Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-12-21

! only one person had thrown copper
into my lap, anu l needed more 10
buv bit of bread and few Goals.
NY own pangs hurt me, but that
mother lay at home alone with no
one to hand her anything or support
her when her breathing became diff
cult hurt me still more. could hardly
bear to sit on the cold steps any longer
and my eyes were blind with tears.
"a barrel was set down in front OF
the house, and while clerk was
rolling it over the sidewalk into the
shop the stream of passers was stop
ped. That woman thsre-I remember
her wsll-stood still in front Of me. l
offered her one of my sheep and looked
at her through my tears. She seemed
so hard and stern that l thought,
She won't give me anything. But
she did 1t seemed suddenly as If her
face grew softer and her eyes kinder.
She glanced at Inc, and before l knew
it she had put her hand in the bag
which she carried on her arm and
thrown the nuts into my lap.
The cask had been rolled into the
shop by this time, and the throng OF
people carried her along. She tried
to stop. 1t was not easy, and she
did it to toss NE second, third and
fourth handful OF the most beautiful
walnuts. can still see it all, as if it
were today Then she felt in her
pocket, probably to get some money
for me, but the press of people was
too strong for her to stand against 1t
longer. l doubt if she heard that l
thanked her."
Here the angel broke off and threw
kiss to the condemned woman, and
st. Peter asked her how it happened
that she, who had been so deaf to all
appeals from the poor, had been so
generous to the child.
The tormented woman answered
amid her loud sobs: The fearful eyes
of the little one reminded me OF my
small sister. who died painful death
before | had grown hard and wicked,
and a strange sensatiOn-l know not
how it happened dmyself-overpowered
me. 1t seemed as fmy heart warmed
within me, and something seemed to
saw to Inc that should never forgive
myself as long as lived and should
be even unhappier than / was If | did
not give the child something TO re-
ioice over at the Christmas time. l
Ionged to draw her toward Inc and
kiss her. After had tossed her half
of the nuts which had just bought,
felt happier than l had for many
day, and | would certainly have given
her some money, though only lit
| tle."
But Peter interrupted her He had
heard enough, and as he knew that 1t
was impossible for any one in heaven
or hell to tell an untruth, he nodded
to her, saying: That was, beyond
DISPUTE, a good deed, but it is too
small to counterbalance the great
weight of your bad deeds. Perhaps
it may tighten your punishment.
Still great riches were meted out TO
Won on earth, and what were few
nuts to YOU! The motive that urged
you to bestow them is pleasing in the
sight OF the Lord, acknowledge, but,
as said before, your charity was too
paltry for you to be released from
your pains because OF it"
He turned to go, but a clear voice
OF wonderful sweetness held him
back. 1t was that Of the Saviour,
who advanced with majestic dignity
toward the apostle and spoke: Let
us first hear if the allns-giving ot
which we have just learned was really
too small to plead for leniency to-
ward this SHINING soul Let us hear
turning to the angel-"what be
came of the nuts?'
"Oh, dear Saviour" answered the
angel. Il ate half of them, and / was
grateful to you, for felt that | owed
them to your bounty, as they were
my little Christ-child,' as the people
in the city where we lived called a
Christmas present
You see, Peter the Saviour inter
rupted the angel. DO we not owe IL
10 the nuts of that woman that pure
childs soul was led to US? That in
itself is no small thing. Tell what
further happened to you"
Il ate most Of them" the little girl
answered. but / had still more to eat
bv Christmas eve, for the people who
had looked at me when the woman
threw something into my lap were
interested in my sufferings, and soon
I had sold all six sheep, and besides
many pennies and groschen one oie
thaler had flown into my lap. WIN
these was able to buy mother many
Things IudI SUE e'ONN ~
and though she died on New Year
morning she had many little comforts
during her last days.
The Amounted cast another look iui
of meaning at Peter, when large
and beautiful angel, the spirit OF the
mother OF the cherub began: III yoI
will permit me, o holy Jesus, l, too
would like to say word in favor o.
the condemned. Before Hannel'
came home with the nuts lay in bed
without hope or help in my great SUI
fering. l had lost all faith, for III!
nrayers had not been heard, and ii
the bitterness of my heart it seemed
that you, who were said to be tn
friend of the poor on earth, and Go'