New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-21
"Weltfried"

mother. Ihey occupied the most modest omar
ters The daughter had taken another no.;-
ton. sat down beside the astonished motbs,
and asked her bluntly whether there WA anv
one to whom her daughter had given her A.
fections.
1.-THE mother blushed as though she wers
young maiden from whom one was trying To 81.
tract her deepest secret But it turned On.
that no one had right to the girl with whom
had unconsciously fallen in love.
"Soon she came in. And when she saw ma
she turned as white as the door against which
she stood. But she knew. Women in love arc
clear-sighted. A look Of the deepest affection
met NINE / rushed to her. / believe nst
before her. We were alone. heard her
breathe, and dared 10 kiss her shoulder, over
which had dictated my best thoughts"
Wonderful feelings filed the heart Of ths
listening lieutenant. He was stirred, delight
ed. proud to be the confdsnt Of the famous
poet. He didn't know what 70 ssy--how 10
express his passionate sympathy. But he hsdn.
much chance TO think II over, for the captain
had not yet finished.
1--WE had a quick war wedding and then
eight days of happiness. She moved as mis-
tress into the quarters where she had worked
as secretary, and the war called me away
again, away to battle. We laughed with TIE
last kiss. We both had an unshatterable con-
fdence that we should soon see each other
again. Tomorrow peace might come.
"But IL didn't come. Blood flowed in deeper
torrents than ever before, and | lost confdenc.
and cheerfuness, faith and hope. became
ever surer and surer that should remain DE-
hind, like 30 many other comrades; that
should never see my beloved wife again and
never hold child Of mine in my arms.
"And now it is Christmas. Wars voice IS
hushed at this hour. But it is not silencd.
1t will continue to make itself heard. de-
SPAR of everything. l no longer belie2c in
peace, in good fortune. l no longer have
faith in men or in humanity. / am beggared-
T. the lover and the beloved. For what pur
pose or meaning has love? shall fall. And
she and the chd--yes, will the child then live?
What do know? It is so frightful, so cruel!'
He had spoken louder and louder. The young
lieutenant, quite affected, torn with sympathy,
took the captains hand; and since he was him.
self a man of fine, poetic feeling, he had the
happy inspiration to lead out of the stuffy at
mosphere of the hut the unfortunate comrade
for whom the hour Of dependency, Of moral
and mental despair, had come.
They stepped out through the door. There
was the dark, motionless wood, which rose be-
fore them in the pale glimmer Of the starlight
There was the clear cold night The Christ
mas Eve stars shone with unwonted orilliancJ
down on the incomprehensibe world Of men
The silence was deep and solemn. And in the
midst of the infinite awe Of this Christmas
night the two men stood-the younger, quite
innocent of life, and the older, whom the IN
comprehensibility of the will that rules the
world had so completely upset.
To every man of sterling quality there comes
an hour when he loses his bearings. Then his
own miracle must come-the miracle which
leads him back into life, restores him his
strength in double measure, and teaches MIN
to smile again. On the threshold Of this hour
stood the captain; and it was the birth hour OF
Christine hottest hour in the world.
The night listened. And then it came.
far-off sound; then a sound closer by. CLOCK
struck A church uttered its note over there
in France Another answered. Then tnird
voice opened its brazen throat. Churches
which had become German (but churches have
no nationality echoed back. From the whole
wide circle of the silent night the Christmas
bells sounded. Now the midnight mass was
sung and the world prayed: "Peace! Peaces
1t was wonderful. Both men listened 70
this super-earthly, wordless Christmas song
But then something cracked in the wood.
lantern waved among the trees, and like SanS
Clauses two soldiers emerged, who carried pls'
heavy packs on their shoulders. 1t was 'ns
mail At last, at midnight, the Christmas
mail had come.
The lieutenant pulled open the door Of the
hut and shouted the good news to the men.
1t was really like message Of salvation. anu
the long-suppressed Christmas Eve Juoha''0H
broke loose.
One of the soldiers had telegram ior 'no
captain. And when the lieutenant came run
ming back, himself greatly excited, his arms
full of packages, he saw the face OF the cap
tain streaming with tears.
"A boy" cried the captain. "a baby boy
My Christchildw
So his miracle had happened And the lieu
tenant thought:
"For him Saviour is born again. Now DC
laughs once more and has faith and hope zoo
Of loving kindness, Thou art still with u.s. snu
hast for every single one of Us care, Ie'' ~
may come to doubt Thee"