pated a thorough soaking. But suddenly the dimples ceased, for they were produced by the perch, which the noise of my oars had scared into the depths, and I saw their schools rapidly disappearing; so I spent a dry afternoon after all.

An old man who used to frequent this pond nearly sixty years ago, when it was dark with surrounding forests, tells me that in those days he sometimes saw it all alive with ducks and other waterfowl, and that there were many eagles about it. He came here a-fishing 10 and used an old log canoe which he found on the shore. It was made of two white-pine logs dug out and pinned together, and was cut off square at the ends.

It was very clumsy, but lasted a great many years before it became water-logged and sank to the bottom. 15 He did not know whose it was; it belonged to the pond.

He used to make a cable for his anchor, of strips of hickory bark tied together. An old man, a potter, who lived by the pond before the Revolution, told him once that there was an iron chest at the bottom, and 20 that he had seen it. Sometimes it would come floating up to the shore; but when you went toward it, it would go back into deep water and disappear.

I was pleased to hear of the old log canoe, which took the place of an Indian one of the same material 25 but more graceful construction, which perchance had first been a tree on the bank, and then, as it were, fell into the water, to float there for a generation, the most proper vessel for the lake.

5

THE PUPPET SHOW.

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE.

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE, one of the greatest writers that Germany has ever produced, was born at Frankfort on the Main, August 28, 1749.

Goethe attended no school during his early years, but his 5 surroundings were an education, and his father and mother encouraged him in reading and studying the books with which their home was filled.

During the Seven Years' War there were many French soldiers at Frankfort, and they greatly influenced the boy. From them he learned passages from plays, and

soon became well versed in the French language.

When he was sixteen, Goethe entered the university at Leipsic. His father sent him there to study law, but he had already decided to devote himself to literature. He also became interested in art and studied drawing, for which he had considerable talent. He remained there three years and then went to Strasburg, entering the university.

At this time he made the acquaint

ance of a noted German scholar and thinker, who taught him the 25 true value of nature in art, and revealed to him the beauty of classic and English literature.

Goethe returned to Frankfort on his twenty-second birthday. His sister Cornelia sympathized with him in all his hopes and aspirations, but he had outgrown many of the friends of his boy30 hood. He spent his time in writing, and produced a number of poems and several essays; but one of his greatest works was a

drama founded on the history of Gottfried, the imperial knight of the Middle Ages, and was called "Götz von Berlichingen." This work was received with enthusiasm throughout Germany. It was like a trumpet call, appealing to the courage and chivalry of the German spirit.

The following spring Goethe left Frankfort for Wetzlar, and while there wrote "Werther." "Götz" and "Werther" were read from one end of Germany to the other. "Werther" was translated into every language in Europe.

5

Beside these two works, Goethe translated Goldsmith's "De- 10 serted Village," and wrote a number of poems. His literary success brought the young author a large number of friends, among them the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Goethe accepted the duke's invitation to visit his little capital. He was treated as an honored guest and won the affection of all. The duke gave 15 him a little home near his palace, where he lived during the next eight years.

After a time Goethe returned to Weimar and devoted his time to writing history. He also began to write "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship," which is filled with scenes from his own life. 20 In 1821 "Wilhelm Meister's Travels" appeared. These books are filled with truth, beauty, and life, and stand in the first ranks of the author's works.

For many years he had had the story of "Faust" in his mind. The first part was published when he was sixty years old, in 25 company with a thirteen-volume edition of his works. This was

the crowning effort of Goethe's life and the greatest of his works. The second part of "Faust" was written after the poet had passed his seventieth birthday, and when it was completed Goethe felt that his life work was over.

His death occurred on the 15th of March, 1832.

30

30

I NEVER can forget that happy Christmas day. I see it still before me. I remember how surprised we were when, after we had received our customary presents, mother seated us before the door that leads to the other 35

room. The door opened, but not, as formerly, to let us pass; the entrance was occupied by an unexpected show.

Within it rose a porch concealed by a mysterious 5 curtain. All of us were standing at a distance; our eagerness to see what glittering or jingling article lay hid behind the half-transparent veil was mounting higher and higher, when we were told to sit down and wait with patience.

10 At length we were all seated and silent; a whistle

gave the signal; the curtain rolled aloft and showed us the interior of the temple, painted in deep red colors. The high-priest Samuel appeared with Jonathan, and their strange voices seemed to me the most striking 15 thing on earth.

Shortly after, Saul entered, overwhelmed with confusion at the impertinence of that giant warrior who had defied him and all his people. How glad I was when the valiant young son of Jesse, with his shep20 herd's pouch and sling, came forth and said: "Dread king and sovereign lord! let no one's heart sink down because of this. If your Majesty will give me leave, I will go out to battle with this blustering giant."

Here ended the first act; leaving the spectators more 25 curious than ever to see what further would happen, and wishing that the music might soon be done. At last the curtain rose again. David devoted the flesh of the monster to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field; the Philistine scorned and bullied him, stamped

mightily with his feet, and at length fell like a mass of clay, affording a splendid ending for the piece. And then the maidens sang "Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands!" The giant's head was borne before his little victor.

Next morning, alas! the magic apparatus had vanished; the mysterious veil was carried away. My brothers and sisters were running up and down with their playthings; I alone kept gliding to and fro; it seemed to me impossible that two bare doorposts could 10 be all that now remained, where the night before so much enchantment had displayed itself.

"I can easily imagine," said the mother, "how these things should lodge so firmly in your mind; I well remember what an interest you took in them; how you 15 found the book and learned the whole piece by heart. I then felt such a motherly contentment at your fine recitation and good memory that I resolved to give the whole wooden troop to your own disposal.”

By good fortune this happened at a time when the 20 lieutenant a young officer who had made this little theater himself and presented it to us children—had himself been expressing a desire to initiate me into the mysteries of the art. He now contrived to persuade my parents to offer him the use of two chambers in the 25 top story of the house, that he might accommodate the spectators in one, while the other held his actors.

At last the wished-for day arrived. At five in the evening, my instructor came and took me upstairs with

5