The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-11-01
CHATTER I.
THE CHRISTMAS SUFFER-.

. \
Lumble co,toy. ON IN. outsL,,ts of , vill,go .i,,,
ated upon the romnntic ,tr,om KisL,con1ill,s n
/ pcnusy lynni, tributnrv In the noble .Jur,,t,
P.Irp's mother one Of tb,s, pen,I. worp.,
who reem only able to hold life IN il. sunsbiuc
nspccts but whose experi,nce ia an ,yil,nc. n At
they have latent strength for clnuJ and storm
was wore than widowed hecaus, L., husband
John Brown had for several years been n con.
! firmed drunkard. dep.ndept upnn tho eff.r,s Of
his gentle wife and feeble son for hi, food raj.
meni, and shelter. as well a. for the means oh
tanned through force and stealth by which bs
purchased, at the yillnga prop sbop tbe uume.
rous drains that rendered his wifi. n c, eaturs Of
sorrow and his son youth stunned and fJrsa.
ken by tho boys Of his age.
IL was Christmas-a halliday to most bo,s-
but day Of labor to Peleg Brown. Will hs
saw. buck upon his shoulder, and his wood saw
under his arm. P.ley truJyeI tbrouoh the snow
from one house to another. seeking lob nile
If wood in front Of ,he mansion IT ono Of the
wealthest men Of the village attracted his atten-
ton and ho begged the privilege of saving it in.
to proper stove lengths, Hs was told that bs
might carry It into the back ward, saw il and nile
it IN the wood house. II was good lob, pclcr
was small boy, but he thought how many com
fort. he might buy hi, mother with the money
tho job would bring him. and with cheerful
near' anu "'iilng hahd' ne went to work Noon
came, ana ne sat down on ms saw buck 70 eat bis
nusa' CHRISTMAS dinner. u was clustering
d'y' and the snow, whiried from the tops Of the
houses iei upon feIeg, until he looked as II he
were huiers s apprentice, 5ut he Needed not the
show or me cold ana was hnrrying with his re
past mat he niHht nave the more time to work
"hch he iouhd h'iiseIi lace TO lace, with hand-
some, welldrcssed boy, about his own age, but
oi mueh larger SIZE, who SAID to HIM:
'liaiIoa lIttle fellow, ho" much did you have
spend Tor Cnis'mas
i had nothing. sir, honestly answered Teleg,
somewhat astoui,hed at the abrupt question,
out II work well to-day, mother will make me
Nee PIE when go home.
lila. ha, cried the well dressed boy-"work
on .hrist'nas anu get NICE PIE for IT. You're
little unfortunate Where do you live +
This was said with An air, as tho speaker re.
Corded feleg curiosity; but Pclcg was too no
nest 10 notice such irony, and he answered frank
Iy:
Il live IN the little house back Of the church on
The common"
oh ho! then, you're the son Of drunken
Brown. No wonder you don't have nny money
to spend on Christmas. ! had three dollars
my inther ah I a drunkard.'
i.lts Was hnEtisYtsr, ni nsYtcr,.y hnrm,HHt n he qHSht
~ w, ,,,r ,lILv ,b,oryb the wood and naid
no attention TO The careles, how that had tainted
him When Inc turned round TO get another
ui,l of wood ia Law u,on hi. huck b,. uoticsd
thut his lornentor was zone
This hoy va, III. ouIy son of the merchant for
whom pcl,y vos .nwinp vooJ when h, ,ft
,he ward br ran into the n,r,nr vher. hi. moth
or i,thrr and sister v.r. sitting and marching
nm to the Latter he wbisnc,cd
"Tber,'. , character IN the ward lane n clan
,h,i'U inst suit Won He i. snwinr wood On
Christmas T., r,tn pie at uipbt Amt he n chm
,eeterr
what character, inquired the father. catch
ip,, H., Last vo,,s "cop,c Frank what rni,cL;cf
have Won been un To now r.
Nothing. Pa returned the boy "only had
been out TO see nv pony. when | found a charac.
ter in tb. yard-the son Of druukard Brown is
saving our wood and had some fun with him -
"You did not max. finn Of his mi.f,rtunes |
hone. nv son" ,aid the mother
No mamn,a." returned Frank. II only louyh
cd at hmm n little for HAVING 10 saw wool ON
Christmas and heinz content with \ ,;ce nj. at
night
THAT was n,ucbtv Frauk sail .Iono
"Comc come Ian. iptrrun,rd the f,tber
"lct Frank have Nj, snort ,o.jov You NAV
preach him to morrow Rpt Frank Won must
not associate with druukorl', sons and wood.
,avyers II is had en,uph tn hoyeoue in th, IA,
mily given to such comnany"
The last sentence wnsintcnded rs n reprimond
TO Jane She f,lt il and left tina n,rlor Az
she walked to her own room. the tears started in
her ewes. and her heart said "Why does not faith
er loye' He tells me am ho,nely He tells
mo am bomeIv He saws Franz ia In. only
pride, but | love father. though he never calls