The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-08

Then she said quickly, half serious
and half jestings
BRIG. Gottfried Barth has been here
for nearly two hours. He is more than
two-thirds drunk, and I cannot get him
away. There Is nothing he would like
better than to be godfather OF your
son! Just the same, you had better
come in. If you really can't 60 any fur
ther.'
she stood aside, and Schmidt could
see in one corner of the wide hall a man
clothed In the gray and green uniform
of the German foresters. Without speak
ing, he made a sign to the woman that
he would remain outside, and, drinking
a glass Of brandy which she brought
him. he started once more into the snow.
When at length he presented him.
self at the parish house OF lne ssllage;
he was 50 exhausted that ne Ialhteo
and lay like a log for two hours
Coming to himself, the guard keep
er. Louis Schmidt, had second aston
ishment. From the little group OF
houses with the pointed roofs came
the people. Alsatians of every age the
poorer hunters as well as the lmpor-
tant members of the village, VINO wore
thick coats with silver buttons. They
all crossed the street to the church
door where the sexton was Waltlngs
with q candle in his hand: near at
hand in the warm kitchen where the
guard had had just sufficient strength
to enter and throw himself down, the
cures servant, a Withered, ageiess Wo-
man. dried up like nut, was proudly
holding in her arms the baby boy VINO
never in his short life had been dressed
so richly as then; white robe, white
knitted shoes. and rufhed bonnet
whole baptismal OUTFIT loaned by one
/ of the richer families OF the village
Relatives and friends had gathered
around, all dressed in their sunday
costumes the girls with black BOWS IN
their hair. twice as large as tnelr
heads. The good cure grasped the
gamekeeper's hand; he was smiling
/ with pleasure and on his round race
was written a childish content at an
Listen" he cried, isn't that fine
The church bells were ringing
/ joyous peal such as only the rich could
have rung for their children, so alive
with sound, now soaring high into the
! heavens now sinking softly to earths
so bright and so happy that the sWal-
lows, doubtless thinking that Easter
had come, began to twitter and call IN
the ehimneys and along the cages OF
ssYou see. I want to thank you,
Louis Schmidt for showing such faith
and strong courage. You have given
one example. I am giving another
1t was a beautiful festival, this bap-
tism of the little baby, and when 1t
was over a tear lay on the father
"Ah,'' he said, st was too beautiful
for US; there is only one misfortune,
that Resale could not have heard 1t
from where she lay''
But it was decreed that, for that day
| at least, the dreams of a man should
be fulfilled.
As the afternoon advanced and it
/ came time to return, Louis Schmidt
saw that the two choir boys had put
| on their overshoes and taken their
stats to accompany him. One Of
them, already tall and robust. grasped
the leather bag with a tender hold,
but even here the magic of the day
had been at work. Around the
mouth of the bag was a wreath OF
gay colored roses, placed there by
some tender hand. The other lad had
his pockets stuffed out beyond meas
ure. provisions for the journey"
thought the guard.
He was mistaken. The boy was
! carrying two bells with wooden
handles and which rang like the
pUFest silver.
4 and that was how through the
clear night white with the light of
the stars and the snow, three travel
ers climbed to the summit of the
mountain, and Rosalie, listening from
her bed, suddenly heard the joyful
/ peal of the bells, coming nearer and
nearer; that was how her son re-
turned to her, baptized and in a flower
decked basket; and it was the reason
that her gentle brown eyes filed with
happy, thankful tears.