Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-12-26
NO. 81.

grave Would not the Christ Child he ton
fascinated by this magnifcence to remem
ber her
The fair people arrived. They encamped
one night in the market place and the next
night fairy-and had arisen for the Ieipsic
childrrn. There were dolls and trumpets
and NOah's arks and wagons and balls
ana mimic furniture every toy that the
child heart covets Why did Frida nav
them 50 little attention the doctor won
dered, while her head was revolving the
question, Could the Christ child still remem
ber her
At last in the Augustus Platz forest was
growing, forest almost as thick as the
Black forest itself. People walked about in
1t haRgling with the dealers He who could
not afford tree bought branch he who
could not afford branch carried away A
t"ig and for the rest there were tiny trees
made OF green paper, so that every one
might be quite sure Of having his own
| Christmas tree.
The day before Christmas snow began To
TALL making the noisy, sooty city a place of
beauty and Of peace Then at twilight
Frida, looking from her window down the
long block, saw the Christmas trees twinkle
INTO life, with child faces crowdng about
them in the dazzle She clapped her hands
trembling She almost screamed as the
door opened But it was only Frau Krone
yer, the char woman.
is the grandfather at home Z" she asked
She carried a lamp, but behind the wide
rutiies of her cap her face Law in shadow.
Why, no It's too early"
Ihe char-woman did not say, what Frida
mad not known, that TODAY all work ended
early. Nor did she hint at the dread that
mad illled her mind since seeing Herr Schae-
Ter that morning. But she noticed the
child's flushed face and guessed at a part
of her excitement
Hadn't you better get the supper. lass ~
ITS all ready, but couldn't eat one bit. il"
'Humph Then you'd better 70 to bed -"
oh, not yet ~ cried Frida
Yes, right away said the sage char
woman, nodding her rufles "Do YOU sup
pose that when children stay up 10 watch,
anything comes TO them III give the
grandfather his supper"
lis all ready on the stove" -" said Frida.
her nervous fingers fumbing at the top
button of her frock
Then 20 to sleep that's a good child"
said the char woman, walking away with
the lamp
Still undressing Frda ran to the window
for last glimpse. But the curtains were
drawn now, all except right across the way.
There was still the laughing group, and the
baby, the beautiful baby, held up bv its ia.
ther, was stretching its arms out to the dan
cling lights. These curtains fell too. Only
the snow was left, huttering against the
window.
trlda sprang upon her bed She could
not lie down. She would heap the covering
about her and hide her face in her hands
That would not be watching. 1t was better
to he waiting and ready
The snow flakes huttered on. And far up
in their steeples the city clocks struck the
quarter hours. Then, at last, past the room
IN which little Frda was sleeping, came
toottals. Many feet went past cautiously
and slowly under their heavy burden. 1t
was peaceful burden, though. and peace
fully it lay at last upon old Herr Schaefer's
bed, very, very peacefully The snowflake
on his window-sill lay not more utterly at
rest
The silence came back again. Silence so
profound that the watcher at her door heard
the child's soft breathing.
She slept and dreamed 1t was a world
OF Christmas trees, shining with thousand
lights and bearing all good gifts upon their
branches, and a thrilling voice was pro-
claiming, The mother is here, and the ia
ther, and the good old grandfather, but
where is Frida ~
Here Oh, here :" cried Frida, strug-
Cling up.
Yes, Frida"
The door was opening some one stood in
the doorway. To her misty eyes the light
he carried rayed out blindingly She clasped
her hands her heart stood still.
THE Christ Child :"
No; but He has sent me, dear little
Frida"
And Dr. Farand lifted her in his arms,
wrapped her up warmly, and carried her
away.
Waiting in his room below was the beau
tiful lady, his wife. "Frida :" she cried
and the doctor laid his little white burden
in her arms
1t was very delightful but very strange.
trlda looked from one to another
Did the Christ Child really come And
oh, did he tell you where father is =
He told the grandfather that" said Dr.
tarland Yes the Christ Child really
came-He came to us all And when He
found an old American doctor and his wife
here, very lonely because they had no little
girl, He said, Here's little Frida Schaefer
Her father will not come back Be her
father and mother for the dear old grand
father is so very old and weary now that
will take him back with me to heaven. ~
They talked of the old mans happiness
this Christmas morning then, while Frida's
tears still flowed, they talked of her beauti-
full new home beyond the sea, until, looking
and listening, the orphan child was born
into the new kingdom of father and mother
love
Suddenly the church bells rang out. DR..
Farland caught his new found little daugh-
ter in his arms, carried her to the window,
and threw it open
p in their towers pealed the chimes back
and forth to one another, with a clash of
great bells, with a clangor of deep bells,
with swift thrill of faint bells, as though
all the sprites of the air laughed together:
with shout of clarion voices, with rush
of tumultuous voices, with a concord of
Jubilant voices, until there was no silence
anywhere. All things were dissolved into
sound, and the great city was but one tri-
umphant voice sounding the eternal Christ
mas carol, "Glory to God in the highest.
and on earth peace good among men -
Florence Walters Snedekcr in Ha,perS
BdzGr.