The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-12-18
A CHRISTMAS DREA VI.

In dream | was transported into the
world that lies beyond-the beautiful heav-
en- opened to all mankind by the blessed
Christ child.
That hell lies underneath heaven you
have doubtless heard Naturally the holy
dead see and hear nothing OF the pains of
the lost, for that would entirely spoil the
| Joys of paradise for them, but now and then
i believe once a year-it is given to the
| blessed to look down into hell. There is,
however, one condition in particular at
tached to this privilege. When the dome
which conceals hell from the sight of the
angels is opened, it is for the relief of he
condemned.
God in his mercy has decreed that the
saints shall look down into the abyss in
order to tell St. Peter if they see among
the damned any one from whom they have
received any benefit or of whom they have
even heard any good. Ii the keeper Of heaV
ems gate is pleased with the generous action
which the lost soul performed while ON
earth lac has the power OF shortening the
| time of punishment or can even pardon it
altogether and bill it enter into paradise.
As for me, arrived in paradise on n day
when he'll was open to view and came to
| know thereby many strange things.
1t was granted To me to look into the
place of torment, and the things saw there
were awful. Picture it to yourself rs you
will When | recovered from the horror
that fell upon me, | recognized many men
and women whom had known ON earth
Among the latter noticed Il woman
whom had known well on EARTH and who
deserved to be among the lost, thought. |
had never anticipated any other sentence
for her. Although she had possessed more
than WAS needed ~ crafty her own wants,
she could never be moved by the most
touching appeals of the poorest to relieve
their distress
There is nochance of "A voice being raised
in her favor" said to myself But was
wrong for at that moment II lovely angel
child flew past ne on its blue and white
wings. Withoul-iny sign of fear it flew di-
rect to st. Peter, who looked formidable
enough with h long beard and great keys,
and pointing with its little ioretinger to the
hard hearted woman cried, she once gave
me handful of nuts"
Really answered the keeper of heaven
that WAS not much, and yet | am sur
prised, for that woman would not part with
SO much as II pin during her life But you
little one, who were you on earth
Little Hannele was my name answer
ed the angel II died of starvation. and
only once did any one give me anything in
my life to make me happy, and that was
| that woman yonder.
Marvellous answered Peter, stroking
his white beard mo doubt the nuts were
given rs a misery payment of some service
you did her"
mo, nor the angel answered decidedly
We'll, tell us how it happened, them"
the apostle commanded, and the dear little
soul obeyed.
my sick mother and lived in the city
all alone, for father was dead, just before
Christmas we had nothing more To eat SO
mother, though She lay in bed and her head
and hands Were burning, made SOME little
sheep of bits OF wood and cotton, and | car
ried them to the Christmas market. There
sat on some steps and offered them for
sale to the passersby, but nobody wanted
them. Hours passed, and it WAS very cold
The open wound in my knee, which no one
saw, panied me 80, and the frost in my fin
gers and toes burned drcadfilly
Evening came, the lamps were lighted
| but dared not 90 home, for only one per
son had thrown copper into my lap, and
| needed more 10 buy bit of bread and "A
few Goals. My own pangs hurt me, but
| that mother lay ut home alone with no one
to hand her anything or support her when
her breathing became difficult 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 stopped. That woman there
remember her wcll-stoOd still in front of
me. | offered her one of my sheep and
looked at her through my tears. She seemed
so hard and stern that | 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 me, and before
! knew it she had put her hand in the bag
Rhich 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 eur.
ried her along She tried to stop. 1t was
not easy, and she only did it to toss me
second, third aud 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 it longer doubt
il she heard that 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 70 deaf to all appeals from the
poor, had been 50 generous to the child
The tormented woman answered amid
her loud sobs: The fearful eyes of the lit
tie one reminded me of my small sister,
who died painful death before had
grown hard and wicked, and n strange sell
sation-I know not how it happened my
self-overpowered me 1t seemed AS if my
heart warmed within me, and something
seemed to say to me that should never
forgive myself as long AS lived and should
be even unhappier than was if did no
give the child something to rejoice over at
Christmas time. longed to draw her to-
ward me and kiss her. After had tossed
her half of the nuts which ! had just
brought, | felt happier than l had for many
a day, and | would certainly have given her
some money! though Only little
But Peter interrupted her. He had heard
enough, and as he knew that it impos
sible for any one in heaven or hell to tell an
untruth. he nodded to her, saying "That