Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-01-09
NUMBER 2.

or that, and she listened very attentively
when her father said
II Conrad Midburger was in any of
that fighting, I'll be bound he behaved
himself we'll. There's good blood in the
Midburgers, and Conrad is fine boy.
He must be man by this time"
said Christine.
And then she thought what very tall,
fne-looking man he must be, and how
we'll he would appear in his uniform.
Bn: when, after while, there was
news Of peace, and they heard the ar
my was going home to be disbanded, old
Franz Hoferdahl grew less thoughtful,
and Christine tried in vain to arouse him,
or amuse him, until one autumn morning
he said TO her:
"All the other soldiers are going home.
think it is pretty near time for me ito
go too"
"To Germany, father ?" exclaimed
Christine, with sudden light in her
eyes. "Oh father |"
"No, Christine" solemnly replied the
old man; Germany is not the only
fatherland. am very old soldier, and
| think this is my last campaign."'
Christine understood him then, but all
in dreamy, unreal sort of way, until
few weeks later, she found herself sitting
alone in the house, while the chilling
wind that whistled by the window was
freighted with the first white harbngers
of the Winter. 1t seemed cold torlorn
and empty sort OF world to Christine, and
when she tried to think of the village
where she was born, that, too, seemed
empty and deserted, and she imagined
the old shop shut up, and the snow flakes
beating against the spider-webbed win
dows.
The door-bell rang, but Christine did
not hear it, nor did she know that the
servant had admitted anybody until she
was conscious of heavy step almost be-
side her, and deep, clear voice full of
manly strength, but that trembed in
thrillngly musical way, said to her:
Christine Christine!"
She looked up then at the face-a face
SCARED and war-bronzed-of Of a tall, erect,
noble-looking man who wore medal of
honor on his breast, and whose large,
dark, penetrating eyes were absolutely
radiant as they looked down into her
own.
Christine" he said again, "do you
understand meY l have come"
He had come !" she thought for one
brief, burning moment, and it seemed ms
if light and life and light, and happiness
and strength, and the old German home
itself had come with him. She now had
an odd, quick fancy that the door Of the
old shop opened and the sun began to
shine, and she could see the two old men
at their work, but she arose and threw
her arms around his neck, and only said
between her sobs "Oh, Cor rad, I'm SO
happy so glad you have come "
1t was sober day and a sober meeting
after all, but somo hours later rs they sat
by the crate in the parlor, where the fire
burned warm and cheenly, while the first
merry snow-Aakes of the opening Winter
fitted softly by the windows, and they
exchanged stories Of all that had happen
cd to them. Conrad said to her:
"Ah, Christine, l did not know myself
when you went away. did not know |
had heart, but soon began to find it
out. l found that it was great, big
heart, too, with wonderful things in it.
One love after another seemed to wake
up to speak to me, TO tell me it was there
until the biggest love Of all came to life,
and it grew and grew till 1t crowded out
all the others and filed up everything,
and then had come across the ocean to
find you. But who would have dreamed
that you had kept anything for me, wait
ing all the time for me to come? | was
terribly afraid about that"
"Oh, don't know, said Christine, " l
don't understand it all. All the time it
has seemed as if l were only Waiting
waitng-and that if waited long enough
you would surely come"
"And here am" said Conrad, "only
| think there is great deal more of me,
somehow, than in those dear old sleepy
days at home.--Apptetons Journal.