The herald., 1893-12-25
CHRISTMAS DREAM.

Void that lies beypud-the beautiful heav
al opened to all mankind by the blessed
<'h ist child
nat hell lies underneath heaven yor
fsse doubtless heard. Naturally the hol,
dead see and hear nothing of the pains o.
the lost, for that would entirely spoil the
Joys of paradise for THEN. but now and ther
II believe onoesa 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 dom,
which conceals hell fromtthe sight of the
angels is opened, it is for the relief of tn,
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
receivediany benefit or of whom they have
even heard any good. II theskeeper of heav-
EMS gate isIpleased with thegenerous action
(which the lost soul performed while on
earth, he ehas the power of shortening the
time oflpunishment or caneven pardon it
altogether. and bid it enter into paradise.
As for me, arrived in paradise on day
when heal was open to viewiand came to
know thereby many strange tAings.
It was Granted to me to look into the
place of toranent, and the things saw there
were awful, Picture it to yourself as you
will WhentI recovered from the horror
that fell upon me, / recognized many men
and women whonaI had dilEnown on earth.
Among the latter / noticed q woman
whom had knowniwell 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 to 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 voice being raised
In her favor" said to myself. But was
wrong, for at that moment lovely angel
child few past me on its blue and white
wings WithoutAany sign of fear it few di-
rect to St. PeterJ who looked formidable
enough with his long beard and great keys,
hnd pointing with its littleforeiinger 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
hrised, for that woman would not part with
80 much as a pin during her life. But you,
Qittle one, who were you on earth?"
Little Hannele was my name" answer
ed the angel. II died of starvation. and
bnly once did any one give me anything in
my life to make me happy and that was
that woman yonder."
"Marvelous," +" answered Peter, stroking
his white beard. mo doubt the nuts were
given as miserly payment of some service
you did her"
NO mol" the angel answered decidedly.
well, tell US how it happened, then"
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
Fied 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 nie so, and the frost in my fin
gers and toes burned dreadfully.
Evening came, the lamps were lighted,
but dared not go home, for only one per
son had thrown a copper into my lap, and
needed more to buy bit of bread and
that mother lay at 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 a clerk WAS rolling it over
the sidewalk into the shop the stream of
h,op hot Al
remember her well--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
which she carried on her arm and thrown
the nuts into my lap.
1.-THE cask had been rolled into the shop
by this time, and the throng of people car
ried her along. She tried to stop. 1t was
rot easy, and she only did it to toss me
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 it longer l doubt
III she heard that thanked her"
Here the angel broke of 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 lit
tle one reminded me of my small sister,
'who died painful death before / had
GROWN hard and wicked, and strange sea
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 not
give the child something to rejoice over at
Christmas time. ! longed to draw her to-
ward me and kiss her After had tossed
her hasf of The nuts which ! had Just
ought, felt happier than had for many
day, and would certainly have given her
ONE money, though only little"
But Peter interrupted her. He had heard
nough, and as he knew that it was impos-
be nod4ed to her, saying THAT
sas, beyond dispute, a good deed, but it is
90 small to counterbalance the great
reight of your bad deeds Perhaps it may
ghtcn your punishment. Still. great
iches were meted out to you on earth, and
that were few nuts to you'll The motive
hat urged you to bestow them is pleasing
, the sight of the Lord, acknowledge,