As it grew dark, I asked whether I might
light the Christmas tree before the lamp was
brought. When the candle ends sent up their
conical yellow flames, all the colored figures
from Austria stood out clear and full of
meaning against the green boughs. Mr. Shi-
merda rose, crossed himself, and quietly knelt
down before the tree, his head sunk forward.
His long body formed a letter _"S"._ I saw
grandmother look apprehensively at grand-
father. He was rather narrow in religious
matters, and sometimes spoke out and hurt
people's feelings. There had been nothing
strange about the tree before, but now, with
some one kneeling before it, -- images, can-
dles... Grandfather merely put his finger-
tips to his brow and bowed his venerable
head, thus Protestantizing the atmosphere.

We persuaded our guest to stay for supper
with us. He needed little urging. As we sat
down to the table, it occurred to me that he
liked to look at us, and that our faces were
open books to him. When his deep-seeing
eyes rested on me, I felt as if he were looking
far ahead into the future for me, down the
road I would have to travel.

At nine o'clock Mr. Shimerda lighted one

[[99]]

p098x4b _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p099w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p100

v?