St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-12-17
NUMBER II.

i''oi pcSide tiie candle Is little girl,
also sewing.
Mary" said the invalid, edo put
by work for little time. Ii is Christ
mas Eve; surely you may rest few
minutes"
Rap rap rap!
Mary opened the door, and then
gave cry of delight.
Oh, Lizzie, come here, and help
me carry in these things. They are
marked with our name. This little
tree must be for you and here is II
large basket"
Lizzie assisted in bringing them in;
and, while she danced with trun
childish delight around the tree, the
elder sisters opened the basket.
\ turkey, pies, and oysters for
yon. dear Jessie, our Christmas dinner
and here's bottle of wine. and oranc-
cs, and white grapes, and this little
box-ten dollars. Oh, Jessie +, who
can have sent them ~
Gods blessing go with the givcr,,
said the invalid, softly. "Now you
may rest on Christmas Dav, How
long the basket will last us Mary.
dear you forgot to close the door"
And again three watchers were shut
out.
We have not room to follow in Effie's
footsteps that happy evening. Here
there was an ailing baby relieved by
a generous gift of money to pay a
doctor; here whole party of children
made joyful ; in another place, a stu
dlous boy was made happy for months
by judiciously selected books and in
one place poor, childlcss widow had
an order for groceries enough to last
whole year, beside her Christmas
dinner.
At about ten o'clock, Efiie, Claire.
and Carrie came home again as tired
and happy a trio as were in that city
on Christmas Eve, 1856.
The next morning, Clarence came
into his sisters room. "Efiic.' he
said. Gerald talks of leaving me-"
" Leaving you?"
The pretty sunbeam was very pale.
Yes ! he's going out west"
Efiic bent her head, and lowered her
eyes.
"Eflie little sister ! how pale you
are You tired yourself last night
s. No, no | mean yes. Why is he
going west?"
:" will tell you. Effic, can You
fancy me doing a dislonoraOic act?"
Wen did one last night. Iwcnt.
after | left you, to see Gerald. found
him writing letter. peeped over
his shoulder, and read it, and then
crcpt away again, leaving the envel-
op told you about week ago: and
he does not know l was near him but
| know his secret"
"Sccrct?"
"Ics. He's in love"
Gerald ?"
'les, Gerald. In love with an
heiress Did You ever hear of such,
presumption He poor clerk!r
"Wcll,' said Efiic, firing up, "he's
better than one-half the gentlemen that
come here, if he IS q clerk. Anv
woman might be proud of Gerald
Hastings love" Then, coloring and
confused at having thus committed
herself, she stopped
" He is in love with an hciress, and
afraid to offer himself" said Clarence.
not needing her confusion, "for fear
she will think him fortune hunter.
Eflie can you guess who it is he loves"
Silence
" Eilie, may give my little sister
to Gerald Hastings for Christmas
gift ?'
Still silence.
" Eflic, do you love him? Would
you leave me, Effic, to marry him ?"
I" We need not leave You. We can
all live here. We"
" Pretty well !" said Clarence, OPEN
ing his arms, and receiving his little
sister in close embrace. pretty
well There, don't blush so he is
worthy of You. l say. with my whole
heart, that | shall give my sincere
good wishes to you both, and be will
ing to give up my sunbeam to tighten
the path of a man esteem so highly
as Gerald" And kissing Eflic again
and again, he left her with parting
directions to look as pretty as possible.
for Gerald was coming to dinner; and
he depended upon her to keep him
from going west.
Gerald Hastings was walking
slowly up and down the large paror
when his employer came in. Gerald"
he said, sternly, walking up to him,
"you have repaid my hospitality with
ungrateful conduct. Did ], when l
allowed, courtcd your visits, give you
any permission Clarence could
not support his stcrnncss. A sunny
smile was dimpling in the corners Of
his mouth. "Did l give you | repeat,
any permission to fall in love with my
sister 2"
Gerald folded his hands like timid
schoolboy, and faltcrcd: Please, sir,
| couldn't help it,
Eflie stood in the entry. She looked
very lovely, her golden curls and
bright complexion being heightened
by her rich mazarine blue silk dress.
Clarence came out to her. "Go ill.,
he said, " somebody wants to see you"
About an hour afterwards, Clarence
coming in again, found Etfie's curIs
falling over the breast of black coat,
and the sleeve of the same garment
encircling the blue dress. Wen
he said, stopping short, " if there was
ever seen such presumption Eihe'
come here"
"I had rather stay where | am
said a sweet. silvcry voice.
"You had? Well, if the mountain
won't come to Mohammcd, Moham-
med must go to the mountain. There.
Gerald, ! think you have received
about as valuable Christmas pres
ent as any one in town. BE careful oft;
cherish it,"
Need we say any more, reader.