Show The Hermit in the Forest Translated from the German The next day was a busy one for the theold theold theold old man He had never in his life had so much to do The schoolmaster the only man in the village whom he knew was invited to come out to the hu hut t. t But when he said Listen schoolmaster schoolmaster schoolmaster school school- b master I wish to make a 2 merry Christmas Christ Christ- mas for all the Ii little folks down there a awill will you help me a little bit He looked at him in astonishment thinking thinking thinking think think- ing that old Poppel had finally become mad 4 II I I know you think it strange continued continued continued con con- the the theold old man but for many years I have not done a kindly act to i anyone and I could not see children without scolding and chasing them ti a Now I desire to make a happy Christmas Christ Christ- mas for them all so that they will not run away from me any more Yes r but have but have you found a treasure asked the founded dumb-founded schoolmaster as he saw on one side in gay confusion all the w splendor which the donkey had carried out there No said the hermit sorrowfully sorrowfully sorrowfully sor sor- I I am not as poor as my miserable life would indicate But I Iam Iam Iam am an unfortunate lonely old man who has no joy in life so for a lon long time I r f have done neither myself nor anyone else any good with my money It was not always thus Mr Schoolmaster I once had a pleasant farm far far from here near New York and when my noble Y beautiful wife died I concentrated all my affection on my only child She expressed expressed expressed ex ex- pressed no desire that was not gratified had no wish that was not filled She NN was as somewhat willful was my Ellen but a beautiful child my hearts heart's pride and joy One day a fellow came that way a hunter I think he was who affirmed that he was a count or something of that sort He had not been there long before he wished to make my Ellen his wife 1 I did not like him so I refused positively positively positively and told him that such a vagabond vagabond vagabond vaga vaga- bond fellow v without work could not have my child But Ellen sob sobbed bed and andl l cried and thought she could not live without him I gave her good advice and begged that she would stay with me my only orly my darling child the fellow fellow would make her unhappy I would go with her wherever she wished Truly never before had a father so pleaded with his child but yield I could not But she went away by night and fog and nd left me alone me her old father entirely lone in the world and I would have given my hearts heart's blood for her So my heart became f as stone in x bitter hate toward all mankind for all allt t seemed bad and false after my child had so deceived me and whenever I have r M seen children I 1 have become angry because because because be be- cause I remembered how my Ellen left me and that she was my hearts heart's joy Ik- Ik And A nave d h have you never h heard ear d anything h. h Ing about your daughter asked the schoolmaster schoolmaster school school- master in In pity fi ry Once 0 nee sal said d t the h e 0 old ld man sorrow sorrow- F full fully I I do not know exactly whether J it was a dream or whether it were really Jf f so One moonlight night more than a ai year after my child left me there was a aRf i Rf 4 knock at my window When I awoke there in the bright moonlight stood a apale pale woman with a child in her arms s who cried in distress I Father let me in Then anger overcame me and I cried I So So now you have returned yet I begged you as though you were stone d not to leave me and you would not t. t listen now lie in the bed you have havee e made and I J closed the window and laid down on my couch but I J I could not t. t t sleep I got up and looked around outside outside outside out out- side but not a trace of anyone could be seen I inquired of the neighbors next day if they had seen a woman with a achild achild achild child in her arms but no no one knew anything about it so I concluded it must have been a dream From that moment I have had no rest I have wandered aimlessly around until now I could not bear to look at people so I came out to this miserable hut and have lived like a beggar and hoarded my money Many times have I thought it was not a dream and that my child would come again Then how gladly would I open the door to her Do you think it could have been a adream adream l dream Mr Schoolmaster That I do not know said he Your daughter has committed a great sin but do do not be offended you offended you are by no means blameless You wished the pleasure and joy that your child could give you but the care and admonition admonition admonition ad ad- monition necessary to her bringing up you would not take upon yourself A Achild Achild Achild child who always has its own way cannot cannot cannot can can- not but become willed self-willed and when your daughter returned you should have prayed with her Father forgive us our debts I have thought of that sorrowfully said the old man and since the little girl from the village has been here still stillmore stillmore stillmore more so I passed the whole night in meditation and therefore I desire to tomake tomake tomake make all of the children happy for once because I have neither child nor grandchild grandchild grandchild grand grand- child to please That can easily be brought about pleasantly said the schoolmaster who was a good m man n at heart and often grieved because he was too poor to be beas beas beas as charitable as he desired THE Christmas holidays had come comp and for want of anything better to do dothe dothe dothe the children all went to the schoolroom one morning To their astonishment this sign had been tacked on the door I The Hermit of the Forest invites his good friends the children of N New New- ew- ew break to visit him this afternoon when the school bell rings In the midst of the speculation as to what would happen to them if they went out there the schoolmaster appeared in inthe inthe inthe the doorway and told them that they could tell their parents to hold him responsible for their safety while in in the forest on this visit In spite of the teachers teacher's promise the old people were not altogether willing that the children should go out to the uncanny old man whom they believed to have gone mad But the teasing of the children caused the parents to give their consent yet somewhat reluctantly Elizabeths Elizabeth's mother consented willingly willingly willingly will will- when told of the invitation but she became very thoughtful over the strange circumstance Who knows said she with a sad smile but what the old man who has g given ven you a piece of sugar may maj give you something better for I cannot give you anything my poor child It was a beautiful clear day and the sun shone brightly as the children started on their expedition At the entrance to the valley they arranged themselves in rank and file With ith much trepidation they ascended the hill There stood old Poppel in the very same fur mantle before his door under the fir tree I It t was a fir tree No Noone one had ever seen its like before There were no candles on it but in the sunlight all the beautiful things glittered and sparkled like the most beautiful rainbow As soon as the children recovered from their astonishment they threw their hats in the air and shouted Long live old Poppel Now Mr Schoolmaster said old Poppel you know better than I what each one can use Please give every every- I one something from the tree in the name of old Poppel The children formed in two lines line 1 and soon everything had been distributed j jed ed and the children with glad shouts of praise for The Hermit of the Hill started homeward The old man sat in inthe inthe inthe the doorway and saw the happiness of the children he heard their shouts and his heart became warm his eyes filled with tears the first that had come to them since his Ellen played at his feet and with childish glee brought him Y beautiful flowers or tin tiny pebbles which she had found Elizabeth and the schoolmaster had hadnot hadnot hadnot not yet gone They did not wish to leave the old man so soon Elizabeth tried to persuade him to go to the village viI vil lage because it was so cold and disagreeable disagreeable disagreeable dis dis- agreeable out in the forest See Elizabeth cried the schoolmaster schoolmaster schoolmaster school school- master here comes your mother She has become anxious about you I 1 should have taken you home before Where has my Eliza Elizabeth beth been so long The others are all home said her mother coming toward her But she stood still in astonishment when she caught sight of the old man in inthe inthe inthe the fur coat standing in the doorway Who Vho is that she cried in fear and a amazement Why that's old Poppel mother Dont Don't you know he used to chase us y N once but now he has become so good She paid no attention n to the child but she and the old man stood staring at each other as though charmed to the spot At last last they cried both at the same moment momen t Is it you vou O a father Ellen Ellen child can it be you And they laugh laughed d and cried and at last Ellen said O 0 father can can you forgive me and the father cried My child was it indeed you and I drove you from my door They were too much employed to notice either the the child or the schoolmaster schoolmaster school school- master until the latter approached and bowing his head spoke the beautiful words II God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform Robert Hall for that was old Poppel's name and his daughter and little Elizabeth Elizabeth Elizabeth Eliza Eliza- beth went to the cottage in the village and while the father and daughter related related re- re laten to each other all the suffering they r ha had endured since their separation Elizabeth prepared the evening meal That night in thankfulness to the old man for his kindness to them the children child child- X ren of the village under the direction k t r of the schoolmaster surrounded the cottage and sweet as a bened benediction on th the still night air sounded t the e beautiful voices VOIces of happy children singing Glory to God in the highest and on earth It peace good will to men I |