Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-03
"Cheer up, ye miners bold,
Nor let your courage flag
For earth, her wealth untold,
Yields TO your patient toll
Then joyous dig beneath the soil,
And still be your gathering cry,
Cheer ND, brave hearts, cheer upn


Veronica's voice was tremulous with fear,
when she began these simple lines; but she
gained courage as she proceeded; and she re-
heated the burden of the song with spirit and
energy. She then Poused, and anxlously
awaited the result of her efforts. Two or three
minutes elapsed; the time seemed long to poor
Veronica; she felt humilisted and confused,
and was about to withdraw; but at last the
door turned on its hinges, and a woman came
out and placed in Veronica's trembling hands
small cake and two-penny piece.
The poor child could scarcely contain herself
for ioy. "Oh, my dear little GeOrgep she ex-
claimed, ''see what happy beginning have
made. You shall have the sugar plum; but the
cake and the money are for father, that he too
NAV be able to keep his Christmas feast.
The night was now far advanced; and Veron-
ica thought she would make but one trial more
before she turned her steps homeward. This
time she determined on trying her chance at
the door of a rich man, an inspector of some
mines.
Clear and firm her young voice now rose
through the still midnight air. and, when her
song ceased, the window on the first floor OF the
house opened and an arm was stretched out,
holding slender pair of tongs by means Of
which piece of money was placed in Veronl-
/ cas- open uduO Ou6 6CdICGly Aau 9AS
this Christmas gift ere a cry Of pain escaped
her Inns. cry which was responded to by
lauph of insulting mockery from the heartless
wretch who was still standing in the open win
dow. The penny which he had handed to the
poor child had been drawn red hot from the
| fire. Veronica hastily dropped the Perndlous
gift, and, with many bitter tear, retFaeed her
steps to her lonely home.
When Veronica returned to her father $ side,
and told him of the gifts she had brought, 1t
cost the poor girl severe struggle to conceal
her sufferings and speak to the blind man IN
| cheerful tones. He, unconscious Of the pam
she was enduring, asked her to sing for him
| once more before she retired to Testi and then
4 he kissed his darling, and bestowed on her his
/ Christmas blessing but Veronioa's hand panied
| her much, and she went to bed with heavy
heart.
In the mountain districts of Germany, the
schools are very large, one master not unire-
quently having charge of two hundred children
Under these circumstances, he can scarcely be
expected TO have any particular acquaintance
with the disposition CT tastes of each indiTld-
ual scholar, unless some casual occurrence
chances to bring it to his notice.
-" Is not your hand healed yet !" one day IN
auired n. Rossel, the parish schoOlmastef, ad-
dressing his pupil Veronica Madel.
Veronica unfastened the bandage, which she
daily tied On as well as she could with her iet'
hand and the worthy schoOlmaster, seeing the
infamed state of the wound, became very indig
nant when he learned how it had been pro-
duced " "Shameful,' he exclaimed, I" thus tC
ipiure child singing her Christmas carol -
VIII you let me hear your song, my little
maid ! Ilove music well myself. You know
am the parish precentor, as well as the school
master.