The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-12-25
THE DAILY GAZETTE.
/ IRvE CHRISTMAS STORY
n mrs. NARY ARTHUR
urrLE FaAMTz HOFFMAN.
rcoxcI.UpEp !,

TcoxcLUDEp
.,d early in the fair morning srantz
~ A the letter, and when ne met his
mother bis face was once more 'ho
r s.y. bright face oiold; for in ms p2ek
Y vss . the paper which seemed TO nun
. w.rrant =. Of coming joy, and in his
s,.,. was a feeling very like certainty
.ss. a ~ wish would be granted. le;
ssS;d Nd not speak oft. 1t was his iirs',
i. olad. darling secret; and it should
- !. . GREAT surprise to his mother: 50
!. T. onIy looked joyful and kissed her;
..S .hs laid her hand on his head, ami
..id how glad she was to see her BOY
.ost;ent and cheerful once more.
Frsnts did many little acts OF kind.
~. and industry that day, for in his
h..,t No . fountain Of hope and love:
.od he wished to help every one
r. lively as he was, he did not for
at o drop his precious letter in the
post,oiRce.
When the postmaster came TO iooS
o,s, the letters. OF course he was much
.orur;sed st this one Of Frantz's, with
: strange direction; bnt in a mo,
ment be saw that it was q child's hand,
and be opened the letter. 1t ran
hus:-
.(3oop CanlsT CHILD am poor
lisle boy, but | have a good mother,
Who taught me many good things
about YOU; and she said that you are
lind and good, and love little children,
and deliyh, to give them gifts, so that
thew are not hurtful ones. Now, my
mothsr is kind, too, and would like
10 rive me all | want: but she is poor,
and when | asked her for Christmas
tres, abe could not give me one, be-
cause she only had money enough TO
buy shoes ior US; so | ask you, who
are rood and rich, to give me one
Ihope I am not bad BOY am sure
nv mother does not think lam; and
lift i best for me not to have the tree,
| will try and be patient, and bear It
~ q good boy should, but ] don't see
what hurt . large Bible or warm
clothes could do my mother; SO, il l
NAV not have the tree, oh! please give
her those, and shall be 50 happy.
FRAsrz HOFFMAN I"
p,sssad with the simple childisa
innocence OF the letter, the postmaster
put Il in his pocket. When he went
home he found a rich lady there who
he'd come to take tea with his vile;
snd ., the table, when oil were assem-
bed, he drew forth the letter oftrantz
and read it aloud, telling how it hac
come into his hands, and saying how
the poor little fellow would wonder at
never getting his tree. or ever hearing
&his letter again.
But he may hear Of it again, said
the rich lady, who had listened care
folly to every word. There is SO
much goodness OF heart in the poor
boy's love for his mother, that it well
deserves to lie rewarded. He may
hear Of il again"
Sothe lady remembered the name
ofthe boy; indeed, she asked the gen.
tleman to give her the letter, which
be did, and by its aid she sou ght and
found out where Frantz lived. From
some Of the neighbors she heard how
poor they were, and how little Frantz
helped his mother all day cheeriully
and was the best boy in all the neigh.
borhood, and that Mrs. Hoffman had
not now even the money TO buy shoes
for that her landlord had raised hel
rent, and she had to give the little
sum laid aside to him. And the lady
thought to herself it would not be
likely to spoil 80 good a boy to have
abeautifnl tree, SO she had one brought
70 her house, large and full OF leave:
it was; and she bought all kinds o
beautiful and useful things to hang OF
II, and little rose colored tapers to bs
placed among the branches, and on tht
table under the tree were laid pair o
shoes-one pair for the mother and
ono pair for Frantz thick blank
sa, and large shawl and a purse o.
money, (tor the lady knew that poo
AB. Hoffman must have many want.
(Which che could not know, and sh'
wanted her to supply them by mean
ofthe purse) and, best otall, there wa
ahrge Bible.
u Fraptz's dream had suddenly
turned into reality, it could not hav'
been more beautiful.
20 day after day went on, ane
nongh Frantz knew not the fate o
The letter, he never doubted that al
xoaldgo we'll. 1t was pleasant to Sc,
1ne sunshiny face with which hegreet
"a every morning as "onerday neare
christmas" And when at last Christ
mas morning came, bright and clear
,aele was a leaping, bounding heart il
als bosom, and light in his blue eye
sasl made his mother smile, though
sne scarcely knew where the mex
meal was to come from. The wheeI
kept on its whirring, and Frantz sa'
.sh xish his eyes fixed on the blue sky, al
ne almost thought his expected tres
would drop down from it. SUDDEN,
alow knock was heard at the door, ant
avoice asked:
s little Frantz Hoffman here"
riantz almost aew to the door.
II am Frantz!" said he.
And the little maiden who had ask
saior HIM, told him to come with her
anS his mother must come, too.
soon, very soon was the little part
Nady and the maiden led them alon
sayiy toa handsome house, who's
SS'f be pushed open, and they entsre
A0w lightly nod Esants along tn