The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-18
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY DECEMBER
proud had nav Ellen become; but beau

proud mad my Ellen Dec0mei out Deau-
tiful maiden, my hearts pride and JOY"
There came a fellow in our neighbor-
hood-a sportsman, thought-although
he asserted that he had been count or
something; he had not been there long
when he desired my Ellen for wife.
never had a good opinion of him; | refused
him frankly and told him that such row.
ing man without work did not receive my
child. But Ellen wept and wished TO
marry him. 1 spoke to her most kindly
and begged her to stay with me, my only
and loved child. 1 told her that the fell
low would certainly make her unhappy;
that / would GO with her wherever she
wished. Certainly, never father begged
80, but yield to her l could not.
"But she went away in night and dark
ness and left me alone, /, her old father,
quite alone in the world, and would
have given my hearts blood for her!
$50 my heart has become like stone in
deep haze against all people because all
seem wicked and false to me after my
child deceived me so, and when have
seen children have become more angry
because l think how my Ellen also played
thus, and that she was my hearts Joy.
have shut myself up in my house and
spoken to no one"
from your daughter" asked the school
master gently.
"Once," said the old man, mournfully
VI do not know whether / dreamed it or
whether it was true, in moonlight night
something tapped on my window more
than year after my child left me. When
| arose, l saw in the bright moonlight a
pale woman with a child upon her arm
and she called out imploringly: Father,
let me in Then anger came over me and
l called out: so, now you wish to return
although you left me when l begged you
to remain. You have made your own bed,
now lie upon it, and / shut the window
and laid myself upoh my bed but l could
not sleep any more. l rose up again and
looked out, but there was no one there, no
trace. The next day / asked the neigh
bors ii any one had seen a woman with a
child. But they knew nothing, so
thought dreamed it.
From that hour / have had no more
peace; | went away, far, far, until / came
here. did not wish to see people any
more. So / came here to this forsaken
hut and have lived like a beggar, laying
my. money away. Many time l have
thought that perhaps did not dream that
night and that nv child would have come
DO you think it was a dream, Mr..
Schoolmaster"
81 do not know" he said; "your
daughter has committed great fault but
do not take it unklndly-you have also
been to blame. You wished to give your
| child pleasure and Joy but did not wish to
discipline and admonish her. A child
that always has its way must become self
willed, and as your daughter repented
you should have begged with her: Lord
forgive us our trespasses.
81 have thought of that" said the old
man sorrowfully, "and since that little
maiden from the village came here, 1
have thought of it again. l thought of il
all night, and on that account l want to
make all the children happy, because 1
have no child or grandchild to make
happy"
"Both of us together can easily accomp-
fish that" said the schoolmaster joyously
for he was a good-hearted man and was
often sorry he had not more to give.
Then the history tells how paper was
put on the school-house door with these
words upon it:
'The hermit of the forest invites his
good friends, the children of Newbruch,
to visit him this afternoon, when the
school bell rings"
The children at first were afraid to 60
but the schoolmaster assured them there
was no danger, and also Quoted the fears
of their parents Elizabeth's mother gave
her consent, saying, with a sad smile:
''since the old man gave you the sugar,
perhaps he will give you something better
this time, and l can give you nothing,
poor child"
It was a beautiful day, and when the
children arrived at the hut they saw, to
their establishment, the fir tree full oil
beautiful things, and the old man stood
under it wrapped in his fur mantle. 'The
children were dumb at first, says the his.
tory, but Heiner, who knew what to do
threw his cap into the air, and cried
'Long live the old Poppell" and '1one
live the old Poppell" cried all the voices
loudly and softly. A few of the girls
added, ''old Mr.. Poppel," but he did not
hear that.
"Now, Mr.. Schoolmaster," said he, "you
know better than what will please each
one; will you be so good as to give each
one something from the tree 10 the name
of the old PoppelP"
The children were now quite still, as they
looked at the wonderful tree. the same tree
which had stood before the wretched hut
and stretched out its branch like threaten
ing arm.
''All in order; in two rows" commanded
the schoolmaster, "boys to the left and
girls to the right! Henry Brosch anG
Elizabeth come forward You are the
largest and can help mew
They distributed the presents and each
one received so much more than he ex
pected that there was no envy or i'll will
Presents were also given them to take tc
their brothers and sisters who could not
| come.
The old man sat on the Threshold oil
hishut, having bound behind him his fait tn
full donkey, who had revealed again to
day in golden oats; he heard the jubilee oil
the children and saw their Joy, and his
heart became warm and his ewes wet with
tears as they had not been since his little
Ellen played at his feet.
In great Joy over their beautiful gifts
the little folks would have run down The
hill to show them to their parents. Blu
Elizabeth had gone up to the old man
had given him her hand and said: 50
thank you very many times" Now, it oc
Cured to them also, and one after another
came up and thanked him heartily, anC
''Long, long live the hermit of the hill =
sounded as they sprang down to the val
ley.
Such chattering and laughter the olC
forest had never heard before as the happy
children sprang down and called out be
fore they arrived at the village: "Hurrah