Page 62 - HSLChristmasAnthology

HSL Christmas Anthology Page 62
AND THE POOR CHILDREN. 39
•with bird-warblings, and summer moonlight,
and love for every helpless thing.
But habits of selfishness, once formed, are
difficult to cure. Neither love nor music
could make Wolfgang a good boy, .without
strong efforts. When he had been there a
few weeks, he was one day detected in tak
ing a small coin from the Treasury for Poor
Children. Each one of the household put
something into that box every week, to pur
chase books and clothing for those who came
there destitute. Wolfgang had himself been
clothed from that treasury ; yet something
evil tempted him to steal from it. The chil
dren were all very indignant with him, and
many wanted to have him turned away
directly. But the Father said to them,
" Wolfgang has done this wrong, because
he formed bad habits when he was small,
and had nobody to teach him better. If we
turn him into the streets, who will love him
and pray for him? who will help him to
grow good ? " One little boy said, " Ah, we
have all done so many wrong things, because
we had nobody to teach us bettor." An
other said, " Wolfgang lived nine years
among bad people, and he has been here but
a 'few weeks. We must give him time."
Then a little girl burst into tears, and said,