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on a large sheaf of golden straw, which they
had brought in for Christmas, because, ac
cording to popular belief, people must both
sleep and dance upon straw at Christmas, if
they would do right.
The children did not undress themselves,
that they might be ready all the sooner next
morning, when they would be called for the
Christmas matins. Each took a white hand
kerchief, which they laid under their heads,
and thus fell asleep side by side, while the
iire-light flickered upon them, and kissed their
very cheeks, which shone out quite beauti
fully upon the golden-colored wheat straw.
Last of all, the mother also went to bed,
but not until she had set every thing in order
in the room, and washed up the dishes.
But though she now lay in bed, she could
not sleep, because she had uneasy thoughts,
and she heard how Peter turned and seemed ,
uneasy in his bed, as if he could not sleep ei
ther. At one time, she thought that he wept, |
and she considered with herself, “ should I
now get up and go to him, and give him a
quiet kiss, he would then, perhaps, under
stand that I love him, although I am not his
real mother; and, more particularly, as it is
Christmas eve, and every body ought to part
friends.”
Presently, Peter seemed to be quite still,
and then she thought, “he is gone to sleep,
and I should only disturb him.” She, there
fore, lay quiet herself, and turned her thoughts
to God, and prayed him to change the unhap
py temper of the youth. She prayed for a
Dlessing on him, and on the beloved little
ones. With that, she turned round to look at
them, and to see how the fire-light flickered
over, and kissed their rosy countenances, for
the fire burned in the hearth, through the
Christmas night. And then she thought
about all the animals, how they had their
Christmas provender, and how comfortable
they were ; and the thoughts of them did her
good, and whilst she was thinking of them,
and gazing at her little ones by the fire-light,
she went to sleep herself.
When she again woke, it was pitch-dark
in the room, and quite cold ; and she felt a
great weight upon her heart, and in her head
also. It was as if a large, heavy tear, had
collected, and could not find vent, but lay
there as heavy as lead. She thought upon
the death of her husband, upon the bitter tem
per of her son, and how solitary she herself
was in the world, and then Peter’s words oc
curred to her, “ why should people live V’
and she felt as if she would gladly not rise,
but be quiet forever.
Spite of all this, however, she rose, and
lighted the fire as usual, and set on the cof
fee, for although she was not one of those
extravagant women who drink coffee every
day, yet now, at Christmas time, every body
must have coffee, the whole household must
drink coffee, that was a matter of course.
She then lighted the candle in the Christ
mas-tree by the window, which she had made
ready the evening before for the children,
and that done, she woke them.
“ Christmas-matins, children! Christmas
matins!”
The little ones started up, quite bewildered,
rubbed their eyes, opened them with an ef
fort, saw the light burning in the pine-tree,
and then it came to their remembrance that it
was Christmas, and that they were going to
morning service. And with that they leapt
up, and were quite wakeful.
They all drank their coffee,'*Peter as well as
the rest, and then Peter, who, as usual, was
silent and out of humor, went to put Polle in
the sledge.
When the mother came out of the cottage,
dressed in her holiday attire, with her hymn
book in her hand, and the two little ones at
her side, she saw the moon and the morning
star standing brightly above the pine-wood,
and shining beautifully in the frosty early
morning, and upon the new-fallen snow. —
The sight did her heart good.
“ How beautifully,” thought she, “ after
all, has God made every thing for mankind !”
She inhaled the fresh, cold,but not very cold,
winter air, and felt her spirits enlivened by so
doing.
Polle was in the most cheerful humor. He
neighed, and pointed his ears, and tossed his
handsome head, and pawed the sward with
his foot, and was quite impatient to be off’.
Before long the widow sate with her two
little ones in the sledge, and Peter stood be
tween them and drove. Polle's bells jingled
merrily as they sped along through wood and
meadow; the morning star shone upon the
white snowy fields and the grim wood. It
Was a beautiful and a cheering sight.
The little ones were full of talk.
“Nay, look! nay, look ! There's a light
burning at Storgal, a light in her opposite
window! And look! old Britta on the hill
has got a light too! And look there, a long,
long way off in the wood, there shines a
§®®lfS S& El ft, fl 1? B!&& & ¥
light! And look, look! Nay, that is the
very best of all—those candles in the window
at the gate-house. See, it is lighted the whole
way! Nay, how grand it is! Is it ever
grander than this at Christmas-matins, moth
er P’
“You are two little simpletons!” said the
mother. “Christmas-matins are grander in
another way.”
By this time there were a great many other
people on the road, both driving and walking,
on their way to church. There was quite a
procession of sledges, and such a jingling of
bells as was delightful to hear, and the chil
dren had enough to do to listen and to ask
questions.
They had by this time arrived at an open
tract of country, and just before them, with
its spire pointing towards heaven, and the
dark green wood behind it, stood the church
with lights streaming from every window, as
if within were a sea of light. And at that
very moment the church-bells began to ring.
The children were hushed into silence.
They felt a solemnity come over them. They
did not exactly know how they felt.
They soon dismounted. The church-bells
rung and light streamed out of the church,
but all around it was dark and night-like.
Along the whole extent of the church-walls
on every side, sledges were drawn up close
together, the horses in which were eating
hay. Among these a place was found for
Polle; a covering was thrown over him, and
between him and the church-wall was laid a
good bundleof the very best hay—real Christ
mas provender. Os this he ate; any body
might have heard how excellent he thought
it.
The widow and the children walked across
the church-yard.
“Do you remember, children,” said she to
them, “ what I told you about the Christmas
matins, and what they mean V
“They mean,” stammered Erik, “they
mean that—that God who—who”
“Who,” interrupted the mother, “since
the beginning of the world, sent teachers and
wise men to mankind to —to —now, Erik!”
“ To teach them his will,” said Erik.
“Yes, right,” continued the mother; “and,
last of all, he came himself down to them,
and condescended to be born on earth—”
“ Yes, as a little child!” exclaimed Maja.
“Yes,” answered the mother, “that he
might pass through life with them as a broth
er, and might teach them rightly to under
stand his disposition, and how kind he meant
by us all. And that is he whom we call the
Son of God, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.”
“And it is his birth which we celebrate in
the Christmas-matins,” exclaimed Erik, now
very certain of his subject.
With these words they entered the church,
and all the congregation sang,
“ Hail to the glorious morning hour!”
The children, however, could not think
about singing. They could do nothing but
stare about them and wonder. There was so
much light! They could scarcely see for
light. All the four grand chandeliers hung
down from the roof blazing with lights.—
Upon the altar lights were burning in tall
candlesticks. Upon the pulpit stood lights,
and gilded branches extended from the walls,
holding clusters of lights, and a light burned
by every branch, so that the great aisle was
like an alley of flame. Whichever way they
looked, they saw light, light, light!
The benche.s were crammed full of people.
Head was close to head. The children had
never seen so many people together before,
and they thought they should never find
| seats. At last, however, they did, on a
bench where the people kindly made room for
them. A. respectable old woman took Maja
on her knee, and the mother took Erik on
hers. And thus they all were seated.
The children looked about incessantly, and
j stared at all the grandeurand splendor around
i them. But the mother soon forgot every out
ward object, for just then she opened her
hymn-book, to join in singing the following
verse of the hymn :
“ Ilis tear.?, like our?, will fall as rain,
A mourner, he will us sustain
With strength from heaven imparted;
He will make known his Father’s will,
And mercy’s holy balm instil
To soothe the broken-hearted.”
With this the heavy leaden weight seemed
to melt away from her soul, and her tears be
gan to flow more easily. She felt at once
such a lightness and such a strength within
her, that it seemed as if from this time noth
ing would be too heavy for her to bear.
The clergyman now ascended the pulpit,
and what a sermon he preached! The wid
ow had never heard any one speak in that
way before. It seemed to her as if he spoke
to her out of the warmth of her own inner
most heart. And every single word seemed
like a true word of God, so full of beauty and
grandeur was it. To her it seemed as if the
whole world, and the whole of life, became
bright through it. It was as if it were Christ
mas-matins within her soul.
And when she looked at Peter, she saw
that he also listened attentively, with his eyes
rivetted upon the preacher: and from this, she
hoped for a good result, more especially, as
with the new year Peter was to begin to read
with this same clergyman, preparatory to his
confirmation.
When the service was ended, it was full
daylight; and the congregation streamed has
tily out. Before long, people might be seen
on all sides, walking briskly along, driving
on the road, or ascending the hill, striving
who should first reach home; for, according
to popular belief, they who arrive first at
home, on Christmas morning, will have their
harvest first housed in the autumn. Though
what connections there are between these
things I know not.
The widow and her children went into the
poor-house, and the children themselves gave
old Alle the meat and the bread, which they
had saved for him. For this, they received
the old man’s blessing, and they felt, there
fore, greatly pleased with what they had
done.
In the meantime, Peter had been getting
Polle and the sledge ready. Thus they drove
home, thinking, by the way, of the delicious
warm cabbage which they should have for
dinner, for they all felt hungry and cold.
And how excellent were the meat and the
cabbage which they had for dinner, it is not
in my power to describe; this only is certain,
that the king’s cabbage could not have tasted
better to him than theirs did to them.
In the afternoon, they had also a cup of
coffee, with cabbage, in honor of Christmas
day, and that, too, tasted most excellently,
and every body was very cheerful, the widow
as well as the rest; for she saw that the coun
tenance of her elder son had undergone a
change.
In the twilight, when they all sat together,
warm and comfortable, and when the fire bla
zed merrily on the hearth, and lighted up the
whole cottage, the mother said,
“ Now, I wonder whether either of my lit
tle ones can remember any thing of what the
clergyman said in the morning about the Sa
viour, and what he taught to mankind ?”
But, ah me ! The poor little ones remem
bered nothing, not a word; had understood
not a word—nay, had not even heard a sylla
ble!
“There was such a deal of light!” they
said.
“But you, Peter,” said the mother, and
looked at him with confidence, “I am certain
that you can help me to recollect something
of what the pastor said—you can remember
it, certainly.”
“0, yes,” said Peter, and his eyes bright
ened, and he added, alter a moment, “I now
know how people should live.”
“Yes, and why!” said the mother, looking
kindly at her son, and wishing to try him.
“ That they may follow after the Saviour,
and labor for the world’s redemption,” said
Peter, and raised his head, “and high and
i low, and rich and poor, can alike labor in this
great work on earth.”
“And how must that be done ?” inquired
the mother, as before.
“By becoming better, more God-fearing,
more righteous men.”
“Yes, my son,” exclaimed the mother joy
fully, “ so did I also understand the words of
the clergyman. By becoming so, by living
in Christ, we help not only to extend God’s
kingdom on earth, but become also his labor
ers in the creation of anew heaven and anew
| earth, where bliss shall abide forever. This
is a great saying, my son, and can make the
heart beat high and free even in a mean hut.
And this have I known and believed from my
youth upwards. But I have never heard it
put rightly into words until to-day.”
Peter was affected to tears; he extended his
| hand to his mother, and said, with deep feel
i ing, “ Mother, forgive me that I have caused
I you sorrow ! From this time it shall be oth
erwise !”
And from that time it did become otherwise
with Peter, notthat he ever became very com
municative, or of a very cheerful temper, but
he became very industrious, and very desirous
of doing right, and every body grew fond of
j him.
It was evident, now, that Peter began to
take pleasure in life, at least, he never looked
sour or sullen. His whole appearance was
i changed; nay, it often looked as if something
| shone within him, and so said his little broth
er and sister.
Now it is Christmas-matins with Peter,
| they would say.
Many Christmas-matins have since kindled
their lights—-many a hard Christmas goblin
has looked savage upon the Christmas board,
has since then been shut up in a chest th
brought out again to give strength to the &
at plough \ es, many aChristmas kas !
that Christmas morning, come and J ?
the light that then was kind Ted ft , Ut
er has never been extinguished. ol “*
Peter now lives as a peasant in Storn?
and hm mother lives with him, andheliß
tell his friends what a sluggish and har£°
pered lad he was, and about the Chrktn
matins which produced such a change
h.m, and how, since then, he hashadlight °
strength, and pleasure, in all his work I
how everything prospers in his hands ’ J
Thus Peter celebrates every Christmas
as his mother taught him. At Christm”
matins he may be seen before any one ek
and as for the Christmas goblin, he never W
gets that! JOr ’
Original Jttiscdlang.
For the Southern Literary Gazette
A TRIBUTE
TO THE CAROLINIAN WOMEN, -FROM
THE PEN OF AN ITALIAN WRITER.
TRANSLATED BY MISS MARY BATES.
These noble mothers of noble sons have
called forth not only the eloquent approba
tion of the historians of their own country,
but have elicited an equal meed of praise
from classic Italy—from the land of the Cae
sars. Our countryman, Headle J; says—“ The
ladies of Charleston were distinguished, du
ring the Revolution, for their devotion to the
cause of Freedom. Enthusiastic, self-sacri
ficing, and cheerful, they inspired hope and
courage and daring in the men, and shed glo
rious light on that night of gloom.”
Os their patriotism in the war of the Amer
ican Revolution, Botta, an Italian historian,
writes:
“In that fierce struggle, the women of
Carolina presented an example of fortitude
more than manly. I know not the history,
ancient or modern, which has transmitted a
story of devotion exceeding or equalling that
exhibited by those noble beings to their Amer
ican country. Far from considering the epi
thet a reproach, they gloried and exulted in
the name of Rebel Women.
“Instead of frequenting public resorts of
gaiety and amusement, they repaired to the
sides of the ships and to other places where
their husbands, sons and friends, were held
prisoners, and sought by every art to sustain
and animate them. ‘Be firm,’ they said —
1 yield not to the fury of the tyrant; prefer a
prison to ignominy', and death to servitude:
look on America, our beloved country; cher
ish the hope that these evils will hasten, pro
duce, and secure, that priceless liberty of
which these British thieves would rob us; be
martyrs, but martyrs in a cause sacred toman
and grateful to God.’ By such words, did
these heroic women mitigate the sufferings oi
the unhappy prisoners.
“When the British officers, in their daz
zling regalia, assembled at a military festival
or gay concert, their entertainments and the
invaders themselves, were regarded with con
tempt by these spirited women.* But when
a prisoner—an officer of the American Army
—came into Charleston, immediately he wa?
received with courtesy, and followed by eu“
ry mark of distinction and deference.
“ While some of these devoted women re
tired to the most secluded apartments to weep
and mourn over the fortune of their belo’ * -
country, others so encouraged and inspire 1
their husbands, when wavering and irresc'-
lute, that they preferred the discomforts n
exile to the indulgences of home. Not an “
of the Carolinian women were so hated b)
the British, on account of their patriotism;
that they’ suffered the confiscation of then
property and banishment from their countr} •
When this band of patriots bade adieu
their parents and children, to their husband
*Unlike the dark-eyed Mexican SenorßflS,
lavish their smiles on our gallant officers, anti “F
per, at parting, the reluctant Addio.