The Poor Man of Toggenburg - Autobiography of Ulrich Bräker

Let my courage go down because of this tale of a bird? No, my Father will take care to look to the right hour. I commit myself to His care, do my duty, go straight on my way and then - it is in God's hands!" [Voellmy, v 2 pp 105-106] Voellmy says (p 105) that Bräker did not seriously believe in portents but such beliefs were widespread among uneducated people [ - and could recur even in Bräker's mind when under stress?] The Chronik [pp 208-209] notes that Bräker's brother died in his sleep the next day.

5th May Bräker greets May in his usual enthusiastic tone, but reproaches her for not bringing better weather. He admits that he has been distracting himself by visiting friends, drinking, "Then I wipe away the dust from my dull heart with a bottle of refreshing juice", and smoking, "I smoke my pipeful, one, two, three, until tobacco, annoyance and care are all burned to dust and ashes." But for the grace of God he could have indulged in much worse vices. [Chronik, p 210]

10th May Bräker and his two sons are alone in the house, Bräker boiling yarn and drying it [to make it more pliable]. They can find nothing to eat but raw potatoes and sauerkraut, but resist the temptation to buy meat. Bräker warns his sons of the evil consequences of overindulging in food, drink, sleep or work. [Chronik, p 211]

5th June Bräker and Johannes go to Glarus and settle accounts with Johannes Zwicky-Stäger to the satisfaction of both. [Chronik, p 212]

7th July Bräker tells the story of the downfall of the local pastor David Rudolf Suter. After his installation at Wattwil a year ago he was very popular, especially with the girls, but neglected his preaching for unclerical pursuits such as making hen-coops and bird-cages. After the death of his wife

(the Chronik says earlier that he was accused of neglecting her in her last illness)

The Chronik says that pastors were not supposed to marry their own parishioners, and that Suter went off for a soldier.

22nd Aug. A sultry night. "Now here I am again with my beloved little book - I feel thoroughly happy - by my night lamp - I should like to write something - and - I don't know what - the sky is so bright - the gracious moon so round - so full." [Chronik, p 213]

At the end of August Bräker records visits to the theatre in Lichtensteig, where about a dozen performances are put on by an actor (Bräker calls him "Grimer, Grimal or Krimer"), [perhaps Grimaldi?] two children and three musicians. Their repertoire seems to have been musical comedies and included some derived from the magazine mentioned by Bräker earlier, the "Children's friend". On two occasions he took his sons with him, but Salome "spat fire and brimstone" over this. Bräker points out that the Landvogt [the provincial governor] was regularly in the audience, and many poor people also, who were charged only what they could afford towards the price of admission. [Chronik, p 214]

6th Oct. Bräker is still undecided about his own writings, he does not think them worth publishing but cannot bear to hide them away. On the 25th he is writing directly to "humanity": "Yes, to thee, humanity, to thee is my mood inclined - I desire to speak to thee - to thee, people living right now - to speak to thee, as if thou wert a single person - wert my brother - I and thou, all one person". He reminds humanity that it shows a mean spirit to complain about the weather, which often gives him riches without his own help. Bräker turns towards the peasants, with whom he feels the most kinship, he wishes them a carefree trust in heaven. "You are close to me, you are the marrow and kernel of the world". [Chronik, p 215]

[And yet, only three days later, and with nothing in the diary to give notice of it, Bräker takes a step that will bring him into a completely different sector of society. He will fulfil a long-cherished plan to seek out and at least behold, and if possible converse with, some of the great men of his time, famous even beyond the boundaries of Switzerland.]