The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-18

the hill. Her child sprang joyously to
her, but the pale woman stood wondering
when she saw the old man standing in his
tur mantle before the door.
"Who is that?" she cried out in fear
and surprise.
80 the old Poppel, mother; you know
he formerly drove us away but now he is
so good. See here!"
But the mother did not look at Eliza
beth's pretty sewing-box and the beauti-
full silk handkerchief she had received.
She and the old man stared at one another
as If charmed until both almost in thesame
moment cried out:
sis it you, o father2"
ELLEN, Ellen, child, can it be theep
And they laughed and wept and looked
at one another, and Ellen asked: 80,
father. can you forgive me?" and her
father cried, ''Then it was you, and drove
you from my doorp' Neither of them paid
any attention to the wondering child or
the schoolmaster, until the latter folded
his hands and said, ''The ways of God are
wonderfuland bring outeverythingright %
Then the old man who was not called
''Popper' but Robert Hall, was easily in
duced to go with them to the village. Al
though the house of Elizabeth's mother
was poor yet it was warm and comfortable
in comparison with the pitiful hut out in
the forest
Little Elizabeth, to whom it still seemed
| a dream, that 'the old Poppel' should be
her grandfather, made a good fire and put
on the tea kettle. Her mother did not
have Christmas gift for her, but she had
| procured little Christmas tree. She lit
1t up, now that it was dark, and the old
man rested in the light, his daughter near
him on foot-stool, and then she related
to him all the trouble she had endured.
80, father, there is no good luck in a
union which is not consecrated by the
blessings of the parents" the repentant
woman confessed, weeping. Then she re-
lated to him how her husband had de-
serted her, and she had been obliged to
work to support her child. "But did not
think" said she, ''that the dear God would
be so merciful, and lead me again to my
| father. And we have been near each
other so long and have not known it!''
Then the father spoke of the sad, lonely
time which he had. They sat there to-
gether, the child between them, and all
was Joy and reconciliation.
The school-master had gone away quiet
| ly; the little candles on the tree had
burned out long ago, only the clear light
of the full moon streamed into the mean
little room as the Christmas carol sounded
| from clear, childish voices: "Glory to
God in the highest, and peace on earth
and good will to men,"
1t soon became spring this year and no
one would have known the little house OF
EliZabeth's mother, when the first roses
bloomed in the little garden; so grand was
it, with snow white walls, green shutters
and red tiles. There was room built on
| for the grandfather and a stall behind for
the donkey.
But no one would have known 'the old
| PoppeP' again either, whom they now
call Mr.. Hall, as he is not in his old fur
robe, by which his daughter had recog-
nized him, but in neat, comfortable cloth
ing, sat upon the sunny little bench be-
fore the house and greeted the passers-by.
"The old man has become ten years
younger" said one of the passers-by.
"What, ten! twenty" said Henry the
son of the butcher, who was now his par
ticular friend; one does not know him
any more, he looks so we'll"
"There hear that" the schoolmaster
said laughingly, who had become an init.
mate friend, sis that not a compliment?
eyes, nv Ellen also has not become
Older" said the happy old man, as the
stately well-dTessed woman, with happy
face went here and there; land if it de-
ponds upon me she shall not look troubled
or miserable as long as she lives. The
daughter nodded pleasantly to her father
then she asked somewhat anxiously, But
| where does Elizabeth remain so long?"
She sprang into the room in the same
moment with laughing eyes and glowing
cheeks, her blonde hair flying around hel
face.
she is founi, grandpa" she cried out
joyously; ''your old comrade is found-ouI
good Donkey All the boys went to seek
when they heard that he had gone astray
and do you know where they found him:
Out on the hill by your old hut. We wish
to build him little summer stall there
in emory of old times"
There, do not abuse my old hut" said
Hall. "But, grandfather, you were so sad
out there"
'You speak truly. child; sad and
lonely old man, abandoned to hate ano
anger, until good little girl came to me
there" Elizabeth said nothing; she only
stroked gently his face, which was not so
rough and harsh as before. "And if she
had not come the ice would not have
melted from my heart nor the mist from
my eyes. o child, whatgood angel brought
US together?"
at was the Christ child, grandfather, y
said Elizabeth, looking at him with hel
true, loving eyes, "the dear holy Christ
child"