The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-10-16
THE WOOD-CUTTER's CHILD.
A German Parable of Penitence.

In the edge of great forest lived
wood-cutter and his wife, and their
little child, girl of three years.
But they were so poor that ut last
they had no longer even any black
bread. and knew not what they
should give her TO eat.
one morning the wood-cutter went
TO his work in the forest filled with
care and sorrow; and, rs he worked,
suddenly there stood before him n
beautiful woman, crowned with
shining stars, who said to him.
81 am the guardian angel of good
children; thou art poor and needy
bring thy little child to me and |
will take her with me to the land of
happiness and will be to her like II
mother"
The wood-cuttcr obcyed, and the
angel carried the child TO the land of
happiness. There she ate sweet
bread and drank sweet milk; her
clothes were of gold, and good child
rem were her playmatcs. Thus the
time passed quickly and pleasantly
until she was fourteen years old.
Then the guardian angel called her
and said
"My dear child, | am going on II
long journey. Take in charge these
thirteen keys, which unlock the doors
of heaven. Twelve of them thou
mays't open and see the loneliness
therein. But this small key belong
eth to the thirteenth door, which
may not be opened Take care that
thou dost not unlock ii, or thou will
be unhappy"
The girl promised to obey, and
when the angel went she began her
promised pleasure. Every day she
opened one door, and saw therein n
saint surrounded with radiant
light, and she, and the children who
were with her, were filled with Won
der and amaZement.
AT last only the forbidden door re-
manned, and she felt great curiosity
to see what was hidden behind il.
81 will not quite open it," she said
TO the children, 81 will just unlock
it,"
ooh, mop said they, "that would
be doing wrong. The angel has for
hidden it, and il might bring misfor-
tune"
The girl was silent then, but curl
osity was not quoted. On the con-
trary, il gnnwcd and irettcd cOntin-
ually and gave her no peace, until
She could bear it no longer, and,
when the children left her, she
thought:
"Now, am alone, and can look in
once. Certainly no one will ever
know it,"
She took the small key and placed
II in the lock and turned il. Then
the door sprang open and she saw
three angels in the midst of a great
and dazzling brightness. She gazcd
nStonishcd, then she put out her
hand and the light fell upon finger
and IL became golden. Then she felt
great fear, and shut the door has
lily and ran away. The fear did not
cave her, do what she would, her
heart beat quickly and would not be
quiet again. The gold remained ON
her finger, though she washed and
rubbed il with all her might.
II was not long before the angel
returned from her journey. She
called the girl TO her and asked for
The keys, and, when she gave them
to her, the angel said, looking in her
eyes:
"llast thou not opened the forbid
den doory'
NO" answered the girl.
The angel laid her hand on the
girls heart and felt its throbbing,
ana knew that she had opened the
door.
Then she said again:
Hast thou surely not done It,"
NO" answered the girl, a second
time.
Then the angel saw the golden fin
ger and knew without doubt that
she had disobeyed.
Again she said:
"llast thou not done il 7"
The third time the girl answered +:
mo"
Then said the angel:
Thou hast not obeycd me, and
hast moreover lied. Thou art no
longer worthy to be in the land of
happiness.
Then the girl sank into a deep
sleep, and when she awoke she found
- ~ lHe oll lllc HTpunl III lllN
midst of II forest; and when she
wished 10 cry out she could make no
sound. She sprang to her feet TO
run away, but whichever way She
turned she was turned back by u
thick hedge of thorns which she
could not break through.
within the hedge stood IN old hol-
low tree, which she made her dwell
lhg place, and found shelter from the
ram and snow. When she thought
OF the beautiful land of happiness
ana of the good children who had
played with her there she wcpt bit
terly.
- In the autumn she collected the
fallen leaves and carried them into
The tree, and when the snow and ic.
came she crept in among them like d
iltlle animal, that she might not
freeze. Nuts and wild berries were
her only food, and she sought fol
them rs far rs Ehn cnulI reach he.