The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-12-25

were driven into the trenches
ana more than five hundred Of then
Perisned there. Captain Karl was in
MS element. Twice he was seized b1
furious S~paniards. and each time he e:'
capped BY prodigies of strength, LEAVING
MS assailants dead in the trench. HI,
great sword seemed to cut through bone
anu iron' and his cheerful and encour.
aging words worked marvels upon the
hearts OF our men. Yes, il one mar
saved the city that man was Captain
KARL"
Amy n would know he was brave
said Hans. "Yet how gentle he is when
his armor is laid aside! He is then lik,
a lamb or q big, tender hearted dog. ]
like him."
"And too!'' echoed Gretchen. tn.
Oldest girl. HE makes one think o.
Roland. the Paladin, who was a lion in
war; in peace mild as a woman"
Indeed, the six children had taker
their guest into strong friendship. Cap.
tain Karl was IN officer of the German
au%xiliaries, and was one of the bes,
soldiers in the little army which bravcd
IN HARLEM the thirty thousand men Of
the cruel Duke Of Alva. He was a mar
OF more than sixty years, gray and
bronzed from service in manv wars. and
with a figure massive and tall as any Of
the old Paladins.
How many stories he knew, this old
Captain Karl, and how many adven.
lures he had had, and how the children
loved to hear him tell of the battles he
had been in! 1t was interesting to see
him. one upon each knee, four standing
around him or sitting at his feet, with
his gray beard, flashing eyes and rough
voice, relating, answering, questioning,
caressing. And if he drew the huge
sword he wore by his side and welded
it as he had done many times in battle,
the three boys would clap their hands
for joy. Then he could tell of pleas
anter things than war, and little girls
delighted best to hear him syeak of Mar
tin Luther and his good wife Catherine,
and of Calvin and some of the other re-
formers, most of whom he had seen and
talked with.
"Ah, how l would have liked TO see
Luther!" exclaimed Annie, earnestly.
"Was he an old man, Captain Karl?"
''The time l saw him, yes" answered
the old soldier. ut was at his last
Christmas, only a few weeks before he
died. All, children, 1 must tell you of
this, for it will please you. l shall
never forget it. 1t was in 1916. Twas
then in the service Of the Elector Fred
erick of Saxony, who. you will remom-
Der, was Luther's friend and pro-
tector. The Elector had a pleas
ant custom Of sending him every year at
Christmas presents for himself and his
children. This time l was the agent to
carry them. l found Luther and his
family in his cheerful home at Witten-
burg, gathered around a tree. 1t was
the tree which our old Germany pre-
pares at Christmas in every house, rich
and brilliant in some, poor and dimly-
lighted in others; but in all q tree of
benedict,on and Of peace, a messenger
by all its rays and all its gifts of the
good tidings heaven sends to earth.
II can see now just how Luther and
his household appeared. a thick-set,
heavy man, with a square face and sill
very hair. On one side sat his wife, ON
the other his faithful friend Melancthon;
before him the respondent tree, and
around we're the four children that were
left. He was old and feeble. but you
have seen his face as the gifts
were shown which the Elector had sent.
I can not tell you what they all were,
but there was something for every one.
"What . pretty CUSTOM" cried
Gretchen. Cant we have a tree too,
motherp'
''Perhaps so," answered Madame Van
Mcrk, gravely, that is. If we are
'Next year, at least, we cam said
Hans. 1.-THE Spaniards will be away
"Yes, next year you shall have .
replied the mother.
Next year is far off," said old Karl.
''but perhaps it is best so. Still"
then he hcsitated and remained in a
study a long while.
This conversation had happened only
the week before, and ever since the
children had not ceased to think about
II. A hundred times they saw the tree
their imagination rising with its