Page 42 - HSLChristmasAnthology

HSL Christmas Anthology Page 42
AND THE POOR CHILDREN. 19

ticed the looks of her eyes, and said to each
other, " Mother's fits are coming on."
The next morning, Gertrude smiled sweet
ly, as she slept ; and when she awoke, she
said joyfully, " Oh, Heinrich, I have been in
a beautiful place ! You and I were walking
in a garden. A child with bright wings was
up in a tree, and he threw red apples at us,
and said, ' Be good, Heinrich, be good, Ger
trude ; and see what the Christ-child will do
for you.' Did you see his bright wings, Hein
rich ?" " No, I did not," he replied. " That
is strange," said little Gertrude ; " for you
were with me, and he spoke to both of us."
" It was a dream," said Heinrich. " What
is a dream ? " asked Gertrude. " It is
somewhere where people go when they are
asleep," answered Heinrich. His sister said
she wished she could go there again, the red
apples were so pretty. " I wish I could beat
Wolfgang," said Heinrich.
It was true that Wolfgang had stolen their
apples and nuts ; but after he had eaten
them he felt very badly about it. He had
some good feelings in his heart, though no
body had ever taught him anything, but evil.
When he saw little Gertrude sitting mourn
fully on the door-step, next morning, he want
ed to say. " I wish vou a merry Christmas ;"