Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-12-19

| CHI ,rmed and awed her. Looking back
tenderly to her husband, she invited him
to partake with her OF the joys OF that
| beautiful landscape, bat he did not even
condescend to arise, but moroseiy biurted
| out:
.'.He 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 " hen Heinz first met her at
the ducal court, the wedding day, and the
| unalloyed love he showered upon her be-
fore his departure for the East, and befo-e
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 minister to their wants, and on one
| such occasion overheard her husband say:
"'Only those who have been there 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 ca man be
| cheerful Only there are beautiful songs
sung. and only there is joy to be found.
Here with us, few mon, his of summer
and then long dreary winter; for months
nothing but fog and darkness. Here the
| bright spirits must succumb to dark and
gloo ~ nature. Even our holidays are
sombre In the South the Christmas time
is beautiful and gay, with us it is given
over to eating AID drinking, and more
prayers than usual.
"'I do not remember just where it was
we rested on the night of the Gath of last
December, but l can recall the church of
the little place Thousands OF candles lit
| it up SO hat night was transformed into
! day and hundreds of candles surrounded
| picture of Christ which pee, ed out of a
wreath of roses and branches OF The laurel
tree. Outside there seemed to be Summer,
and the songs of the pious We're mingled
with the notes of the Nightingale. There
| prayed more passionately tnan / ever did
before, and my heart bounded with JOY
and Christian feeling
"ODly tuis was needed to break entirely
! the spirit OF his wife, but still she felt
| that there was some ttutL> III her hus-
| b nds statements How To make their
| Christmas as much like the Christmas of
| his heart was now her constant care and
! mi moi Ia he iuly Of
! appeared sufficient.
''One day while on a visit to the sick,
| she was walking through the pine woods
around the castle. The giant trees, snow
covered, were glis ening in the sunset.
! Here and there peeped out bit of pure
real green and the trees haughtily rearing
their heads towards heaven, inspired and
delighted her, and she cried out aloud:
Fir Tree, you hall adorn our church
at the next Christmas. You snail win
| btck my hus bands love to his fatherland
and home Italy, with all its glories can
not claim you. | will load you with can
| dies and apples and nuts, and hundreds of
lights shall make you yet more beautiful
than you now are
"Imnediately upon reaching home she
sent for the good Father Adoiph. and told
him of her plans, and ordered him to
paint nuts with gold and to ga her the
snow roses SO that her husband might
know that Christmas in Germany can
also produce fresh flowers. From this
time on the good wife regained her joyful
spirits. The hoy priest had told her that
it was right 10 glorify the sacred feast of
the Loru's birth as she contemplated do
ing, and laying his fatherly hand upon
her head, he said:
"'To reclaim soul to his home and land
is a work of God, and may the evergreen
of he FIR tree be symbol OF Gods I'M
changeab bic love-
1.-The evening Of Dec. "a came and the
castle was asst with work and prepara-
tions. In the kitchen there was broiling
and baking; the winekeeper was busy
filling pitchers and bottles, for there was
to be JOY and feas, ing that night Every
| face VAS bright, excepting only that of
the master of the house, Who early in the
| evening rel red to his sitting room, like
an owl stunning the light He stayed
| there until late in the evening, when his
vile entered the room and invited him, as
had always been her custom, to attend
| with her the reading of the mass at the
church
1.-The decorations of the Chr stmas tree
and many cares of the household had kept
the wife from her husband for several
days before Christmas eve, and he knew
nothing of her plans. The Christmas tree
had been raised in the church, wreaths
had been made of fir branches and hung
upon it, and snow roses and lighted can
| dies and apples and painted nuts were also
depended from it. No such sight had ever
before been seen in that country.
Heinz gave unwilling assent to his
| wife's invitation She, dressed in blue
festival gown, was as radiant as an angel.
She looked especially happy that night.
| Together the man and wife went to the
door of the church, and as it was thrown
open they were greeted by the fervent and
harmonious singing and flood of light.
There i'll the church, before the altar, was
the tree, green and fresh as only c n be
the fir trees of the German forests The
sweet roses seemed to throw forth with
living activity the perfume they possessed,
and the air was laden with it and the odor
of the pine. The good Father Adolph.
rising in the altar. spoke words of peace
and greeting to the returned master and
welcomed him back to his fatherland and
those whom he loved
mo such sight had the knight Of War
tenstein ever seen before, nor had he ever
felt such sensations of delight as then