Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-16
THE LONG NIGHT.



Hoffmuster was playing in the cottage
door with his baby sister Katrine. His
older sister, Therese, was busy clearing
away the evening meal, and his brother
Robert was industriously carving curious
wooden spoons, and knives and forks, to
sell TO travellers whom his father might
guide over the Mountains; for you must
know that these four children lived in a
little Swiss chatel, or cottage, at the foot
Of some famous mountains, aud when lit
tie Nauz lifted his eyes, lie did not See a
row Of nice bIck houses, three stories
high, but instead of these, high mountains
stretched their grand old he4ds up into
the very sky. The mother of these little
Swiss children had died more than year
ago, and as they were very poor, sister
Therese, who was only twelve years old,
had been the little housokeeper ever since.
Now, when | tell YOU that the a;her
had gone to guide some travellers over the
mouutains, aud would not be back till the
lex, day, | tniukyou will feel quite well
acquainted with this pleasant family, and
will like to hear little more about them
1t was sunset, aud Frauz, quite tired Of
play, leaned his head against TLCrese's
knee, and fixed hi, gentle blue eyes upon
the glittering mountain tops.
"Do you remember, sister" said he, at
length, what the lttIe Euglish boy :
father said, the night he was herc:'
"No. What did he say"
"Why, we were looking at the sunset,
and ii was just as beautiful as it is to-
night, for il seemed as if all the mountain
tops were oa fire, and you could imagine
the s;raDgest things. At last | thought
it must be like some Of the grand, flr-away
cities, Of which the travellers 50 often talk.
So went up to the good gentleman AID
said Does it lock ike London, slr?'
81 do not think he heard me, for lie
just kept his eyes fixed upon the noun
taius, and he looked as il he saw some
thing very wonderful great way of.
Aud while was trying to think what it
was, be stretched out his hands SO slowly,
and said softly:
"'Lift up your heads, o ye gates, even
lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the
King of Glory shall come in These
were the very words, for | learned them
afterwards from my little book
"Well," broke in little Franz, breath
lessly, "what haPpcue! then? iid you
see any door or gate, sister, and did any
king come iu?'
"NO," said Therese, thOughtfully, 81
could not think what the good gentleman
meant, for be only looked straight into
the beautiful red sunset, and had seen it
Just the same often before. But he looked
so long, and SO earnestly, that began to
be afraid that something was going to hap
pen. So took hold of his hand, and
said: please, sir, do you see any gate,
and will the King soon come through"
81 had to ask him two or three times
before be heard me, and then be looked
down so kindly, aud smiled with his eyes,
bu, did not say anything at first. So l
asked again:
ads it your king, sir?
"'Yes, little Therese, my king said he,
"Is it the king of EngIand!' asked.
"No;' and he smiled little more.
"'The king of France?'
".No.'
"'Ah! the king of Sweden, then?'
"'No, little Therese,' said he, 1t is the /
King of Glory
".Aud where is Glory, sir?' asked,
Is it far away behind the mountains, and
S it very near England? 2
"'No, said he, smiling more and more,
it is no nearer England than Switzerland.
But all good people are coming towards
every day, and the journey will not be
Ong; but bad people are always going
arther and farther away
"Woll, sister," said Franz, slowly, 81
ried to do right to-day. Neighbor Ul-
ich was just going up the mountains with
is mule, aud heavy load of bread and
nit, when the mule fell, and everything
over the ground Ah, how an
ry he was aud when | first rau up, be
ruck at NE with his whip, for he thought
ouly meant to trouble him" !
The cross old fellow interrupted
ebert. 81 would have thrown every
ing over the rocks, if had been there 4
"Ah, no" said the gentle Therese, o
hen you would have been as bad as he. :,
hope you were kind, little Frauz!' ;,
"Yes," said Franz, "after while But b
first, all sorts Of bad thoughts came :
milling into my head, and | wanted to =.
Il him an ugly name. But | held my r.
cath, just as you told me, sister, and b,
ut my teeth hard, and pretty soon felt 7,
-ry for him, till verything was picked N