The bells of Freiburg : . CHAPTER I. A prisoners CHRISTMAS GIFT. HRISTMAS Day in prison !^ My son Gottfried has told youhow sad a day that ChristmasEve was to them in Freiburg; but Icannot tell you what that holy tidewas to me. I am an old man now, andwhy should the old sadden their quietevening hours by opening again the graves ofpast years which have died in agonies ? I canthink of that year with a quiet thankfulnessnow ; but I cannot dwell on its anguish, I can-not speak of it even yet. Only may God grantthat I have come from its furnace with achastened heart. I humbly hope it is so.• I had
The bells of Freiburg : . CHAPTER I. A prisoners CHRISTMAS GIFT. HRISTMAS Day in prison !^ My son Gottfried has told youhow sad a day that ChristmasEve was to them in Freiburg; but Icannot tell you what that holy tidewas to me. I am an old man now, andwhy should the old sadden their quietevening hours by opening again the graves ofpast years which have died in agonies ? I canthink of that year with a quiet thankfulnessnow ; but I cannot dwell on its anguish, I can-not speak of it even yet. Only may God grantthat I have come from its furnace with achastened heart. I humbly hope it is so.• I had spent most of the day on my knees,striving to keep my faith alive, to feel the peaceof God, named in the last blessing of myAnnchen, to hold firm the loving Hand which,even in my weakness, I knew was stretched I20 THE BELLS OF FREIBURG. from Heaven to prevent my sinking into thedeep waters of despair, the dull grey sea of hopedeferred. Towards evening I went to sit on my pallet-bed, from whence I could catch a glimpse
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