, 1860-12-21
TRUST IN GOD.
A Christmas Story.


over the feeble blaze, and shivering with the
fierce cold that was creeping on their limbs.
Willie, the eldest, was trying to warm little Ad-
die by putting his arms around her, while the
mother tlOk down the Bible, lighted an inch or
two of candle that remained, and read to them
the beautiful story Of the shepherds keeping
watch over their hocks by night, the angel com
ing to them, and the glory Of the Lord shining
about them The little ones listened, almost
forgetting the cold and then the mother passed
over many pages, until she came TO the touch
ing words Of the Savior, when "he had not
where to lay his head" IN '-
"Then he was worse of than we are, Willie, =
said little Addie, as she crept from her brother 8
arms TO the poor and Uncovered bed, where the
three huddled together for warmth. a9i
The candle went out in the midst OF her read
ings and Mrs. ROmaiue and Willie lay down
one on each side Of the little girl The children
slept, but the mother lay for hours, tossing in
painful thought Of how she was to live through
the cheerless winter and keep these children
She rose next morning, and made a fire with
the last wood which she possessed, spread her
table with the last loaf; and then, waiting for
her children to awake, she sat down and wepE
They were the first tears she had shed for
months, and she felt relieved by the flow but
she would not let the children see her, and she
dried them up quickly before they awoke. g.
. Z. Catherine Romaine was the daughter Of :
once wealthy and enterprising merchant She
had married Mr. R0maine, who was much older
than herself when he was in business with her
lather. lie was . widower with one son. - She
loved the little Herbert with almost . mothers
love, aud the child returned il Iully. He was
twelve years cd when his father married, and i
was six years after that when Willie was born.
Herber 8 unaffected interestin the little one re-
paid Catherine for all the love she had given
him. Two years Afterwards little Addie came to
bless the happy household, and the measure Of
their bliss seemed complete. Herbert was one
Of the head clerks IN the firm, and although only
twenty years old, was distinguished for his at
tention 10 business il'.. a 81. H., .igsH g
4, twas sudden and terrible shock, to the
VI o'e community when i was imported that
the firm Of Thatcher and Rounine had failed.
Tlere were people involved in their difficulties
whose every dollar had been invested with them,
Old men, who hac lain by small sum, perhaps
TO be call d in when sickness should come upon
them-widOws who had saved AsCanty 1pittance
by needle-woFk--single women who had been
at service until their laboring days were OVER
all these had trusted their small earnings TO the
great firm that was IS "good as the bank.
The firm that was sgood as the bank" hiled,
however, and then came poverty, distress and
sickness Mr. Thatcher was found IN his room
with bottle Of laudanum IN his clenehed band,
perfectly dead and not many months alier, Mr..
ROmaine, worn out by rel Gated shocks, sunk
into the grave. rr4
They had given up all 10 the creditors, keep
ing not even the bridal presents Of Mrs Ro.
maine, nor those which had been made 70 the
children. A small, mean house IN the lower
part Of the city held Mrs ROmaine and her chill.
drrn, and after her husbands death, and Her
bert had gone away, she underlet all the rooms
but One .,4a = tAhh ta@
Sad indeed was her heart when the night Of
her husbands death brought the finishing stroke.
She sat in mute anguish, gazing upon the be.
loved face, and then upon the helpless little ones
by her side.
q Trust IN God, Katy, dear" said the dying
man. He will not leave you utterly desolate."
Herbert Ataid until after his fathers funeral,
and then sailed for Africa Tse ~ n
"SOmetime, | shall return, dear mother" said
the aifectionate son, .and then, believe me, you
shall not want" q
o, the grief Of those partingsi They were
ike the bitterness Of death to Mrs. Romaine,
for they seemed to contradict her husbands Is.
surance thnt she should not be left desolate.
v She succeeded, at first, in obtaining a little
sewing Ct the coarsest kind but itwould hardly
pay for the candles by which she worked after
her children had gone 10 bed. She would not
apply for work from those who had known her
in her prosperous days; and she dreaded going
10 the shop Ahers hard and unieeling man was
grinding the faces Of the poor for few misera.
ble pence. She would not send Willie, Tor her
mind reyolted at exposing him 70 the coutaminf
alton Of the street y 4 80.
She wore the coarsest clothes herself and
dressed her children 10 similar ones, and yet 50
neatly were they made aud put or, that there
was something almost elegant In their appear
ance. ,4 "a sacggis , 1gu1 c'i vpi7goR
Sometimes she recognized in the street those
whom she had known in better days; aud then
she would start aside and turn away Der head,
forgetting. for q moment that they could never
discover the elegant Catherine Romaine in q
POOR, haggard woman that was bearing her bun
die Of cheap work from shop. .l..s,
One person only had known her when meet
ing her thus, and that one did not darc to ap-
proach her, because he saw that she avoided
him. This was Mr.. Russell, who had hnown
and loved her husband as brother. He iol-
lowed her at distance until he saw her enter
tho poor dwelling in which she lived-toOk the
number Of the house and the name Of the street.
and then returned.t 10 tell bis wife what he had
seen, All Mrs Russells iwomanly tenderness
rose up at this recital, and she brgged 70 go and
see her. 9FAi =.
Z No, Mary said her husband, a that win not
do; you may write her that you win visit her i
she wishes il, but you must 60 no farther until
you know how she would receive YOU = uI'
,i The note was written and sent, but no answer
obtained, and the generous couple were obliged
t0glve up all thoughts Of helping her.
Day aAer day, Mr.. Russell met her, with her
two childreb, each carrying q package. Tho
sight melted him u pity and yet her step was
10 proud that he could not stop her, as hewanted
TO do, and offer her assistance.
The house in which Catharine lived was in.
habited partly by an Irish family, whose good
feelings were all excited BY the evident poverty