St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, October 1878, No. 12 | Page 7

the Baron, after one of
the stories, "that reminds me of a northern friend of mine who was
staying with us some years ago. He was very short-sighted, but
passionately fond of a hunt, so we made up several parties, at which he
appeared in spectacles, to the great amusement of us all. He took our
jokes in good part, and enjoyed himself without doing any mischief for
a time. One unlucky day, however, I missed our path, and had to
descend the mountain in search of some landmark from which to start
afresh. Suddenly, with the exclamation: 'Hush! a chamois!' he leveled
his rifle, and before I could say one word he had shot----a goat! He was
too much vexed to laugh, so I had it all to myself, and it was some
minutes before I could assist him to raise the little animal, whose leg

was broken. The flock was not far off, and the herd-boy was evidently
searching the wood, having heard the shot. Now it never would have
done to let such an unsportsmanlike event get wind, so we carried the
goat to some distance, when, meeting a peasant, we paid him to leave it
at a hut on a neighboring Alp, and request it should be taken down to
the valley at the first opportunity. I never mentioned the subject to any
one but my brother Heinrich. Some time after, he was hunting in the
same locality, and came upon a lad who was crying, with a regular
mountain voice, for the loss of that very goat, for which it seemed his
mother had to pay. I must confess, the consequence of kidnapping the
animal for a time had never struck me, and I was therefore glad to
know that my brother had given the lad money enough to pay all
damages. But come, it is time we tried our hay-berths, for if we can't
sleep we can rest."
Stephan, who had been eagerly listening, exclaimed: "Oh, please sir,
wait a moment. I was that boy to whom the gentleman gave the money,
and he told me he should expect it returned if I ever found the goat.
Some time afterward I did find it, and I have always carried the money
sewn into my coat-pocket in case I should meet the gentleman again
when I am away from home, but I never did so; perhaps, sir, you will
be kind enough to give it to him," he added, beginning to unfasten the
little packet from the lining of his side-pocket.
Turning to Brand, the Baron asked if he knew anything of this romantic
goat story.
"Yes, indeed, sir, and so does every one in the village, for the boy got
into trouble with the neighbors, who all thought he had been throwing
stones at the animal, and they even turned him out of his situation, but,
as luck would have it, something else was offered the same day, so that
it did not hurt him or his mother either."
"It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had always wished to
make violins and zithers, and owing to that accident I got my wish,"
said Stephan, in reply to the Baron's expressions of regret.
"As to the money," said the Baron, "we will make an exchange; you

shall have my purse, which contains about ten florins, and I will take
your little bag, just as it is, as a proof of Bavarian honesty and honor.
We shall see more of one another," he added; "meantime, don't forget
that we must be off by four in the morning. Good-night!"
The moon still shone when the travelers commenced their mountain
journey. Slowly they wound their way round the ever-ascending path.
About half-way up they came to a small rocky plain, where some
young cattle were grazing. Their alarmed wild movements proved how
rarely human beings passed their high-walled prison. From this point
their climbing became a real labor, but before long they arrived at the
summit, where, amidst much laughter and want of breath, they all
threw themselves on the ground and gave vent to their satisfaction at
being nearly 7,000 feet above the sea, and to their admiration of the
glorious view.
But their stay on the summit was short, as they wished to make the
descent of the mountain in one day. They did not reach Partenkirchen
till nearly midnight, nor Mittenwald till the following day, where, of
course, their adventures were related, and Stephan's story was soon the
talk of the village. He became a perfect hero for the time, and many a
neighbor shook hands and hoped he would forgive the doubt cast upon
his word, although years had since passed and the goat of contention
had been gathered to its