Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-03-05
The Little Match GIrl.
a Christmas Story.

BT TIE DANISH POET, ANDERSON.
Il was so terribly cold-it showed and the
evening began to be dark it was also the last
evening in the ycar--New Years Eve. On
this cold dark evening poor little girl went
into the street with bare head and naked feet.
IL il true she had shoes on when she went from
home. but OF what use were th"y? They were
gerry large Shoes her mother had last worn
thoa they were too largo; and the lutte one
lost them in hUrryinr over the street as two car
riagcs passed quickly by. One shoe was not TO
BE- found and the other a boy ran away with,
saving that he could use it for a cradle when he
rot children himself. The little girl now went
on her small naked feet, which were red and
blue with cold: she carreda number of match
es ia an old apron, and held one bundle in her
hand No one had bought Of her the whole
day, no one had given her Il farthinT. Poor
thing She was hungry and hcnumbcd with
cold. and looked so downca>t! The snow flakes
fell on her yellow hair, which curlcd so prettily
round her neck but she did not heed that
The lights >hone out from all the windows,
and there was such delicious smell of roast
beef in the street it was New Years Eve. and
she Thought of that I.
She at down in "A corner between two houses;
the one stood little mora forward in the street
tIan the other; and drew her lees up under her
to warm herself. but she was still colder. and
she dur-t not 70 home she had not sold any
matches. or pot Il single ilrthing! Her father
woald beat her; and it wa, also cold at home,
they had only the root directly over them. and
there The wind w!,i~tled in. although straw and
rags were stuffed in the largest creyices.
Her little hands were almost bcnumbed with
cold Ah! little match light do some good,
dur,t She only draw one out of the bundle
strike it on the wall. and warm her fingers.
She drew one out. rtch how it burnt. it was
Il warm clear flame like that of Il little candle,
VIXEN she he! her hand round it, it was a
strange light!
The little girl thought she sat by large iron
stove with brass balls on the top the fire burn
ed 81 nicely and y,arned SO well Nav. what
was that The little girl stretched out her feet
to warm them. too wien the flame went out,
the stove vlnshcd--she sat with stump of the
burnt match in her hand. Another was struck,
it burnt, it >honc and where the light fell on
the wall it became a. transparent rs Grape; she
looked directly into the room, where the roasted
goose stuffed with apples and pruncs steamed so
charmiu..v on the tiblc which was laid ont,
and covered with shining white cloth and fine
porcelain service. WHAT was still more splen-
, dil. the goose sprung oil the dish and waiIed
along the floor with knife and fork in lis back /;
it came directly up to the poor girl. Then the
mitch went out. and there was only the THO k
cod wall to be seen.
She struck another match. Then she sat I'M.
der the most charming ChriStmas-trce-it was
still larger and more ornamental than that she
had ZEN through the glass door nj the rich mer-
chants. the LIST Christmas Il thou sand candles
burnt ON the green branches and motley pic
lures. like those which ornament the shop win
dpw-, looked down at her The little girl lifted
~ her han!S-thCn the match was eXtlnguish-
= ei--thc many Christmas candles rose higher
and higher: she saw that they were bri ght stars
--onc of them fell and made fiery stripe in the
SKY. "NoW one dies :" said the poor GIRL, for
: id grandmother who had alone been kind to
, her, but who was now dead. had told her that
when star falls. a soul goes up to God
= She again struck a match against the wall
: i shonc all around, and her old grandmother
stood in the lUstre, shining" so mild and bliss.
@ tul. GRANDMOTHER exclaimed the little girl
= oh take me with YOU ! know you will be
u gone away when the match goes out-l!ke the
y warm stove the delicious roast goose, and tht
T. DE- Thtidl ChriStmt--trecs : and she struck il
IA haste the whole reminder Of matches that wa.
/. in the hund!e->hr would not lose sight o.
= grlndmtInr and the m,'cheS shone with sucf
II hrllancy that il was clearer than in broad day
d light. grandmother had never before locke,
d 20 pretty great she lifted the poor little cir
= up in h,s arms, and they few high, il
+ ,p,lnlor anl Joy, there was no cold, no hun
GER. no auXictr-thcy were with God.
= But the liJt,e girl ,ai in the corner by tn
ID house. in the cold morning hour. with re-
nj checks. and with Il smile round her mouth
dead-frozcn to death, the last evening of tn
IL Old year.
e. New Years morning rose over the little corps
p as il sat with thc mptoh,S, Of which bundl
to wa- burnt She Ind been trying To warm hcl
b., self, said they !--i|u; no enc knew what heaut
of lul ttiu--slc h3l roou-in what ,I'ondor an
had 81 ,tstf b..r old