then, my dear boy, you must never again tell me you don't know how to write a letter; for I assure you that you have a much better notion of letter writing than many people have who are five times your age.
The narrative we are about to relate is contained in a series of letters; and though, perhaps, this is not the most interesting form of story-telling, the events described are of so amusing a character that we feel sure our young readers will feel pleasure in their perusal. They are very simply written, affording a fine illustration of the recipe for letter writing—civility, truth, and interest.
image008
MARGARET TO HER MOTHER.
DEAREST MOTHER:—You will be glad to know that I have arrived safe in the city. I came exactly at the appointed time, and my mistress was much pleased with my punctuality. She welcomed me affectionately.
I think you will be pleased to know the reason of her taking me into her service. She very kindly told me what induced her to select me for the vacant situation. It appears that when she came on a visit to our good pastor last spring, that she had occasion to consult a great number of papers, and had but little time to devote to her children.
In order to divert and gratify them, our good minister sent for me, that I might take care of the children and lead them into the woods and fields, so that they might thoroughly enjoy the country while they were in it. One day, the lady, accompanied by our minister, who you must know is the lady's brother, followed us to the meadow, and watched us, though we knew nothing of their presence. It was a bright morning, and the sun was shining on the little stream. The youngest boy saw some glittering fish and wished to wade into the waters to catch them. In order to turn his attention from this, and to lead him away from the stream, where I feared some accident might occur, I called him to follow me, and the children gathering round me, we sought out a pleasant spot all filled with flowers. There I know the children were secure, and there I knew they would be very happy. Children love flowers. Flowers, you used to tell me, are the children of the earth.
"Now," said I to the children, "cannot God make beautiful flowers? Is He not good to care for them, and give them rain and sunshine?" The children agreed. "Then," said I, "how much more does He care for children! And how ought we to love Him, who loves us so fondly and so constantly." I had no thought that anybody was listening but the dear little ones, but it was overheard. My observations pleased the lady. The good minister praised you, dearest mother, for the instruction you had given me. He spoke very favorably of my attention at school, and the lady was so well pleased, that when the children's maid was obliged to return to her parents who needed her, and the situation became vacant, she sent for me; and kind enough was she to say that she thought it was God who had brought us together.
Her house is very grand, the furniture splendid, the grounds delightful; but after all, I love the green walls of the light airy nursery, and am never so happy as when surrounded by my little charge. When she took me into the room, the children recollected me, and came and kissed me, and said they were glad that I had come. They all began to ask me questions about the country, and about their uncle. It was late in the autumn, but the children did not think of that, and wanted to know whether I had brought them any bright beautiful flowers. I told them the flowers were all gone, but that I had brought them some apples from the trees which were covered with blossoms when they saw them in the spring.
The fruit was divided between them, and they were greatly delighted. They praised the apples for their fine red cheeks. The lady bade me take good care of the children which I faithfully promised to do, and she then told me she would ever be a kind and affectionate mother to me. She is very good and kind, but she can never supply your place, dearest mother. Never can I forget your kindness and your care. If I live to be very old, I shall always remember how you went with me all through the rain to the place from which the coach started, how you had carefully prepared a cake and had gathered some of the rosiest apples, but more than all, how you kissed me while the big tears were on my cheeks, and how warmly and lovingly you bade God bless me!
Dearest mother, I shall never cease to remember your counsel, and shall always pray, that I may remain—
Your dutiful and affectionate daughter,
MARGARET KAURNER.
image009
image010
MARGARET TO HER MOTHER.
DEAREST MOTHER:—It is but a week since I wrote to you, and here I am inscribing another letter. O how thankful ought I to be that I was ever taught to write; it is such a pleasure and comfort to sit down and pen one's thoughts. I feel as if I were chatting with you as I used to do in our pretty little parlor. All is now very quiet in the house, the children are sleeping softly, and nothing can disturb me.
I am a very happy girl. My mistress is so reasonable, so kind, and so considerate. I have seen mistresses in this city who seem to imagine that their servants are destitute of all feeling; but my mistress is a Christian, all her orders are given in the kindest manner, and she takes great pains to teach me everything that I do not know. My happiness is increased by the happiness of the children. They are quite fond of me. They will stay with me as willingly as with their mother. This is a great advantage to her, for her husband being very often absent from home, she has to attend a great deal in the ware room—O, such a ware room, filled with muslin, in which my mistress deals. It is really beautiful. The muslin is so fine and even, and such a lovely white, the texture, too, is so delicate, that I think, dear mother, you would be as surprised as I was. I could not cease wondering how it was made. My mistress told me it was all spun by machines.
Who are the machines, I said, for I thought it was some particular sort of people to whom she referred. She heartily laughed at my blunder, and explained the thing to me. This surprised me more than before. She afterwards showed me some lace handkerchiefs, and dresses, the flowers on which were amazingly beautiful. These, she said, were not made by machines, but worked by the hand, by thousands and thousands of poor industrious people.
I mentioned to you in my last letter, that my mistress's house is very large and fine, and so it is. It stands in one of the broadest and handsomest streets in the city. A lady of rank lodges on the first floor. What a gay grand place is the city; how different from the quiet country village where I dwelt with you! The morning after my arrival the maidservant of our lodger came down to me with a clean white jug, with a plated lid.
"I say," she cried to me, "the girl that was here before you came, used always to bring the spa water from the fountain for my mistress. Will you do the same? It does not suit me to go tramping about with a jug in my hand, but you could easily spare a quarter of an hour in the evening, after the shop is shut up, and the children in bed; and my lady will very willingly give you a kreuzer * for every jug; and more than that, she will pay you regularly at the end of every week."
* About the value of one cent.
"I should be very glad to do what you require," I answered, "if my mistress were willing that I should do so. But I do not require payment for fetching a drink of water."
"Take the money, by all means," said my mistress; "the lady can well afford it, and a kreuzer a day is worth having. The secret of all greatness lies in littles."
I was very much pleased, as you may readily suppose, and, taking the jug, entered at once upon my duties as water carrier. Well, dear mother, as I was just lighting the lamp to-night, the maid came in and handed me six kreuzers. I was delighted with the money. It was fresh from the mint, and though it was only copper, shone just like gold. I thought myself amazingly rich. But the pieces will be far more valuable to you than to me; here I have every thing I need. These new coins I now send to you; I shall send you at the end of each month, all the kreuzers I get. All my letters the carrier has promised to take free.
I know that the present is a small one, but the will must be taken for the deed. If the pieces were gold instead of copper, they would better testify the love and affection of your daughter,
MARGARET KAURNER.
image011
image012
MRS. KAURNER TO HER DAUGHTER MARGARET.
MY DEAREST MARGARET:—I write to you in a state of the greatest surprise. My dearest child, what can you have been doing? I know not what to make of your last letter; there you talk of copper coins, and in it you enclose solid gold pieces. My heart misgave me; surely, thought I, in the gay city my dearest Margaret cannot have forgotten the lessons of virtue which were instilled into her mind in days long gone by. Surely, she cannot have been blinded by the glitter of gold, and betrayed into such an evil deed as robbery.
Dearest Margaret, you cannot tell the grief that these thoughts cost me. I then read your letter; you speak of shining kreuzers, and call them a poor present. This language puzzled me. Copper, thought I, cannot have turned into gold; perhaps, said I, one of her fellow-servants may have played a trick upon her, and put brass counterfeits into the letter instead of the kreuzers, in order to raise my hopes at first, and then disappoint them.
But of this I soon satisfied myself, by taking the coins to a money changer, who assured me that they were perfectly pure gold; every piece worth more than ten florins. I told him the whole circumstances of the case, and he advised me to send the money back at once.
"No doubt," he said, "the lady has given the gold coins by mistake for kreuzers. You say it was night, and then the blunder might very easily occur; send them back, by all means; otherwise, this little incident may become a bad business."
You recollect the old proverb, my dearest Margaret—"Coin brings care." I never felt the truth of that proverb so much as during the night after receiving your letter. I counted every hour. I listened to every sound. I trembled at every breath of wind, and kept fancying all sorts of horrors. I was so afraid that the house would be broken into, and the money stolen. This morning, I return the coins to you, and am very glad to be well rid of them. Go instantly to the lady, and give her back the gold. I shall not lay my head quietly to rest, till I know the money is again in the hands of the rightful owner. As soon as you have restored the money, write me word.
You remember the day when your brother George was marched away, with the other recruits from the village, how sadly both of us felt the loss; but now that George is more content and happy in his situation, I am more composed. Meanwhile, however, he is in want of all sorts of things; all the recruits receive something from home, but I have nothing to send him, not even a single kreuzer. If the gold pieces were my own, then—but not a word about them, my dearest daughter. Truly, the love of money is the root of all evil! Farewell. I beg of you to write immediately, and send a letter by the returning carrier, to your anxious, loving mother,
LOUISA KAURNER.
image013
image014
MARGARET TO HER MOTHER.
DEAR MOTHER.—I wept very bitterly on the reception of your letter. How could it occur to you for a single moment, that I had stolen the money? Surely, I would sooner suffer my hand to be cut off, than commit any injustice!
Up stairs I ran to Madame Von Holme, and laid the six gold pieces on the table.
"Your ladyship," said I, "must have given me gold pieces instead of copper kreuzers."
The lady examined the pieces, and appeared very much astonished.
"This," said she, "is no mistake of mine. It is very extraordinary; perhaps some unknown hand, guided by a generous heart, has put the gold into the letter for your mother's use."
"And, dearest lady," said I, "this unknown hand was yours."
"No, indeed," she replied, "I have scarcely any gold at all, and of these new pieces not a single coin."
"But what shall I do, dear lady?" said I.
"Send back the gold to your mother," she replied, "for whom you intended the copper kreuzers; she may, with a safe conscience, apply the money to her own use, and should any mistake have arisen, and any one afterwards claims the gold, I will make it good."
While I was talking, two young ladies, friends of Madame Von Holme, walked in to pay a morning visit. My country costume was new to them, and they made me turn round and round, to get a good look at me. The little blue collar, with black edging; the red bodice; the green skirt; and the white sleeves and apron, were all examined. Madame Von Holme told them the story of the gold coins, with which they were much interested.
"Very strange indeed," said they, "and a great piece of luck for you; now, instead of your country costume, you must buy a new dress, such as the city girls wear."
"No," said I, "I cannot take your advice in this matter; the fine dresses of the town girls do not suit the country girls at all."
Madame Von Frame applauded my resolution, and said, "That many a country maiden had laid aside with her rustic costume, the purity of country manners, and in the smart dress, and smarter bonnets of the city girls, had become as vain and frivolous as they."
She told me to employ my money for some better purpose; and what better purpose can I put it to, than sending it to you? Send a part of it to dear George.
Mrs. Mayer, my mistress, was very much delighted to hear that I could spin, and requested me to spin her some fine yarn for a piece of cloth, during the winter. This I readily consented to do. But I cannot get on without my own nice spinning wheel, which my father made especially for me, a little before his death. Can you send it to me by the carrier? I wish we could sit together in the evenings, with our wheels humming in concert, how happy we should be! But still as I sit by the fire-light, and the wheel is humming its own home music, my thoughts will go wandering far away, and my heart itself leaps up with gladness, as I think of my old home, and think, as I am sure I may, that you will be thinking of me, and that in our own dear little parlor, sitting beside your spinning wheel, you still remember, with your old love,—
Your loving daughter,
MARGARET KAURNER.
image015
GEORGE TO MARGARET.
DEAREST SISTER:—God bless you! Mother has sent me, through the post, three letters which you have written to her, and first-rate scholarly letters they are, dear Margaret, and do you great credit; and besides these letters, two of the gold pieces which you gave her. Why Margaret, you recollect the fairy tales, that amused our childhood in days gone by. It really seems that the good fairies have you under their keeping, and are going to make you as rich as a queen.
But more than with the letters, and more than with the gold, was I pleased with your honesty. Virtue is a brighter jewel than ever flashed from emperor's crown! What a strange commotion the letters made! My comrades all know that my dear mother is very poor, and when they heard of the money which the letter contained, and of the mysterious manner in which my mother obtained it, they came to the conclusion that the gold was stolen.
The affair came to the ears of my captain, who, though a young officer, is yet a man of great prudence and courage. He sent for me. "How is this, Kaurner?" said he, "you appear to have grown suddenly rich, and the story of your wealth is a very romance in itself. Have you got the letters with you?"
I answered that I had; gave him the four letters, and laid down on the table the two gold pieces, which I had not yet changed. He read the letters carefully, with evident pleasure.
"Your mother is a truly honorable woman," he said; "Your sister, an upright, virtuous girl, and you have always shown yourself an honest, brave lad. Your mother has brought you both up in honest principles. Always continue to love your mother as you do, and follow her good counsels. Your sister's kindness and civility to Madame Von Holme in offering to bring her the Spa water without fee or reward, particularly pleases me. Madame Von Holme is my aunt, and a more upright, excellent woman, does not exist."
"Perhaps," said I, "this good lady put gold coins in place of the copper ones."
"No," he answered, "that cannot be it; her will is good, but her means are limited, and she could not afford to give a gold piece for a jug of water. The matter of the coins is at present a mystery. Be content to know that the upright and the honest will never be in want of friends."
A day or two afterwards, I was summoned to the captain's presence. He asked me whether I would be his servant. You must know that many of the private soldiers act as servants to the officers, and that the soldier who had been employed in this domestic capacity by the captain, had been drafted to another regiment, and the situation was therefore vacant.
"Your sister," said the captain, "is so faithful and honest towards my aunt, so active and obliging, that I think you will serve me with equal fidelity."
Of course, I gladly accepted the offer, and promised to serve him truly and well. He is an excellent man, and a kind master. The duties of the situation are light, and he pays me handsomely for them. Having a great deal of writing to do, he requested me to copy two sheets for him, and he was so well pleased, that he now occupies a considerable part of my time in that employment, and pays me specially for it. Many a rich farmer's son with full pay, and an allowance from home, is not half so comfortable as I am. The captain calls me Mr. Secretary. The changes that have recently occurred in the seat of war, will soon bring us into open conflict with the enemy. It is good and noble to fight for fatherland; how goes the song,—
"On in the van,Man to man,Whoe'er a falchion's hilt can span."
And it is a noble thing to die for fatherland, if it comes to that; but let us hope, dear sister, that God will save us from much bloodshed, and soon give peace to Germany. Meanwhile, believe me—
Your affectionate brother,
GEORGE KAURNER.
image016
image017
MARGARET TO HER MOTHER.
DEAREST MOTHER:—God be praised, it is peace once more. Bonfires have been lighted in the square. Fireworks have been exhibited in the public places. The bells of all the churches have been ringing. I have been watching the crowds that throng the streets welcoming the soldiers on their return from the war. How many happy meetings there have been already. Husbands with their wives, fathers with their children, brothers with their sisters.
Oh, how that last sentence makes my heart leap up with joy! For only think, yesterday, George came here quite unexpectedly. I cannot express to you how delighted I was. At first I was not a little terrified when a tall stately soldier, with a moustache and a frightful sabre at his side, strode into the room, and hastened up to me. I screamed for terror.
But at this, he only laughed, and threw his arms about me, saying, "Margaret, don't you know me?"
Then it was I found out that it was George, and I was actually wild with joy—my heart beat quicker from joy now, than it had done from terror before.
You can readily imagine how affectionately George inquired for you, how he sent a thousand, thousand loves, and desired me to say that the first time he could, he would come himself to see you.
My mistress was very kind to George, and having cake brought out, made him sit down, and tell us his adventures: one part of them was very interesting. He rescued his gallant captain from the hands of the enemy and from certain death. The poor gentleman was wounded, and his fine black horse was shot under him; he had sunk upon his knees. One of the hussars had raised his sabre to cleave his skull. George came up at the moment and warded off the blow, while he struck down the fierce hussar. Several of the enemy came up, but George's comrades hastened to his assistance at the cry "To the rescue." The enemy was put to flight. The captain recovered from his wounds which are now perfectly healed.
The captain is now staying with his aunt, Madame Von Holme. He requested to see me, and as I entered, said, "I am delighted to know the sister of the man who has saved my life. I have a deep debt of gratitude to discharge both to him and to you. To your mother also I am deeply indebted; for how much do I owe to the careful education which she has bestowed upon her children."
Early on the following morning, the captain set out again, as he was anxious to see his father and mother. George accompanied him, and left for you all sorts of kind messages.
To-day Madame Von Holme said to me, "I have just been giving thanks to God for permitting me to see my dear Charles again.—What a world of blessing we owe to those kreuzers! Had you not forwarded them to your mother, your brother would not have been Charles's servant, and perhaps Charles would now be among the number of those for whom many a bitter tear is shed."
"I should much like to know," said the maid who accompanied her mistress, "how it was those copper coins turned into gold."
"Indeed, I should be equally glad to find out the real author of this novel bestowment," said Madame Von Holme; "whoever it is, God will graciously bless him."
So he will, dear mother, so he will. With a heart full of purest love, I remain,—
Your ever dutiful daughter,
MARGARET KAURNER.
image018
image019
GEORGE TO HIS MOTHER.
DEAREST MOTHER:—How glad will it make my heart to see you once again, but at present it is not possible for me to leave my good master. However, very soon I hope to come to you and not to part any more. I have good news, and am anxious to let you know, so I take the readiest means of doing so, and write at once. It has now come to light who put the gold into my sister's letter.
It is only yesterday that I returned with my master to Madame Von Holme's. A dinner party was held in honor of the colonel of the regiment, who had just arrived. During dinner, Madame Von Holme related the story of the kreuzers. Everybody was anxious to know whether the mystery had been solved; and at last the colonel, who had been listening with peculiar attention, broke into a gay laugh and said, "I fancy that I can satisfy your curiosity. I will do so in a few words. During the war we had a sharp eye upon all letters. We needed all the intelligence we could get of the movements of the enemy. Among other letters which fell into our hands, was one addressed to—'My Dear Mother, the wheelwright's widow: with six kreuzers.' It was a very strange address; it attracted my marked attention.
"Doubtless, thought I, there is some great plot at work, for the spies often send their information under simple addresses, and to persons in a very humble grade in life. I opened it. It was to widow Kaurner. I knew her husband, the wheelwright, well. He was a good honest soul; he worthy of her, she worthy of him. I was gratified with the filial affection which the letter exhibited. Well, for old acquaintance sake," said he, "I took out the kreuzers and put gold pieces in their place, real, true, gold pieces. And how has heaven blessed my bounty! 'Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days thou shalt find it again.' I thought some reference might be made to-day to the story of the kreuzers, and I have brought them with me."
So out he took the shining copper coins, and gave one to Madame Von Holme, one to the captain, and reserved one for himself. "I am sure," said he, "we shall all prize them more than ducats of gold! As for the remaining kreuzers, one is for George, one for her mother, and one for honest little Margaret."
Madame Von Holme shed tears. "Ah," said she, "I shall ever preserve this as a memento of God's goodness; it will ever awaken in my mind old memories deep and tender, and enkindle fresh love to Him who guides and governs all."
The captain then made known that at his request his father and mother had resolved to provide for George's mother. "We have resolved to assist George with a sum of money, to enable him to settle at home; in less than a month all will be arranged."
My sister was sent for, and the colonel handed her the three kreuzers.—"Divide them with your mother and brother," he said, "and God bless and prosper you all!"
May the colonel's prayer be heard. Oh how grateful should we be, dearest mother, to that God who has so mercifully interposed on our behalf, and made us so happy and united, and looking at the past with all its troubles and anxieties, looking at the present with all its comfortable security, looking at the future bright with promise, should we not take up the words of the pious psalmist, and say, "Bless the Lord, O our souls, and all that is within us bless his holy name; bless the Lord, O our souls, and forget not all his benefits."
In token of our filial love, dear mother, we both subscribe our names. Your very affectionate children,
GEORGE AND MARGARET.
image020