CHRISTMAS TALES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 11, 23 December 1911, Page 8

CHRISTMAS TALES.

makers of ,Entry stories

A contemporary reminds us that it ; just over fifty years since the death r the youngest of the brothers Grimm, ho are known to the whole world )-day iis the authors of the most fas.nating fairy tales ever penned. The vo brothers,' Jacob and Wilhelm, livi at Gottingen, in Germany, and ere renowned far and wide for their .aiming, their simplicity and their aep alfehtion towards one another, hey lived together for nearly sixty oars, it is said, without a quarrel, ud no 'shadows fell across their happy itercourse until an elderly aunt, wno oems to have been a lady of compellag character, decided that they must aarry. Jacob and Wilhelm _ protes’td that they did not want wives, but lie aunt assured them that they, could iot bo allowed to remain any longer without partners capable of looking J'ter the housekeeping. The two mothers were too learned not to apireciato the logic of the good lady’s irgument, hut after anxious consnltaion they decided that all the needs if the situation would be met if one ot diem married and the other continued o reside in the homo as a hoarder. ; hey told their aunt to select a ?.nitible lady, and Jacob, being the .older, iromised gloomily that ho would go ;o the altar. But the arrangement vas upset in a totally unexpected way. ■Vilhelm’s conscience told him that he vas not hearing his fair share of the 'ainily"hurden, and when the aunt proluceci the prospective wife the yonng;r brother said that he would _ underake ~to pay the necessary visits and irelimipary civilities to the lady. Jacob igreed that this plan would he rea;op a file, since he would have to hear nost of the interruptions after the vedding. The bridegroom, therefore, iroceoded with his literary work while Vilhelm, filled with a spirit of simple :elf-sacrifico, did the courting. The flan miscarried completely. Wilhelm ictually fell in love with the lady and die with him, and the aunt was deoutod to break the dreadful news to facoh, who promptly declared that lie had never received more joyful tidings. ?o Wilhelm was married and had Jacob to live with him, and both brothers came to admit that a wife, was a very attractive addition to the comforts of a home. So the tale is told and wo must admit vrey well told. Altogether it reads like a page from one of the delightful goblin hooks of these dear old men.