Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1855-02-22
~ ASN4soFA aIroate.

TO #hdEn i tle hour IF tvjliehA 81 sweet
as 70 cNiidreH2 Too tsred-rFo plas, and vet
ufroceReilei to the nightly trial Of being
put to bad, children, halt the wsrla over:
have simultaneously falsed tLeF tender
voices, IallH donsecyatea this houF u story
/ listening
At twilight not many e~etfa e1s aeo. Eve
/ sisters Eg'te apzily gathered aroud# tie dear
paterna| 4eaaE II S'issas len ua story Il
SAD hslal VIrgi ia, elm aHg ~ 1uy knfe
ana. cilpilbg ny. WalstwiEt her Efay arms
until tsa 9imPled ha&5B met tteA nesting
her curly|lteaa npon iag ~ ulderI .IeslIe
.@Thefe il I'D refusing bur prettyIJenny.
What 4iast she storybe ahoa.e NJ elry I =
.0h .hhbpt Ifalties ana d5ud clfiE@rep,
Shall Hell you about three iitHie Sisters
whom ] Thew r who areHaii angeIs how-and
shall tefl ygu Of heavenly ere#fp | oace
had ,aboadltaem
Yes -abod'tangels angels uillfao Is well.
a fairiaAn
Well then listen. One Gbrist1pp mo d
ing j waslsitting in church amongst, nun.
Der Of shtrished friends the church vas
gaily decotatad with eY9rgreens-tlle Star
ri Bethlehem ghone oh the eastern wall--
the Sunday School children had sung an *
guisite hyInn,E written far the occasion-our
beloved pastor, in his hottest mood, had
spoken words of promise and encourage.
\: Me It htdj] bfeathed upon Us soft rehukes
frt. fngs eadea;;n around ben Were hope
/ croN.s ppF faces, but anongstJha cheerful /
nance missed one dear familiar counte-
ehldrfns SAP s1Erahndea hY his
/ was al hhmAheir mother wgs ahsent she
pwho wpsfyery seeing ever 1 little daughter
/ distance from ttis Ibefanfly iIrHd short i
drove aht TO seaySa9d, |afterHservics 1 y
Christnhs presents Nxiek 5chiill Among
moss lila klldd MIA a hssket made of
/ green house fowers-leaa } sasscFlntion of
ersnge blossoms, jaafniues rete,iotrones
bandle hoo was Mayea of aawefNeA Ths
Il fnoss I thought tha Tv'fresaine< Ss.lsa
10 abvers miahtsaslittle Cars geasssAs
stoned on I,he way fit tits Lovely a I'll n
Attno door Of Clafas home lives ere e
! BY host pf little ones and hfst they too
me, intd the parler. where stood larts
mas trae 10 tall. that il neariylreached tro
!. the fanr 10 the ceiling The spreaniI
4 braachhs we're loaded with gifts, end WAKE
\ lights rs4e scattered about amongst &
smallst h5nghs. The chsldrent delighted
!, exhibisea their ahunapns Christmas prs
4 ents. ana then led me up stairs u TIL
mothef,s room AS they entered the
every Ions trod softly. aud the gay vsie
were hushed to whispers On su
couch al the fost If her mothers bed,
litt1e Glars patient. gentle child, abs
Sven Or eight years old She was Isl
s g m6ii5aless thatyEu paighi have thous
% mr. same brautsiua statue. 1her thin q
y hands vera as white a. the sheet on VIII
S. ssav we're axteadea her count nance
81 .lahasfer hue and heE large, dark 9
in 800 ilooh;ny iixedly upwards towards
as;,;ns u though ahey could see more I
~ The mother sat near the
Ia as blauched with apprehension,
ar sa,Ta her ewes we're red circles that d
IS ii shs had been weeping perhaps the y
= of that Christmas night latte Oiara
,ot;ke 81 when We entered nor did
. answer when / spoke p Der. but VIE
brought the messy basket g we lee' !. {
$. she feebly lifted ZIP her shadowy, nssa
l vs., la;a i on the flower woven handle,
ID. 1 looked ii my face and smiled one an
smile ofthankq
: The next morning, me ohElstMas