The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-12-23
Temperance Reading.
CHRISTMAS TEMPERANCE STORY.


times?' said irrepressible frankie Allen,
bursting into the dning-room, near the
close of holiday dinner, at which he
had Just assisted to the full extent of his
ability.
mo, my son. Do not ask foolish
questions"
Then what makes Christina say she
cannot drink the wine you sent out to
the kitchen for her holiday dinner
cause it would choke her? I'll 90
right out and ask her.
IN 90, too" said Mabel. "May I,
papa~ Their father consented, and
while he was enjoying a social hour
with his friends over their holiday wine,
his two children besieged their friend
Christina, who told them the following
story as she washed and polished the
great pile of dishes and placed them in
proper array:
81 was born in town at the foot of one
green mountain in Norway, and when
ever my work was done, | would run
away up the mountain side and sit by
my cOmrade Lena ThorSon. as she was
Watching the cows and the sheep. There
was not so fine a girl around all the
ford as Lena. Her eyes were like the
sea-sometimes they were blue and
sparkling; sometimes they were gray
and deep. Her brow was Just so white
as pearl, and her cheeks like the wild
roses that grew by the mountain path.
No one was so loving to her friends and
so strong to help them as Lena She
used to sing so happy as she
watched her sheep that the Wild
rocks answered her song and
told it from peak to peak. Won day as
we sat on rock that stood out far be-
fore the others, she lay her knitting in
her lap and ta'e down her long. thick
hair that shine like gold in the sun, and
she comb it with her fingers and say:
i will no more watch the sheep of
Farmer Luarson on the mountain in the
rain and the kalt, for next week Gus
tave will wed me and he has little
farm of his own. He is too goot for
me, for he have been to the school and
have learn much, but he say he love
me best of and you must come to my
Wedding
so the next week Lena was we'd in
the old church, and while the priest he
pray for God to bless them the sun it
shine again on Lena'S hair like the new
gold. And when they went to Gustave's
home they gif to all glass of red old
vine, for GuStaye's fader have left him
money, and he vas richer than the oder
peasant young men. Lena she take her
glass and drink it, and her eyes shine
like two stars.
There is not in all this bionew coun-
try so sweet, so beautiful place as Lee
mas home. The Wild rocks rise up be-
hind it. The ferns and the MOSES
grow everywhere in the cracks, and
Lena could stand in her front door and
look down at the town on the shore,
and away across the ford at the blue
mountains on the oder side. She used
to laugh at the heavy, old oak door and
say it was to defy the storm-king that
came up from the ford, and she said
the ford laughed with her. she was so
happy.
"By and by there came little boy to
Lena's home, and Gustave he take him
to the church and name him Hans
for the fader. And then we 90 home
With them and we al drink the red, old
vine again, for good luck to the baby.
CLANS he grow Ike a-vhat you call
it-a weed, but Lena she no longer sing
50 much, and sometimes she say the
ford looked sad. | wondered what vas
the matter, but after avle | saw that
Gustaye drink so much of the vine that
his nose grow lust so red as the vine
was. Then it grow darker and darker
in the home. The cattle and the sheep
they grow not so many on the little
farm. Gustave he sit much in the
drink-shop, and Lena work much out in
the rain and the kali. Sometimes Gus
tave walk very crooked in the street and
he fall down in the mountain path. As
little Hans grew older, he come to our
house sometimes late at night, and his
eyes be very red. The mountain path was
very long and steep tor the tile feet,
but Hans never say one word. But [
knew something was the matter in the
home"
What was the matter? What made
Gustave fall down." said Mabel with
wide open eyes.
because his head was so heavy"
"What made it so heavy?" put in
frankie.
1T vas the vine and the beer and the
whisky. Now you must keep still or l
will tell you nothing more"
"When Hans was about eight wears
old God sent Lena little girl baby, and
when | 90 to see her she say: 80 Chris
tina | am so glad for my little girl that
| will never be sad any more. And Gus
tave say he will stay at home with us and
not go to the drink shop any more.
Well, they take the small girl to the
church, and the priest he name her
Katrina for the old moder, but her eyes
be blue and her hair be gold. just like
Lena's. And when we come home
with them, Lena she give us the best
she hat in the house to eat, but she say:
Il will have no more the vine, for it
takes the peace out of my little home
and the Joy out of my heart.
well it was all right till the Yule-
time came, and everybody was so hap
py, and even the poorest had a good
time. Gustave went to the town to
bring home the Yule gifts. Then his
old friends they ask him to 90 to the
drink-shop and he say: NO hat prom
ised my wife that l will never drink any
more They say: we do not want you
to drink, but YOU must take Just enc
glass with us for good luck at the Yule
time So Gustave went with them, and
after he drink Won glass there was no
end to it till he was Wild with drink