Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-03-11
THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL-A CHRISTMAS STORY
BY II. c. ANDERSON

1t was so terribly cold-it showed, and the eve
ming began to be dark; it was also the last evening
in the year-New Years Eve. On this dark cold
evening poor little girl went into the street with
bare head and naked feet 1t is true she had shoes
on when she went from home, but of what use
were they? They were very large shoes, her mo-
Their had last worn them, they were so large; and
the little one lost them in hurrying the street
as two carriages passed quickly by.-One shoe was
not TO be found, and the other boy ran away with,
saying that he could it for cradle when he got
| children himself
The little girl now went on her small naked feet
which were red and blue with cold. She carried
number of matches in old apron, and held one
bundle in her hand. No one had bought of her
the whole day-no one had given her farthing-
Poor thing she was hungry and benumed with
cold, and looked so downcast. The snow flakes
fell on her yellow hair, which curled so prettiy
round her neck, but she did not heed that
The lights shone out from all the windows, and
there was such delicious smell! of roast goose in
the street! 1t was New Years Eve, and she
thought of that!
| She sat down in corner between two houses
the one stood little more forward in the street
than the other,-and drew her legs up under her TO
warm herself, but still she was still colder. and
she burst not 90 home; she had not sold any
matches or got single farthng He father would
beat her,-and it was also cold at home they had
only the roof directly over them and there the
wind whistled in, although straw and rags were
stuffed in the largest crevces
Her little hands were almost benumed with cold
All! little match might do some good burst she
only draw one out of the bundles. strike it on the
wall, and warm her fingers She drew one out,
ritch! how ii burnt it was a warm clear flame
like that of little candle, when she held her hand
| round lit was strange light
The little girl thought she sat before large iron
stove with brass balls the top the fire burnt so
nicely and warmed so well. Nay, what was that?
The little girl stretched out her feet TO warm them
too, then the flame went out, the stove vanished
she sat with stump Of the burnt match in her
hand. Another struck, it burnt, it shone; and
when the light fell upon the wall it became trans
parent as Grape; she looked directly into the
where the roasted goosesufed withappes and prunes
steamed so tempiingly on the table, which was laid
out and covered with shining white cloth with
porcelain service. What was still more splendid
the goose sprung off the dish and waddled along
the floor with knife and fork in its back ;-it came
directly up to the poor girl. Then the match went
out, and there was only the thick cold wall to be
seen.
She struck another match. Then she sat under
the most charming Christmas tree-it was still
larger and more ornamented than she had seen
through the glass door the rich merchants the last
Christmas; thousand candles burnt in the green
branches; and motley pictures, like those which
ornament the shop windows, look down al her
Inv iit'iO Sbl ihltu up OOtH neI ldtuS-tIlen the
match was extinguished- many Christmas can
dies rose higher and higher, she saw they were
bright stars-one Of them fell and made fiery
stripe in the sky. "Now one dies ~ said the pool
girl, for old grandmother, who alone had been kind
TO her, but who was now dead, had told her tina
when star falls, a soul goes up to God
She again struck match against the wall il
shone all around, and her old grandmother stood If
the lustre, shining, so mild and blissfuI.-
Grandmother !" exclaimed the little girl, sob
know you will be gone away when the match goes
out--like the warm stove, the delicious roast goose
and the delightful Christmas tree!" and she stTucl
in haste the whole remainder Of matches that wer,
in the bundle-she would not lose sight of grand
mother and the matches shown with such brlliancy
that it clearer than in broad dayl ight-G1and
mother had never looked so pretty, so great; sh
lifted the poor little girl up in her arms, and the,
flew so high in splendor aud joy, and there was n
cold, no hunger, no anxiety--they were with God
But the little girl sat in the corner by the house
in the cold morning hour, with red cheeks, ant
with smile round her outh-dead--frozen t
death, last evening Of the old year.
New Years morning rose over the little corps
as it sat with the matches, of which bundle wa
burnt.-She had been trying TO warm herself, sal
/, they! But no one knew what beautiful things sh
had seen-in what splendor and gladness she ha
entered with her old grandmother into New Year
. joys.