The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-01-05
Loudly cid Santa Clans laughed, tfer il
was he) sill be shock sslike howl fali Of
jelly" Then be sung an old song, till the
rafters resouDdsd, and the old man joined
in the chorus
s.bcth ksck aat Slie 50 hare, % hAfQ
Rettl feai aa4 hand So COLD
Bat "a Christmas give Us seS.i old ale eocurA.

u
Beth feoi aaa hand So odd
! Rai "a Christmas give Us ses-i old ale eocusn.
/ Whether u he ne~ or old"
At last Santa Claus rose, but no word did
be speak, as he pointed to the aagon, ana
there. as If in mirror, they saw the insiIe
| Of e,tsage, and heard the music Of voices
Young msn and msidens were rashsred
together. and linked hand and hand 10 the
dance. But Mary saw not ia the group the
one she 50 longed to behold, and her heart
grew light as she gazed. Slowly the picture
faded from sight, and nov they looked ON
| another and heard the faint murmur OF bells.
Rapidly ever the frozen ground came 4
party in sleighs; and as each passed alonc,
the light Of the moon shone upon them.
Mary's heart beat faster and faster: many
among them she knew, but nowhere kaw she
her lever. Slowly the picture faded from
sight; and new they looked on Another, and
heard mems voices in anger.
In the village inn, in the bar-room, were
grouped together party of men drinking
and gaming. Mary bid her face 10 her hands,
for her weman's heart dared not to look on
the picture. But she thought of her lover,
and his goodness and kindness unto her !;
and she knew he could not be among them !:
and she gazed with calm heart and clear eve
on the semblance before her, but no shade
of ber lover was there. Slowly the picture
faded from sight, aud now they looked on
another, and heard the faint chirp Of a
cricket.
Twas chamber alono and dcserted--no
light and no are gave warmth to the picture,
and Mary knew twas the room of her layer.
Impressed was the bed, and the curtains
were drawn at the window, and shut was the
chest and the clothes press. But he was
pot in the chamber. Slowly the picture fa-
ded from sight, and now they looked on
another, and heard the low stroke Of q
banner. .r
There in his workshop she saw her lover,
and his eyes were lit up with a smile. Be-
side carved wardrobe he stood, and was
inlaying her name in the panel. Hard had
he worked, day after day, and night after
night, to finish it for her by Christmas. and
now he put on the finishing touch. and gazed
on his work as gazes an artist. Beat Mary's
heart lovingly faster, tears overaowed from
her eye'ids as water bubbles up from the
fountain, and she sank on on her knees by
the hearthssone, while her hands were clasp
ed over her bosom. The old man bowed his
head on bis breast, while bis silver locks
shroudea his eyebrows. and his wife opened
the Bible, her lips parted in prayer. Oh!
filed were their hearts with joy at the in
slant. But ere they looked round, Santa
Claus had departed, and the SCOT dropped
down from the chimney. -.
Soon a step on the snow outside was
heard, and Nicholas tapped at the doorway;
he entered, and Mary was clasped in his
arms and a kiss was impressed on her fore.
head. A grasp of the hand did the old man
give, and the matron murmured her bless
ing. And happiness dwelt in the household
this night, and the CLTistmases that followed
thereafter.