The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-12-25


poor mother with comfort too, and
bringing the first tears of relief to her
dry, despairing eyes, as she lay crush
ed by her sorrow, in the dark room
near by.
Thou dear and holy Christ! what bliss
Thy coming 70 thy children Is;
For thou can'st make rs pure and white,
Gods children, pleasing in lis sight.
Oh. 6lsss 1Si SseI,c we are , young and small;
Oh, make our spirits free from sin,-
Thy fount Of heavenly love within.
As the last echoes Of the sweet carol
died on the ear, a bright ray of light
streamed through the keyhOle of the
salon door, and flooded the threshold.
Frit5el saw 1t first, and sprang to-
wards the door, clspping his hands.
"The Christ-child! be is come! Oh,
open! open!n he shouted. Carried
away by excitement and the delight
full remembrance of last year, when
they all waited thus in the dark for
the lighting up in the salon and the
opening Of the door, he wholly forgot
for an instant, the sorroWful reality
But, at that moment, the door flew
open. The beautiful, brilliant tree
stood in the center of the great room,
towering from polished floor nearly
to the frescoed ceiling, and little
white tables, laden with treasures,
were grouped around II in semi-eir-
Gle.
A lovely fair-haired image of the
Christ-child flashed high above the
lights and evergreens with q shining
star on his head and on the thresh-
old stood q very different figure-a
tall figure in gray, with q soldiers
cap, which opened its arms as little
Fritzel sprang forward with the cry,
"Papa Papa"
She never knew how she got there;
but almost before Fritzel's joyous cry,
the neither was out in the DWELLING
room in her white wrapper, and safe
in his own strong, living arms, close
to his warm, true heart.
"My Marga," he had whispered;
''my best little wife,"
She knew nothing else; desired to
comprehend nothing. She had him,
and was satisfied.
But the children were not. When
the elder ones fully realized that 1t
was indeed himself-his living self,
and no other-returned to their
midst zgain, they clamored to know
what it all meant, and the little ones,
half afraid to approach now, whis-
pered together as if they thought he
must be an angel after all.
Attracted and alarmed by the COM
motion, old Christel and the maid,
Lima, came running in, and their
wondering ordinations, coupled
with the children's excitement, made
the father realize that something un-
usual had occurred before his return.
The wif0 led him to his seat near
the fire, and they all crowded about
him, talking so fast and eagerly that
he finally was obliged to hush them
all, and tell Gretchen to be spokes-
woman. Then he told his tale:
az lett Versaill five days ago." he
told them, sand was not even present
at the attack on LIE Bourget, which
began December 21st, as the telegrams
state but there was another Private
Hoffman in my compaDy-Franz
Hoffman, froc1 Potsdam-which ac-
counts for the mistake, and he must
have fallen, poor fellow. / have not
seen the list. He had been with US
only few days; and though knew
him but little, he was counted q good
comrade and a genial man. / trust he
does not leave many to mourn him."
And looking around on the little
household band he bowed his head in
silence for q moment.
81 wanted TO surprise you ALL be
continued, "as I reached the house.
l knew your mothers arrangements
were to be like those oflast year, from
her letters. The doors were open, 50
Just stole in, and finding everything
ready to my hand, was there to re-
ceive the Christ-child, little thinking
what a strange surprise would give
you; little dreaming that was to ap-
pesr as one risen from the dead. /
waited while you sung your Christ
mas hymn, dear children, hardly able
to restrain my impatience, wonder
ing all the time why the desr little
mother didn't steal in to see il the
Christ-child had come"
Paul sprang up then with sudden
thought of the neglected Christmas
tree: "Oh, the treel we're all for
getting it, and our splendid tapers are
fast burning away" SO, followed
speedily by all, he ran into the next
room, into the midst Of the Christ
mas warmth and beauty.
The children were soon wild with
delight over the wonderful gifts on
their separate little tables, and Frit-
eel and Carlotta were shouting and
clapping their hands under the tall
sparkling tree, down fiom the height
OF which the fair, waxen face Of the
Christ-child image seemed to smile
on the happy little ones.
Loving little Olga, who fully real
lied by this time that her papa was
not an angel, but living and real, the
best gift the dear Christ-child could
have brought her, nestled up to his
side and pulled him gently by the
hand over to his special little table.
Gretchen, the good, careful little
maiden, had slipped out during the
confusion and brought in the gifts,
which, just completed, had not been
placed there after the dreadful news
came.
All TIE children crowded up to
watch and comment on pspa's pleas
ure, as he examined his gifts, prais-
ing the skill Of this and the thought
fuIness Of that donor, as he did so.
Just then, there was q violent ring
at the entrance bell, and IN another
second the old professor burst into the
room, looking ike Kneeht Rnpreeht
himself, in his enormous shaggy
overcoat and fur cap. carrying q big
basket, and fairly beaming and over
| flowing with true German glee.
! Good news travels fast
| Almost before the family were sure
| II khn f. nk kL1,aolrao the hannU fl
dings seemed to have spread in some
mysterious way, and other frienos
soon filled the room; coming In, they
said, for just look at the dead re-
turned to life again.
The children and work-people OF
the neighborhood ran up and down
the steps, calling out to Lima and ask
ing questions, till she was forced to
drive them away.
"The streets fairly alive with our
good news," she whispered to Gretch-
en-, as she ran in, painting, to see the
beautiful tree and receive her gifts
with pretty show Of surprise.
Frau Hoffman, who had disap-
peared for q few moments, returned
presently in her pretty blue dress,
which had been especially prepared
| for this happy occasion, followed by
Christel and Lima with the refresh
ment trays. Then there was jubilee,
indeed. ---- ---.s.
The Christmas greeting passed
around, and the ehildren's Christmas
hymn was called for. What q joyous
strain the music took this time
How out of each heart in that now
blessed little family rose the song oi
thanksgiving!
Gretchen and Paul, Olga, Carlotta
and Fritzel laid happy little heads on
their pillows that memorable night
and, think, the dear Christ-child
sent them beautiful dreams to herald
In the holy Christmas-day.