Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-09-26

Goctzenberger and Fraulcn Ida"
Sanchen clapped her hands for Joy, because
aunt Ida had wished for an ermine tippct, and
the frcat-aunt Goetzenbergar Lowell to be warm
But where was the good Ghristkindchon that
had brohght these beautiful things?
The Professor smiled, and said that Christ
kindchcn was in such a hurry to be off to Frau
Goetzenbergers that she would not stop to say
where the things came from. Lima flung her
arms round her fathers neck and kissed hun
She knew, che s1id, where the things h I'd come
fro n. for Gretchen had told her Something
She loved her papa dearly, because it was he
who had bought those nice warm things for
Frnuein Ida and Frau Gootzenberger, and he
had bought things for other people beside he
had not f,rgotten OLD Martin, who lived in the
court below, anl hid such bad leg; nor
Gretchen, nor Barbet, nor the poor milk woman
AMI all her children, nor the shoemaker who
was i'll.
Certainly the good Professor must have had
an excellent. thou ghtful heart, thus to remein-
ber everybody | assure you he hld. Little
Sanchen kissed him, and thought nothing about
the tobacco smoke. But now 1t was haif-past
FIVE, and Barbet was come TO carry Sanchez
across the snowy garden; the Professor was to
c'rry Lima. They set out, accompanied by
Gretchen with lantern in one hand and bas-
ket in the other, containing the gifts which h1d
been left by Christkndchen under the Profess
sor's tree for Frau Goetzenberger and her house.
hold.
While the Professor took off hia cloak and
overshoes, the children rushed in, having easily
slpped out of the large sh1wls in which they
were wrapped, to tell Of the wo1drful things
that hid happened, and ofthe wonderful things
they brou ,ht; but there was no aunt Ida to lis
ten to them. Frau Goet enberger sat- all dres-
sed in her best, on her sofa, with green-sha-
ded lamp before her. and with no knitting in
her hands. But where was aunt Ida ? She
was gone. the old lady said. to re elve the
ChrisiklnJchen, who was every moment expect
ed. They must sit down and wait patiently /;
good little children always did 50.
"But aunt" said Sanchez, here is the Herr
Profess Or"
"Ah, indeed" returned the old lady, in
quito another voice, for from being blind she
was no. aware that he had approached the ta-
Bile before her. Bring him here to me, my
dear; | ain truly glad to see the Herr Pro-
fessor."
He took her hand kindly, and seated him
self beside her. There was something mex
pressibly attractive to him in all that he saw
around him he felt his heart drawn, as it were,
to the old blind lady, as if she had been his
mother. and he spoke words Of unfeigned knl-
ness in voice which went equally 10 her
heart.
! She apolcgizcd that Ida was not present to
receive him sae had, said she, much to do on
an occasion Of that kind, as The Herr Professor
no doubt knew. Of course he knew perfectly
well the Christkindchen must always be well
received he feared that he himself had not
done her all due honor for she was in So great
hurry to depart that the l.ttle ones had not seen
even the shlmmering Of her wings.
but we saw what she left" said Sanchen
heaplng the beautiful fur, on the table before
the old lady feel what she brought for you :;
and taking up her hand she passed it over tbs
fur; "she brought you sable muF and tippet
and the same Tor aunt Ida, only ermlne"
"My dear" demonstrated aunt Goatze nber
ger "thls is too much, Christkindchen doe
not bring such presents as these"
But my apa does !" said little Lima, "ant
am so Glad, and | love him so for it." sal,
she, springing to his knee and kissing him.
This IS quite too much, Herr Professor,
sand the old lady, turning to him.
lie. made no reply, for at that very momen
"a lttl' silver bell rang. and sght prescntel
itself which dazzled all eyes. The Professor
tree, with all his skill, was nothing to this
ow, indeed, could it have been: This wa
L
was nobody in all Germany who could make
, these thing SO beautiful as she
But where VISA Frauen Ida all this time
The children hardly thought Of her. so who'll
, was their attention occupied by the wonderful
!, tree, with all lis wonderful fruits, and BY tn
4 ,ovelv Chris kinlchen herself, who. in soft
= owing white muslin which fei! in folds to he
d feeet, and was confined at the waist BY sve
x;.lI in rFt I'm
D sllverv, shining wings on her shoulders and
I Little silver crown on her head. Never was
C more beautiful figure behed She lool ed Ilk
i pure angel Just descended from Heaven
O The children stool in the open doorway, VII
a their hands extended and their eyes hxel i
IS delighted wonder. Dear old Frau Goetlen
berger saw nothing or certainly she woul
, hive observe the cxtrao;din1rv effect whic
o this vision produced on the Herr Professor.
!. Chrlstkindchcn spoke: her words were i
Il poetrv-5eautifu. softly lowing poetry. full c
q tenderness ana love. The Professor had s.
I. lently rlsen and now stood in the shadow c
i the long curtain which was W thdrawn fro'
,r the door; for h, did not dare to trust hlmse
. within the light. Very powerful was the ei
n feet of that low, sweet voice upon HIM; he hl
It known one like II in former years; and did nc
e in truth hi. long, lost and beloved Ida no'
II stand before him! Oh, what divine gift hl
n not the Chrisklrdchen brought him! assuT
a. YOU that the Professor, staining there IN tn
e Shade Of that curtain, shed tears OF JOY
e "G d, perhaps, deems me at length deservIn
Of her, thought he, remembering the word
=, the old woman at Grelfs wald, and ne silent
,s thlnked God.
4 But where is the Herr Professor? 2" nt lcngt
Al exclaimed ChrIskinichen, when now, hlvln
"a concluded her poetic II address, she proccedc
II to appropriate her gifts. "l.et him come fn
=, ward, for here find beautiful pair OF sliF
=, pers from his little daughter, every stitch b'
:, ing done by her tiny fingers; | have also
X purse knitted with be IDS Of steel upon d'r
n blue ground, to represent the stars of lieave
~ on Christmas Eve; this is from l'dy VIII
:. wishes well to the excellent Herr Professor
10 But where is he; :"
- The Herr Professor stepped forward. II
r. said not word but, advancing to Christian
n chen, took her hand in his and whispered sol
N ly, My Ida" All at once Chrlstkindchen
other hand dropped powercss to her side an
she lay motionless in the Professors arms -
IN lie carried her to the unoccuped sofa. speal