THE BIRTHDAY GIFT.
GASPARD was hastening away with the rest, when recalled by his
captain, who, placing three pieces of gold in his hand, said as
he did so,—
"My friend, take these to your good wife, with the new charge you are
taking to her, and tell her you shall never want a friend whilst I
live."
"May God bless you, my noble captain!" exclaimed Gaspard, now more
impatient than ever to reach his home. He lost no time in repairing
thither, and entered it with a light heart.
Katherine flew to meet him. "Gaspard!" she cried, in a terrified tone,
"Gaspard, what has happened? You are all black,—your hair and clothes
burnt;—are you hurt?—tell me, tell me quick?"
"It is nothing, dear wife; I am not hurt, but I have had to defend
myself, not only against the enemy, but a terrible fire, by which
at one time I was almost surrounded, and which scorched my face and
hands, as you see, and blackened me from head to foot; but I brought
away a birthday present for you, Katherine, which I hope may bring
a blessing with it." So saying, he unfolded the mantle, and displayed
to his wife's astonished eyes the lovely infant he had so wonderfully
and humanely rescued.
"Dear husband," she exclaimed, "whose is it, and where did you find
it?" Then taking it in her arms, she tenderly kissed it, and smoothed
its fair, glossy curls. Gaspard shortly related all that had occurred—
the danger he had been in, in the midst of the burning castle—the
finding the child—the merciful escape he had had—and, finally, the
kind promise made by the young Baron Otto de Helfenstein.
"God be praised!" said Katherine, when her husband ceased speaking,
"for having thus preserved you and this little one from such fearful
peril."
She then hastened to attend to the poor little infant who had been
so cruelly abandoned. She undid its wrappings, washed the smoke and
dust from its face and hands, and then prepared some food for it of
bread and goat's milk. Whilst thus engaged, her two boys rushed into
the hut with shouts of joy, having heard of their father's return—
Michael, who was first, eagerly asking if he had brought them
anything. Gaspard, smiling, pointed to the child on his mother's lap.
"John, John!" cried the boy, "father has brought back our little
brother!"
John, having embraced his good father, ran to look as Michael desired.
"Yes, yes," said he, "our little Francis is come back; the good God
has given him to us again. Oh, what pretty blue eyes and curling
hair!"
The two boys kissed the child, thus offering to it the love they had
for their little brother. Poor Katherine's tears fell fast as the loss
of her little one was thus recalled to her.
Gaspard suppressed the emotion he himself felt at this little scene,
and, seating himself by his wife, he said,—
"Yes, my boys, this little one shall be a brother to you, and your
good mother will adopt it in the place of the dear one we lost."
Katherine wiped away her tears, and laying her now charge on one
of their rude beds, with the two boys to watch it, she hastened
to prepare the meal she was sure her husband much needed. The evening
passed happily away. The little stranger slept as soundly on
Katherine's humble bed as on the rich couch on which Gaspard had found
it. John and Michael soon followed its example, and then Katherine had
leisure to seat herself by her husband's side, and talk over the
events of the day.
"How I pity that poor little infant's parents," said she. "Their
sorrow must be greater than ours when we lost our little Francis.
We knew he was safe with God, whilst they cannot know what has become
of their little one. I wonder if any marks on its clothes could lead
to any trace of who are its parents; but though its linen is of the
finest sort, I can see no mark. But look, Gaspard," she suddenly
added, "at this cap; is it not an uncommon one?"
It was, in truth, remarkable, not only for the fine Brussels lace
of which it was made, but more so from there being a star embroidered
in silver on the right side. "Look at this star," continued Katherine;
"I wonder what it means."
"It looks as if the child is of noble birth," said her husband.
"I will take this little cap to-morrow to the Baron; by means of it
he may be able to help us in trying to discover to whom this poor
little one belongs."
"We must keep it carefully," replied Katherine; "some day or other
it may lead to some discovery."
The husband and wife were long in talking over the past and the
future, till fatigue at last compelled them to seek that rest which
Gaspard especially much needed. The exciting events of the day,
however, kept the weary soldier for a time from sleeping, but at last
he slept soundly.
It was late the following morning ere he awoke. When he did so,
Katherine had already been up some time, busily occupied in her
household work. It was the birthday so much thought of!
When Gaspard joined his wife outside their little dwelling, he took
both her hands in his, saying as he did so,—"Dear wife, we must thank
God that we are permitted to spend this day together, and ask Him to
continue to protect us and our three children. Look," he continued,
showing her the pieces of gold he had received from his captain.
"I kept them till to-day, that I might be able to give you some little
help, as well as pleasure, on your birthday."
He then told her that the Baron had given him this money, as a pledge
of what he would do for the little foundling which had been so
singularly thrown on their hands.
"God is indeed good," said the happy Katherine, her heart overflowing
with joy and thankfulness; "it was but yesterday that I changed our
last piece of money to procure a dinner for to-day. I felt sad
to think we had nothing left; and now God has provided for us."
"Well, dear wife, you may now prepare a good dinner. I shall be back
in time for it, but I must hasten away now, as I am on guard this
morning. Help me to get my things in order, for they are sadly the
worse for yesterday's rough work. It is well that I am not the worse
myself," he added, with a smile, as he affectionately kissed his good
wife.
Katherine quickly left what she was doing to help her husband, and
whilst so engaged, she asked him by what name they should call their
adopted child.
"Shall we call it 'Francis,' after our little one," said he, "and try
to look upon it as indeed our own?"
The good woman, with tears in her eyes, readily assented; and taking
the infant in her arms, she tenderly kissed it, saying as she did
so,—"Poor little one! I will love you for my little Francis' sake."
Gaspard was soon ready, and hastened away to his post, desiring his
two boys to help their mother in his absence. The day so happily begun
did not pass without yet further cause for rejoicing. The good
soldier, on his return, surprised Katherine with the intelligence
that he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and that his captain
had, before the whole regiment, expressed approbation of his conduct
during the previous day, not only when engaged in the assault, but for
the forbearance and humanity he had displayed afterwards, and which
redounded no less to his credit than his courage in action. He ended
by holding up his example as one deserving to be followed by his
fellow-soldiers. Katherine rejoiced almost more over this tribute
to her husband's worth than she did at the step he had gained.
The men had also received their arrears of pay, so that the good
couple now felt they had wherewithal to provide for the future for
some time to come. They retired to rest that night with hearts filled
with gratitude for the mercies they had received. In this world,
however, unalloyed happiness is the lot of none. The following day
Gaspard returned from his duty sad and cast down, the cause of which
was the sudden disappearance of his young captain, Otto de
Helfenstein. It was not known whether he had been killed by some
skirmishing party of the enemy's, or made prisoner, all search
for him having, as yet, proved fruitless.
The whole regiment deplored the event, as he was deservedly beloved
by the men under his command. Gaspard not only felt deeply the loss of
his good and kind captain, but he also felt that in him their little
foundling would lose a good benefactor. The child would now be thrown
wholly on their care. The poor man looked anxiously at his wife,
fearing she might regret this additional burden. She did not leave him
long in doubt. "Gaspard," said she, "this child has been given to us;—
we will look upon it as our own;—we will trust to God to provide
for it as well as for us. The good Baron may yet be alive; but if not,
we will do our best. Yes," she added, clasping the little one in her
arms, "you shall be in the place of my little Francis."
"Dear wife!" exclaimed Gaspard, interrupting her, "I ought not to have
doubted you; but I felt half-afraid I had added to your cares and
troubles by bringing this poor little one to you."
"No, no," cried Katherine, "we must never repent of doing a good
action;—our adopted child may yet bring us a blessing."
Time passed on, Gaspard and Katherine faithfully fulfilling the duties
of the humble position in which God had placed them, and bringing up
their children to follow their example. In the midst of the disasters
and disturbances of war, they lived in peace and happiness in their
little home.
The good soldier had vainly endeavoured to trace the parents of the
little Francis, and had at last given up the search.
Nothing had been heard of the young Baron Otto de Helfenstein.
The siege of Metz still continued, the Emperor, Charles V., being
determined to regain it at any price. It was, however, useless.
The town was strongly fortified, and well garrisoned, and was bravely
defended by the Duke of Guise. The approach of winter, and the
increasing scarcity of provisions, together with sickness and
mortality amongst the troops, at last induced the Emperor
to abandon the enterprise; and accordingly the army was withdrawn
in January, 1553.
Gaspard was sent with his regiment to Anvers, and from thence to the
beautiful town of Strasburg. The good soldier and his family stood
greatly in need of rest and quiet; they bail suffered much from the
hardships and privations of a campaign, though they had been spared
all serious illness.
Gaspard had served eighteen years, and had fought in many battles in
Germany, Italy, and Hungary: he now longed for repose. Katherine was
still more anxious than her husband for a quiet home; she urged him
to leave the army, and to adopt some other means of obtaining
a livelihood.
They often pictured to themselves the happiness of being able
to settle in their beloved Suabia, where so many happy years had been
passed, and which seemed to them as a haven of rest; but, alas! with
all their care, they had been unable to save enough to purchase even
the smallest piece of land, or the poorest cottage, so that Gaspard
still remained undecided as to the future.
It was, however, provided for by One who overrules every event,
and orders all for the best.
Gaspard received the unlooked-for intelligence of a small property
being left him, by a distant, relation of his wife's, sufficient,
from what he heard, to maintain his family in honest comfort.
Great was the joy and thankfulness of the good soldier and his wife
at being thus provided for. Gaspard applied immediately for his
discharge, which was readily granted; he retired from the army,
in which he had served so many years, with many tokens of approbation
from those who had witnessed, not only his courage in action, but his
uniform steadiness and good conduct.
Gaspard was not long in making the necessary preparations for the
journey. He bought a tilted cart, and horse, to convey the little
party, and such articles of furniture as they were unwilling to part
with, the arms he had so long borne with honour, his favourite
bear-skin, and the cross before which they had so often knelt
in prayer.
On a beautiful morning in the month of May, Gaspard, Katherine, and
their three children quitted Strasburg—Katherine seated in the cart,
with Francis on her lap, Michael and John by her side, whilst Gaspard
drove.
The weather continued fine, and the travellers reached Suabia without
an accident of any kind. All was new to the two boys, and they were
delighted with the many towns and villages through which they passed.
The small property left to Gaspard was near Feldsberg, seated on the
river Joya. The castle and large domain around was the property of one
of those rich and powerful nobles who, in those days, exercised almost
sovereign sway, not only over those actually dependent on them, but on
all who were unable to dispute their will, or resist their tyranny.
The Count de Sternfelden, the rich possessor of the castle and domain
of Feldsberg, seldom visited it, having other and apparently more
attractive places of residence.
The management, therefore, of this vast estate was entrusted to a
steward; who had made himself feared, as well as hated, by his pride,
injustice, and avarice, and the harshness with which he treated all
over whom he had any power.
Gaspard troubled himself little about the character given him by the
neighbours of the man under whom he was to hold his little property.
He had served for the last six years under one of the strictest
colonels in the army, and had never incurred his displeasure.
He believed, therefore, that by honestly paying the taxes, and
conducting himself as a good vassal of the lord of the domain,
he would have nothing to fear.
The little farm left to Gaspard was pleasantly situated at a short
distance from the village of Feldsberg; the house was small but
comfortable, surrounded by a garden well stocked with fruit-trees.
Near the house, or rather cottage, ran a clear stream, which bounded
some meadows, also belonging to Gaspard.
Full of hope and thankfulness, the good soldier and his family took
possession of their new home. With the little money Gaspard had saved,
a cow was bought; the horse was likely to be too useful to be parted
with.
Michael and John were old enough to help their father in cultivating
the land and garden, whilst Katherine undertook the care of the
poultry-yard, an occupation in which the little Francis was her
constant companion. A blessing seemed to attend their labours, so that
the good couple hoped, after a time, to be able to give their boys
some education, contenting themselves for the present with such as
they were themselves able to give in their hours of leisure.
Four years passed happily away, and in that time Gaspard and his
family had gained the respect and goodwill of their neighbours, whom
they were ever ready to help in any way in their power.
The steward had never troubled them, though the overbearing insolence
of his manner towards all who were in any way dependent on him had
occasionally tried Gaspard's patience and forbearance.