Bertha Weisser's wish

In Short

Set in a dreary mid-nineteenth-century American city, this moral juvenile tale centers on Bertha Weisser, a poor German orphan struggling to care for her four younger siblings in a cramped attic apartment. Desperate to bring light into their bleak lives, Bertha fixates on providing them with a festive Christmas tree. When she stumbles upon a rich man's dropped wallet, she faces a bitter internal struggle between dire necessity and her conscience. A sudden injury and a stay in a hospital ultimate lead to her moral redemption, bringing unexpected patrons and a joyous reunion with family from the Fatherland.

The Story

The narrative opens on a dreary October twilight in a crowded, impoverished city street. In a bare, drafty attic room, little Bertha "Berty" Weisser sits watching over her four younger siblings—Gottlieb, Lina, Rosa, and little Fritz. Orphaned after their parents' death following their immigration from Germany, Berty tries her best to hold the family together. After hearing cozy tales of back-home traditions from an elderly neighbor, Madame Hansmann, the children dream of experiencing a traditional German Christmas tree filled with lights, fruits, and toys. Bertha becomes consumed by a singular wish: to earn enough money to buy her siblings a real Christmas tree.

To realize her plan, Berty takes up sweeping street crossings in the cold rain to gather pennies. She confides her ambitious scheme to her loyal friend, a cheerful young Irish street-peddler named Tim Daly. One wet afternoon, a prosperous, pleasant-looking young gentleman steps onto an omnibus and accidentally drops a thick purple leather pocket-book full of money. Berty scoops it up, but instead of returning it, a temptation whispers in her heart that this money is an answer to her prayers—a means to afford the longed-for tree. Tim catches her and fiercely reprimands her, insisting that keeping the wallet is no different from stealing. Torn between anger, shame, and her desperate wish, Berty flees from Tim, nursing a heavy, guilty conscience that haunts her sleep with nightmares of policemen and thieves.

Determined to escape her panic, Berty runs away through the busy downtown streets. In her frantic state, she gets struck by a carriage directly outside the residence of Mrs. Grey and her granddaughter, little Mary, an orphan who is being raised by her cousin, the kindly Dr. John Grey—who happens to be the very gentleman who lost the pocket-book. Dr. John rushes the badly injured Berty to the hospital, where she suffers a broken arm and severe bruises. Tim accompanies them, holding onto the wrapped pocket-book for safe keeping.

While recovering in the hospital, Berty experiences deep remorse, particularly during a chapel service where hearing the commandment "Thou shalt not steal" pierces her heart. She tearfully returns the pocket-book to Dr. John, who forgives her and praises her ultimate honesty. Moved by the children's plight, Dr. John, his grandmother, and little Mary arrange a wonderful Christmas celebration at Mrs. Grey's home. There, inside a oversized box under the tree, Berty discovers the greatest surprise of all: her long-lost Uncle Gottlieb from Frankfort, whom Dr. John had secretly located and brought over. The story concludes happily as Uncle Gottlieb takes Berty and all the children back to live with him in Germany.

How It Unfolds

An attic in the rain Bertha Weisser looks out over a dismal court while trying to sew clothes for her bare-legged siblings. Inspired by memories of Germany and stories of Christmas trees, she vows to find a way to give her little brothers and sisters a holiday celebration.

Sweeping for pennies Bertha sets out into the cold streets with a broom, sweeping crossings in hopes of earning money. She confers with her friend Tim Daly about the costs of a tree, learning that it will require far more money than a few street pennies can provide.

A sudden temptation When a wealthy young gentleman loses a fat leather pocket-book on the rainy street, Berty picks it up and hides it in her dress. Tim confronts her for taking what is not hers, but Berty angrily refuses to listen and flees to her attic.

Accident in the city Tormented by guilt and fear during a sleepless night, Berty wanders through the city downtown the next morning. Distracted and exhausted, she is run down by a carriage right in front of little Mary and Dr. John Grey.

Life at the hospital Dr. John transports the unconscious girl to the hospital, where her broken arm is set. Tim guards the hidden wallet, while Dr. John's family steps in to feed and clothe Berty’s hungry siblings back in the tenement attic.

Conscience restored During a chapel service at the hospital, the recitation of the Eighth Commandment overwhelms Berty with conviction. She confesses her temptation to Dr. John and returns his missing pocket-book intact.

A Christmas reunion Discharged from the hospital, Berty and her siblings are brought to Mrs. Grey's home for a grand Christmas gathering. Beside the presents and festive tree, Berty is reunited with her long-lost Uncle Gottlieb, who takes the whole family home to Germany.

The People

• Bertha "Berty" Weisser: A young, self-sacrificing German orphan who acts as a mother to her four younger siblings. She wants above all else to bring joy into their drab lives with a Christmas tree, but her desperation drives her into a painful moral crisis when she finds a lost wallet. Her journey leads her from desperate temptation back to honesty and peace.
• Tim Daly: A round-faced, cheery Irish boy who peddles apples and rags. Tim serves as Bertha’s streetwise protector and moral anchor. He refuses to let her rationalize theft, confronting her out of genuine care and standing by her faithfully through her hospital recovery.
• Dr. John Grey: A handsome, compassionate young physician and orphan himself. He loses his wallet on the street, unknowingly gets rescued by Berty’s confession, and treats her injuries with tender care while organizing relief for her destitute family.
• Little Mary: Dr. John’s sad, grieving cousin who lost her immediate family to yellow fever. Initially inclined to nurse her own sorrow, she finds purpose and comfort by helping organize clothing and gifts for Berty’s younger brothers and sisters.
• Uncle Gottlieb: Berty’s uncle from Frankfort, a musician and composer. Located by Dr. John, he arrives in America to surprise the children and welcome them back to Germany.

In Its Own Voice

“It was a dreary, wet October day, and drawing towards the twilight.”

— The story opens upon a bleak autumn afternoon as little Bertha gazes wistfully out of her attic window at the dismal, slippery city streets.

“Keep it! If any one is to keep it, why not you? You did not see him lose it; how do you know to whom it belongs?”

— Bertha struggles with internal temptation after retrieving the wealthy gentleman's fallen pocket-book from the wet pavement.

“Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.”

— Hearing the chapel service echo the solemn commandment against stealing, Berty’s conscience finally yields as she whispers her repentance alongside Tim.

What It's Really About

Beneath its holiday framework, Bertha Weisser's Wish addresses the intense pressures placed upon child caretakers living in poverty. It explores the psychological strain of extreme want, showing how good intentions can be warped by desperation. The narrative argues that true integrity is not the absence of temptation, but the courage to resist and repair one's mistakes when confronted by conscience. Furthermore, the book highlights the power of mutual aid and active sympathy; characters like little Mary find healing for their own grief only when they turn their attention outward to serve those who are suffering even greater hardship.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in nineteenth-century juvenile fiction, historical portrayals of immigrant life, or traditional Christmas moral tales will appreciate this brief, earnest story. It captures the atmosphere of mid-1800s urban poverty—complete with cold attics, crossing-sweepers, rag-pickers, and charity hospitals—without growing overly graphic or cynical.

The prose moves quickly and maintains an empathetic, tender tone throughout. While modern audiences may find the story's heavy religious didacticism and rapid series of convenient coincidences somewhat typical of its period, the emotional core remains genuine. Bertha’s internal panic after taking the wallet feels authentically stressful, giving her redemption real weight. It offers a warm, nostalgic look at Victorian-era holiday storytelling where kindness and honesty ultimately triumphs over bitter circumstance.