LITTLE CHRISTEL.

“ But now let us ask some questions to see if they
understand ;”

And he showed to one of the little maids an orange
in his hand.

It was Christel, the youngest sister of the mistress
fair and kind —

A child with a face like a lily, and as lovely aid
pure a mind.

“What kingdom does this belong to?” as he

called her to his knee;
And at once —“ The vegetable,” she answered
quietly.

“ Good,” said the monarch kindly ; and showed her
a piece of gold;

*‘ Now tell me what this belongs to, the pretty coin
that I hold? ’”

She touched it with careful finger, for gold was a
metal raré,

And then —“ The mineral kingdom !” she answered
with confident air.

Well done for the little midchen!” And good
King Ludwig smiled

At Fraulein and her sister, the teacher and the
child.

“ Now answer me one more question :” —with a
twinkle of fun in his eye —

“What kingdom do /belongto?” For he thought
she would make reply,

“The animal;” and he meant to ask with a frown,

if that was the thing

For a little child like her to say to her lord and
master, the king ?.

He knew-not the artless wisdom that would set his
wit at naught,

And the little Christel guessed nothing at all of
what was in his thought.

155

But her glance shot up at the question, and the
brightness in her face,

Like a sunbeam on a lily, seemed to shine all over
the place.

“What kingdom do you belong to?” her innocent
lips repeat ;

“ Why surely, the kingdom of Heaven!” rings out
the answer sweet.

And then for a breathless moment a sudden silence
fell, , :

And you might have heard the fall of a leaf as they
looked at little Christel.

But it only lasted a moment, then rose as sudden
ashout— |

“Well done, well done for little Christel!” and
the bravos rang about.

For the king in his arms had caught her, to her
wondering, shy surprise,

And over and over he kissed her, with a mist of
tears in his eyes,

“ May the blessing of God,” he murmured, “ forever
rest on thy head!

Henceforth, ty his grace, my life shall prove the
truth of what thou hast said.”

He gave her the yellow orange, and the golden
coin for her own,

And the school had a royal feast that day whose
like they had never known.

To Fraulein, the gentle mistress, he spoke such
words of cheer

That they lightened her anxious labor for many
and many a year.

And because in his heart was hidden the memory
of this thing,

The Lord had a better servant, the Lord had a
wiser king!

 

A SCULPTURED MADONNA,