Page 66 - HSLChristmasAnthology

HSL Christmas Anthology Page 66
AND THE POOR CHILDREN. 43
He took the road homeward ; but after
running a little way, he began to think that
he had been too wicked to go back. " It is
the first time they have sent me to Ham
burgh," thought he, " and I have stolen their
money, and drank gin, and doubled up my
fist to fight. Poor little Gertrude ! she was
so ready to trust me ; and now I am afraid
she will cry about her pretty basket for the
Christ-child. Oh, dear ! I expected to have
such a happy Christmas ; and I could sing
the tenor so well for the Christmas-hymn ;
and now I cannot go back—I cannot go
back." He sat down on a rock, and cried
a Jong time. Then he crept into a shed and
slept under a heap of straw. The next
morning, he skulked about, dreading to go
to his old haunts, and not daring to go home.
At last, the evening drew near ; and it was
Christmas Eve. In a few hours, the Christ
mas-hymn would be sounding at the Father-
House, and the happy children would be
gathering around the Christmas-tree. Again
Wolfgang wept aloud ; but this time some
thing whispered in his heart, " Go back, poor
erring child. They will forgive thee. Go,
and sin no more."
The winter air blew keen and strong, but
Wolfgang faced it bravely. He was in a