Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-01-05
%whatl In theres" and the thief

"What! In there?" and the thiet
pointed toward the gates.
'Wen-yes. Only make haste or ]
may repent my weakness"
Through the briefly opened portals
the fair forms and pitiful faces of two
shining angels were revealed. One OF
them tenderly wiped the tears from poor
old Brigitte's eyes, while the other, muir
muring mild and compassionate words,
removed the rope from Veit Kratzern's
neck.
"Now we are ready for you," remark
ed st. Peter to the Count, turning over
leaf after leaf of the Ledger, and sud
denly exclaiming in Mortified tone:
THAT looks promising, indeedl Col
umn after column of debit items, while
nothing stands to your credit absolute
y nothingr'
The count began pompously.
Il have advanced the commerce, man
ufactures and agriculture of my native
land. l have protected and promoted
/ the arts and sciences. l have built
churches and schools and orphan asy-
lums and hospitals and poorhouses
and
"Peace, foolr' cried st. Peter angrily.
'An that is charged fast enough, not to
your credit, but against you, because it
was done from ambition and selfshness
and Ostentation and hypocrisy"
"My life's best work." continued the
Count, still more proudly, show 1 made
my fatherland great and glorious be-
yond ali lands on earth do not need to
mention, for 1 presume my fame has
long ago assembled here"
"Your fame" retorted st. Peter. with
increasing Indignation, "has not reached
us, but the grOans of dying youths have
risen to US from your battle-fields, and
from deSolate homes the despair of
mothers and brides; and 1 tell you,
wretch, if you have nothing better than
this to urge, you are lost mani"
The count grew still paler, and had
not word to say for himself
At this moment the little boy, linger-
ing on the theshold of heaven, called
out:
'Mr. Peterl Mr. Peterr'
care you still there, my little MANI"
returned the apostle; "why do you not
enter?"
Instead of replying to the question,
the little fellow said:
''Mr. Peter, do you see this humming
top?"
Pulling the string he sent the top
flying from the handle and spinning
about with a Jolly hum at the feet of
the apostle and the Count.
"Upon my word! 4 real hunming
top" ST. Peter returned indulgently.
"Pray how came it here?"
'.My mother laid it in the grave with
me-" answered the child, seriously. He
then picked up his top, rewound the
string; and extending the toy tempting
ly toward the apostle said
"Mr. Peter, if you will let the Count
go in there with me l will let you spin
my top"
''Do you know the Count, child?"
''Of course. It was the Count that
gave me the top"
"Ahl Tell me how that happened,
de;sT boy
"Once 1 was sitting at the door, eat
ing my bread And when 1 had finish
ed began to cry. Just when the Count
came driving along in beautiful blue
and gold coach with four gray horses.
And the carriage stopped, and the
Count said:
".Are you hungry little boy?'
"'No' said l, 4 have just had my
bread
"And the Count said, Then why are
you crying?'
Father and mother 60 off to work early
in the morning and don't come home
till late at night, and the children won't
play with me because 1 am SO slow.
Then the count said that he would
bring me something to play with. And
in little while he came back with the
top, and we made it spin, the count and
1 together; and after that 1 never cried
any more"
st. Peter made no reply, but buried
his head in his ledger, muttering:
81 know he's rather old fogyish in his
accounts, our old bookkeeper, Gabriel
still, we have always been able to rely
upon him-ah 1 was sure of it," he ex-
claimed joyfully; "here it is on the very
last credit page:
"'Gave day laborer's crippled child
toy-commOnly called humming top
and with great kindness and gentleness
showed the boy how to spin it"
With almost youthful eagerness st.
Peter seized his red pencil, and drew
broad line through the whole long list
of sins and offences, and the next mo-
ment the Count, clasping the child's |
hand, entered the kingdom of heaven.