The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-19
Christmas Trees
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and Their OriQin


in the home of his ancestors and next to
his beautiful wife.
almost Immediately he went about the
daily routine to which he had been accus-
toned before the crusade, and the affairs
of the castle went on as usual The
autumn and winter came and with them
a change in the mood and spirits of the
knight 1t If a dense fog had
spread around his soul to prevent the light
of his sunny nature from peeping through
The change was apparent to and caused
his good wife much sorrow. With wo-
mans intuition she OWNED the cause of
his unhappiness, which he himself did not
dare admit. The castle and the pleasures
which were about had no charms for him,
and much as he had longed to enjoy them
his thoughts were ever wandering back
to the sunny south, where, under the hot,
deep blue sky, he had led free life.
"IIe felt ashamed of his feelings and the
sad thought that his good wife was not
his only love, but time went on, he
became more and more morose. He would
sit for hours, buried in deep thought, be-
fore the great big burning logs in his sit
ting room. His wife, through all this as
sumed a cheerful mien, and showered
upon him her abundance of tenderness and
love. Still her husband seemed unhappy.
and even toward her he finally became re-
served and cold
"They were seated together one cold but
clear December night, he musing and she
endeaVoring to win him to good spirits.
Suddenly she arose and went to a window
from which could be seen the whole Necker
Valley. There, stretched at her feet, itlay
snow covered and glistoning as though
millions of diamond splinters had been
cast over it. The sight charmed and awed
her. Looking back tenderly to her hus-
band, she invited him to partake with ncr
of the joys of that beautiful landsc5 pc,
but he did not even condescend to arise.
but morosely blurted out:
lille who has never seen anything else
but the country five miles around here
will be satisfied with what you see.'
This was too much for the young wife
who burst into tears, and Immediately
sought her chamber. That night she could
: not sleep, for she was fearful that her
| husband, who no longer could love his own
homestead, would soon lose his love for her.
Her mind went sadly back to the time when
Heinz first met her at the ducal court, the
wedding day. and the unalloyed love he
showered upon her before his departure Tor
the east, and before she fell asleep she
prayed the Lord to help her to win back
her husband to a love for his fatherland
and home.
Next day the Knight was entertaining
several of his friends at a banquet at which
they alone participated The good wife
would now and then enter the room to min
lister to their wants, and on one such &C.
casion overheard her husband say:
" Only those who nave Deen tnere know
the beauties of the southern country. Italy
is inspiring The constant blue sky, the
clear air, and the celestial flowers and fruit.
Only in such cline can man be cheerful.
Only there are beautiful songs sung, and
| only there is joy to be found. Here with
us a few months of summer, and then a
| long dreary winter; for months nothing
| but fog and darkness. Here the bright
| spirits must succumb to DARK and gloomy
| nature Even our holidays are sombre. Ir
| the south the Christmas time is beautiful
| and gay; with us 1t is given over to eat.
| ing and drinking, and more prayers than
usual.
"T do not remember Just where It was
we rested on the night of the oath of last
| December, but can recall the church OF
| the little place. Thousands of candles lii
| it up so that night was transformed into
| day and hundreds of candles surrounded
| picture of Christ which peeped out of g
| wreath of roses and branches of the laure
| tree. Outside there seemed to be summer
| and the songs of the pious were mingled
| with the notes of the nightingale. There
| prayed more passonately than I ever die
| before, and my heart bounded with JOY
| and Christian feeling
| "Only this was needed to break entirely
| the spirit of his wife, but still she felt that
| there was some truth in her husbands
| statements. How to make their Christmas
| as much like the Christmas of his heart
| was now her constant care and thought