Newspaper Page Text
Page 12 - Wednesday, December 21, 2022
The Sylvania Times
thesy lvaniatimes .com
A Christmas Legend
Florence Scannell
special to The Sylvania Times
It was Christmas Eve. The night was very dark and the snow
falling fast, as Hermann, the charcoal-burner, drew his cloak tighter
around him, and the wind whistled fiercely through the trees of
the Black Forest. He had been to carry a load to a castle near, and
was now hastening home to his little hut. Although he worked very
hard, he was poor, gaining barely enough for the wants of his wife
and his four little children. He was thinking of them, when he heard
a faint wailing. Guided by the sound, he groped about and found a
little child, scantily clothed, shivering and sobbing by itself in the
snow.
"Why, little one, have they left thee here all alone to face this cruel
blast?"
The child answered nothing, but looked piteously up in the char
coal-burner's face.
"Well, I cannot leave thee here. Thou would'st be dead before the
morning."
So saying, Hermann raised it in his arms, wrapping it in his cloak
and warming its little cold hands in his bosom. When he arrived at
his hut, he put down the child and tapped at the door, which was
immediately thrown open, and the children rushed to meet him.
"Here, wife, is a guest to our Christmas Eve supper," said he, leading in the little one, who held timidly to his finger with its tiny hand.
"And welcome he is," said the wife. "Now let him come and warm himself by the fire."
The children all pressed round to welcome and gaze at the little new-comer. They showed him their pretty fir-tree, decorated with bright, colored lamps in honor of Christmas Eve,
which the good mother had endeavored to make a fete for the children.
Then they sat down to supper, each child contributing of its portion for the guest, looking with admiration at its clear, blue eyes and golden hair, which shone so as to shed a brighter
light in the little room; and as they gazed, it grew into a sort of halo round his head, and his eyes beamed with a heavenly luster. Soon two white wings appeared at his shoulders, and he
seemed to grow larger and larger, and then the beautiful vision vanished, spreading out his hands as in benediction over them.
Hermann and his wife fell on their knees, exclaiming, in awe-struck voices: "The holy Christ-child!" and then embraced their wondering children in joy and thankfulness that they had
entertained the Heavenly Guest.
The next morning, as Hermann passed by the place where he had found the fair child, he saw a cluster of lovely white flowers, with dark green leaves, looking as though the snow itself
had blossomed. Hemiann plucked some, and carried them reverently home to his wife and children, who treasured the fair blossoms and tended them carefully in remembrance of that
wonderful Christmas Eve, calling them Chrysanthemums; and every year, as the time came round, they put aside a portion of their feast and gave it to some poor little child, according to
the words of the Christ: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Screven County Middle School
December Students of the Month
Left (o nght Front Row: Zaytfen Peikmt, Add-on Taptey
Left to Right, dock Row: Malta Mock, Logan Parker. Ha.'ey Atonghr
JVo; ffabmdt Uly WcAtte
Students oi the Month Rule the Roost
(Megan Abbott Rule-s the ROOSt!
December Teacher of the Month!
~M$. Abbott. she lets u$ have Ora in breaks afte' we do our work, her
class is really fun, we do tots of cool stuff, and she is really nice *
’Ms. Abbot is (he most inspiring teacher ever, the best part i$ $he
shows us pictures of galaxies, planets, and stars. She tries her very
best (o educated us on things lhat are oul of ths wod<J.~ F
PROUDLY SERVING
JoMia omOls iap&S
WITH THE MORRIS BANK
BLUEMOBILE APP!
r
"V.
The Morris Bank Mobile App gives you
access to view your account balances 24/7.
It's a one-stop shop where you can transfer
funds, deposit a check, use People Pay and
Bill Pay. Give us a call today to set up your
app and see why this
holiday season!
Member
FDICS
MORRIS
BANK
www.morris.bank
