And she went to the parsonage, and begged to be taken there as a servant.  She promised to be industrious, and to do all she could; she did not care for wages, and only wished to be under a roof and with good people.  The clergyman’s wife pitied her, and took her into her service.  And she was industrious and thoughtful.  Silently she sat and listened when in the evening the pastor read the Bible aloud.  All the little ones were very fond of her; but when they spoke of dress and splendor and beauty, she would shake her head.

Next Sunday they all went to church, and she was asked if she wished to go too, but she looked sadly, with tears in her eyes, at her crutches.  And then the others went to hear God’s word; but she went alone into her little room, which was only large enough to contain her bed and a chair.  And here she sat with her hymn-book; and as she read it with a pious mind, the wind bore the notes of the organ over to her from the church; and she lifted up her face, wet with tears, and said: 

“O Lord, help me!”

Then the sun shone so brightly; and before her stood the angel in the white garments, the same as she had seen that night at the church door.  But he no longer grasped the sharp sword; he held a green branch covered with roses; and he touched the ceiling, and it rose up high, and wherever he touched it a golden star gleamed forth; and he touched the walls, and they spread forth widely, and she saw the organ which was pealing its rich sounds; and she saw the old pictures of clergymen and their wives; and the congregation sat in the decorated seats, and sang from their hymn-books.  The church had come to the poor girl in her narrow room, or her chamber had become a church.  She sat in the chair with the rest of the clergyman’s people; and when they had finished the psalm, and looked up, they nodded and said: 

“That was right that you came here, Karen.”

“It was mercy!” said she.

And the organ sounded its glorious notes; and the children’s voices singing in the chorus sounded sweet and lovely; the clear sunshine streamed so warm through the window upon the chair in which Karen sat; and her heart became so filled with sunshine, peace, and joy, that it broke.  Her soul flew on the sunbeams to heaven; and there was nobody who asked after the RED SHOES.

THE LOVLIEST ROSE IN THE WORLD

By HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Once there reigned a Queen, in whose garden were found the most glorious flowers at all seasons and from all the lands in the world; but especially she loved roses, and therefore she possessed the most various kinds of this flower, from the wild dog-rose, with the apple-scented green leaves, to the most splendid Provence rose.  They grew against the earth walls, wound themselves round pillars and window-frames, into the passages, and all along the ceiling in all the halls.  And the roses were various in fragrance, form, and color.