The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-19
but nothing she could think Of appeared

but nothing she could think Of appeared
sufficient.
zone day while on a visit to the sick she
was walking through the pine woods
around the castle. The giant trees, snow
covered, were glistening in the sunset. Here
and there peeped out a bit of pure real
green, and the trees haughtaly rearing
their heads toward heaven, inspired and
delighted her, and she cried out aloud:
Fir Tree, you shall adorn our church at
the next Christmas. You shall win back
my husbands love to his fatherland and
home. Italy. with all Its glories, cannot
claim you I viii load you with candles
and apples and nuts, and hundreds of lights
shall make you yet more beautiful than you
now are.'
Immediately upon reaching home she
sent for the good father Adolph and told
him of her Plans and ordered him to paint
nuts with gold and to gather the snow
roses so that her husband might know that
a Christmas in Germany can also produce
fresh flowers. From this time on the good
wife regained her joyful spirits. The holy
priest had told her that it was right TO glo-
rify the sacred feast of the Lords birth
as she contemplated doing, and laying his
fathrly hand upon her head he said:
ITO reclaim soul to his home and land
is a work of God, and may the evergreen
of the fir tree be symbol OF 6od3 uil-
changeable love-
1.-THE evening of Dec. "a came and the
castle was astir with work and prepara-
tions In the kitchen there WAS broillng
and baking; the winekeeper was busy hll-
ing pitchers and bottles, for tnoce was to
be Joy and feastng that night Every face
was bright, excepting only that Of me
master of the house, who eafly in the
evening retired to his sitting room, like an
owl stunning the light. He stayed there
until late in the evening, when his wfe
entered the room and invited him, as had
always been her custom, to at.eri With
her the reading of the mass at the church
1.-THE decoration of the Christ nas tree
and many cares of the household had kept
the wife from her husband for sever Al
DAYS before Christmas eve, and he knew
nothing of her plans. The Oh -istnas tree
had been raised in the church, wreaths
had been made of fir branches ana hung
upon 1t, and snow roses and i2h-ef can
dies and apples and painted nuts We're also
depended from it. No such sight had ever
before been seen in that country.
"Heinz gave unwilling assent to Ills
wife's invitation. She, dressed in blue
festival gown, was as radiant rs an angel.
She looked especially happy that night.
Together the man and wife went to the
door of the church, and as 1t was thro VI
open they were greeted by the fervent and
harmonious singing and a flood of light.
There in the church before Tie altar was
the tree, green and fresh, as only can be
the fir tree of the German forest The
activity the perfume they possessed, and
the air was laden with it and the o1or of
the pine. The good Father Adolpn arising
in the altar spoke words of peace and
greeting to the returned master snG well
coined him back to his fatiieran1 and
those whom he loved.
mo such sight had the Knight of Wart-
enstein ever seen before, nor had he ever
felt such sensations of delight as then
pierced his soul His eyes grew moist, and
his conscience smote him for his ingrati-
sSle to his fatherland and loss of love to
his wife, and arising before the priest he
took a solemn oath that that night he was
the most satisfied and happy man in all
Germany. And he told the priest that for
eyermore a Christmas tree should stand
in the church on Christmas evening.
..In time there came two children to the
Knight of Wartenstein and his good wife
Gertrude, and the fathers love for the
tree was transferred to them. From all
the country round people came to see the
wonderful Christmas tree, and soon
throughout the whole nation the example
was followed, and now in every cline and
in every land the German Christmas tree
brings peace to man and love and charity
to the human family. 1t was German
woman to whom the human family owes
the Christmas tree. 1t was in Germany
that the Christmas tree had its begin
ming