Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-12-29
Christmas Fires.
a TALE ron THE SEASON.
ELLRNDALE, Va


TALE FoR THE SEASON.
In the worlds broad field OF battle,
In the bvouae or life,
Be not like dumb driven cattle!
Be hero in the stFtie
~. Let US then be up and doing,
With l:eaIt Tor any iate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn TO labor and 10 watt.-LoHgteuo1
1t was Christmas Eve, and all without was life
and hustle. Ever and amor peal oil merry laugh
ter reached Mr.. WEI tworth as he sat in his Of
fee, comfortable room on the first floor OF his
house and for economy this room was parlor and
office combined. The night was clear, frosty,
cold one, and the room too was cold. Mi. Went
worth drew his chair closer, and Still clio er 10 the
FIRE. Several sticks of wood lay at convenient
distance, and frequently he half extended his
hand, as il inclined 10 take ole, but each time tue
hand was withdrawn with the thought that he
would make the Goals do awhile longer, and save
the sticks.
At this instant the door opened, and beautiful
child of seven summers stood in the doorway, but
appeared irreSolute whetr er TO enier. Mr. Went
worth observing her, SAID in mild, but querulous
tone.
"WeIl, Minnie, come in, il you want to-"
The child came in and nestled in her fathers
arms; but she found it dull work, sitting there SO
quietly, and tried 10 slip off unnoticed.
| "Minnie,'' said her father, Hwhere do you wish
10 go? Your mother is upwel, and is lying down.
YOU have no other place 10 CO." .-a,t
sBut, father" said Minnie, ttit is very cold
up here, and Aunt Stacys kitchen is so nice and
warm" p .f
makes herself comfortable, while grudge every
stick that is burnt here. She makes the cooking
an excuse for burning so much wood. Cooking IN
deedl it might all be done with one quarter oil The
wood she uses" li fl-'
"Father," said Minnie, etAunt Stacy has leen
telling me what Christmas was in the country al
grandpa's. and says tDe ought u keep Christmas
| Father, won't we keep ChristmasP
ayes, Minnie, you shall look at the pictures IN
the large atlas andperhaps we shall have pie Tor
dinner" ,5g-.F a-5Lt--5
The child looked disappointed, but said nothing
and slipping away, was sOon in Stacy's warm aud
nice kitchen, which was, in truth, the only COM
Portable room in the house. HeTe she was always
made welcome by tue old family cook, who often
told The child that she knew she had no book ar
min, but il she only had the things she used 10
have, she could teach her how TO make Po"er oil
good things. Her usual seat was on cIlcketI or
low stool, placed urom table, where Stacy SAID
She would be sure 10 be out Of harms way. This
had been Ler seat when very little child, anu she
still retained it, Here she would sit on herthTone'
as she called it, listening TO Stacys various recipes
in the culinary line, and occasionally TO accounts
of The doingS in the good old times. The health
of the mother mad long been SO delicate that she
was compelled 10 trust her child much more 10 the
care of servants than even her feelings prompted
or her sense Of duty approved.
BY this time Mr.. Wentworth began to leel very
unconGorlably cold, and throwing GU stick soon
had cheerful blsze. As he sat looking IN the
bright Goals, thoughts and scenes of by gone days
crowded thick around him. He thought OF his ow n
haDny childhood, when Christmas was such d sea :
son Of merry-making. He saw the old homestead,
and heaIdrhe familiar voices of parents and friends
sisters and brothers, long SINCE passed away
He saw the old hall where from its length the Ia
ble was always spread on such an occasion as q
Christmas dinner There were the very nalls on
winch hang the wreathes Of mistletoe and holly,
with their red berries. Theyare all gone now, all
faded, except from his memory. The old family
servants again stood before him happy in the pos
session of presents and attireI in tue gayest gala
dresses.
They, too, all but old Stacey, were among the
things that were no more. Then stood cut i'll bold
relief the time when he had left his home to study
in one of our les colleges. For the last time his
cheek had been wet by a mothers teal, and hts
hand pressed i'll a fathers manly grasp. Death
was soon busy after his departure, and iather mo-
ther, brothers and sisters, all now "slspt WELL"
Memory was holding high Tevel that night. II
next took him TO an aIIur, before which he stood
with a Young and beautiful bride, who bad not on
Iy given hun wealth, but far more, she had given
him her guieleSS health all its purity and truth.
There without regret Tor the past or lear Tor the
future, size lad "ylelJed up her unStained heart,
a priceless doweI." Aud what are houses and
lands compared 10 the Whole heart of a loving and
trusting woman!
Then came false friend, who had persuaded
him to embark the grea or part OF his wie'S fortune
in wild speculation about as sensible as the tuli :
BONANZA and tie result about as disastrous. The
bubble burst, aud he was comparatively poor
man. He remembered how he had dreaded telling
his wife of their loss. He ielt degraded 10 the
dust, that he sh0uIdSo have Squandered Ter money
for he now saw the utter TeckleSSnesS of his con-
duct in engaging in an adventure, about which he
knew nothing, except through the enthusiastic re-
presentations of those who were eIthelr knaveS or
fools He had seen his vile in happiness and JOY
where all was life and love, but he had never seen
ber in misfortune and sorrow. She had always
lived in the sunshine Of life, how would she bear
the SHADE? He knew not then a woman's heart,
or he would not so much have dreaded seeing her.
The wife wondered why the husband came not,
and took up paper TO beguile the tedious hours.
There she read OF the fnilure Of the scheme in
which she knew he had risked so much, Think
ing of another more dear than SELF she FASTENED
10 meet him on his homewnrd walk. FailIng III
this she continued on TO. the Office which he had
not yet left. How wildly did he Gov see thai
| meeting! He again felt her arms around his neck
and h-ard soit aud gentle words of comfort spoken
such only us wife knows how to speak.
Years had gone by since then, and he was nc
betterOf. His early misfortune had made him
timit, aud afraid to nter into what even his mosl
discreet frienis advised, 'sNo," he would say,
"of whatI have now am surej let me lose that
and then nothink will be left for vie and chhd.'
Nervous and reserved, he was fearful Of spending
what he had, and even lacked energy IN the pEac-
tiee Of his profession.
Thus he sat musing over the now waning fire.
His wife, who lay sick above him, had often urged
him 10 action, and heart now told him Of short
and unkind words "a dad spoken. Tears began
10 yathsr IN the ewes of the stern man, but he