St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls | Page 5

enough."
For the hope, and the fear, and the joy had quite overcome the child,
enfeebled as he was by meager fare; his lips were quite pale, and his
cheeks.

Moreover, the last order of the choir-master had not been quite
re-assuring to him. The fat goose and the puddings were good, indeed;
but he would have preferred his mother and Lenichen being feasted in
his honor, rather than the choir and the chapter.
And besides, though little more than seven years old, he was too much
of a boy quite to enjoy his position on the master's shoulder. He felt it
too babyish to be altogether honorable to the protector of Lenichen and
incipient bread-winner of the family. And, therefore, he was relieved
when he found himself once more safely on the ground.
But when Ursula set before him a huge plate of bread and meat, his
manly composure all but gave way. It was more of an approach to a
feast than any meal he had ever participated in, and he was nearly
choked with repressed tears of gratitude.
It was so evident now that Hans was altogether an orthodox and
accredited raven!
At first, as the child sat mute and wondering before the repast, with a
beautiful look of joy and prayer in his blue eyes, Ursula thought he was
saying his grace, and respected his devotion. But as the moments
passed on, and still he did not attempt to eat, she became impatient.
"There is a time for everything," she murmured, at length. "That will do
for thy grace! Now quick to the food! Thou canst finish the grace, if
thou wilt, in music, in the church by and by."
But then the child took courage, and said:
"The ravens--that is, the good God--surely do not mean all this for me.
Dear, gracious lady, let me run with the plate to the mother and
Lenichen; and I will be back again in two minutes, and sing all day, if
the master likes."
[Illustration: THE CHOIR-MASTER IS DELIGHTED WITH HIS
NEW PUPIL.]

Ursula was much moved at the child's filial love, and also at his
politeness.
"The little one has discrimination," she said to herself. "One can see he
is of a good stock. He recognizes that I am no peasant, but the daughter
of a good burgher house."
And, in spite of the remonstrances of her master, she insisted on giving
the lad his way.
"I will accompany him, myself," said she.
And, without further delay or parley, she walked off, under the very
eyes of the master, with the boy, and also with a considerable portion
of his own dinner, in addition to the plate she had already set before
Gottlieb.
* * * * *
A very joyful and miraculous intervention it seemed to Mother
Magdalis when Gottlieb re-entered the hermit's cell, under the stately
convoy of the choir-master's housekeeper, and with food enough to
feed the frugal little household for a week.
The two women greeted each other ceremoniously and courteously, as
became two German housewives of good burgher stock.
"The little lad has manners worthy of a burgomaster," said Ursula. "We
shall see him with the gold chain and the fur robes yet,--his mother a
proud woman."
With which somewhat worldly benediction, she left the little family to
themselves, conjuring Gottlieb to return in less than an hour, for the
master was not always as manageable as this morning.
And when they were alone, Gottlieb was not ashamed to hide his tears
on his mother's heart.
"See, darling mother!" he said, "the dear Savior did send the raven!

Perhaps, one day, He will make us good enough for Him to send the
angels."
Then the simple family all knelt down and thanked God from their
hearts, and Gottlieb added one especial bit of his own of praise and
prayer for his kind Hans, of whom, on account of his grim face and
rough voice, he had stood in some dread.
"Forgive me, dear Lord Jesus," he said, "that I did not know how good
he was!"
And when they had eaten their hasty Christmas feast, and the mother
was smoothing his hair and making the best of his poor garments,
Gottlieb said, looking up gravely in her face:
"Who knows, mother, if Hans is only a raven now, that the good God
may not make him, his very self, the angel?"
"Perhaps God is making Hans into the angel even now," replied the
mother.
And she remembered for a long time the angelic look of love and
devotion in the child's eyes.
For she knew very well the cathedral choir was no angelic host.
She knew she was not welcoming her boy that morning to a haven, but
launching him on a voyage of many