The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1890, Page 35

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

35

The old Nurse.

At H
sembled in the house of the merchant Braun-
thal, celebrating his return. The unusual joy-
fulness prevailing among the guests showed
that it was not a return from a mere pleasure
trip, but rather from a long journey. The re-
turn of Braunthal was like the coming back of
one given up to be lost.

Braunthal was the son of a rich merchant.
In his youth his father and mother were called
to their heavenly home, and the son fell heir
to the entire estate. He continued
in his father’s business, at first with
great caution. Soon, however, he
began to depart from the exacting
principles of his father, and made
ventures and speculations as his
youthful heart suggested.

At the time of his highest pros-
perity he married Emilie, a young
lady whom he had known from
childhood. They were happy,
and tried to make others happy.
Braunthal gave alms liberally,
and tried to do good among all
classes. Ere long his name was
known and esteemed in the huts
of the poor as well as in the pal-
aces of the rich.

The wants he was trying to sup-
ply for others soon found their way
to himself. A financial disaster
threatened him. He set to work
with utmost sagacity to avoid it,
but all in vain. He could not
prevent a failure without resort-
ing to wrong-doing, and that he
would not do. He kept the
trouble to himself as long as he
could. At last, after a painful
and wakeful night he dares to
reveal it all to his wife. He sug-
gests that with what little of their
possessions remain they emigrate
to America, where his father had
many out-standing debts, some of
which might yet be collected. It
was a sudden and startling shock to his Emilie,
but she stood by him as a faithful wife, and
had no word of complaint to offer.

The matter of settling up his business was at
once attended to. It was soon discovered that
his financial condition was even worse than he
supposed. After all his debts were paid he
had nothing left, not even enough to pay the
passage to America.

The morning after having balanced his ac-
counts and dismissed his servants he sat mutely
staring into space in the room that no longer
was his. Emilie entered and kneeling before
him smiled into his face. He embraced her
and broke out into sobbing. ‘‘Karl, we are
not as poor as you think,’’ said his loving wife,
at the same time putting a well filled pocket-
book into his hand. Braunthal looked with

there was a large company as-|

astonishment upon his wife who was vainly
trying to hide her tears with smiles. ‘‘Emilie,
| where did you get this money?”’ he asked. She
soon explained that it was the price of some
jewelry and fine clothes of which she had dis-
posed, yielding her nearly one thousand dol-|
lars, and added: ‘This, Karl, will be enough
for us,’’

At this moment some one rapped at the
door. It was the old nurse Catharine, one of
the servants whom he ‘had dismissed the day
before. “I want to take leave of my young
master,’ she said, and grasping his hand kissed

THE DELUGE.

it, continuing, ‘‘The Lord will be with you.
Just think, yesterday it was fifty years since I
entered into your father’s service. I certainly
expected to die in this house, but His will be
done. Karl, when all is right again you will
surely think of Catharine.”

Nothing had made Braunthal feel his mis-
fortune so keenly as the parting with this old,
faithful woman who had been a mother to him.
“Catharine,’’ said he, taking her by the hand,
‘where do you want to go?’’ Mechanically
he reached for the pocket-book. ‘‘Oh,”’ replied
the aged servant, ‘‘it matters little where I go;
there can certainly be found some corner to
die in. I thank you for the wages, master
Karl, which your cashier paid me yesterday in
full.’ Braunthal blushed and withdrew his
hand from the pocket-book, saying smilingly:

“T know your self-will; you are now richer
than I.”’

The aged woman blessed the couple and
took her leave. She had hardly left when the
mailman brought a letter containing two thou-
sand dollars, with a note reading thus: ‘To
his benefactor this is sent with many blessings
by a grateful heart.’’

Karl and Emilie were greatly astonished.
He said: “I would have an ungrateful heart
not to accept both your money and this. It
must bring good fruit, being planted with such
blessings.”’

The next day they left. Star-
ing after them as long as her half-
blind eyes would serve her was
the silent and prayerful Catha-
rine, who only left the wharf after
the ship had entirely disappeared.

Seven years passed by and Karl
and Emilie returned to purchase
the old homestead. They had been
abundantly blessed in America,
and were now no longer poor.
His friends had assembled to greet
him. They were celebrating his
return with joy and thanksgiving.
While he is telling the company
of all his fortunate experiences
Emilie withdraws. When she
finally re-enters the room Karl
says: ‘Why, where have you
been?”’ ‘I was in the hospital
at the deathbed of old Catharine.
Her last words were a prayer for
you, Karl; and her last request
that we give her a decent burial.
Here is her Bible. I took posses-
sion of it, as there is no one else
to claim it.”” Karl took the holy
book and opened it. The blank
paper in front was full of written
characters. He had scarcely
looked over the first page until
he turned pale and sank back in
his chair. Then raising himself
with trembling, broken accents
said: ‘‘Emilie, it was old Catha-
rine that sent us the two thousand
dollars—all her earnings, and for our sakes died
a beggar.”

ooo

Counterfeit Doctrine.

As he is a traitor to his prince who taketh
upon him to coin money out of a base metal,
yea, although in the stamp be putteth for a
show the image of the prince; so he that shall
teach any doctrine that cometh not from God,
whatsoever he say for it, what gloss soever he
set on it, isa traitor unto God, yea, a cursed
traitor, though he were an angel from heaven.

—s +o o> oe -

“J WAS GLAD,” said a saint of old, ‘“‘ when
they said to me, ‘let us go into the house of the
Lord.’’?? How many modern saints are smitten
this way?