The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-01-04

4 look OF trouble. AMI the eyes Of the
maiden are downcast; whiis the HiGtroH
wipes the mist from her gl.ssea and lay,
them :'ithin the book, on the page tis,
tells of the birth Of oar Saviour. Sill
PAGES the old n.u hack ~.r,i and forward
like pendulum weary with going: bur,
anon, he stops at ;fe window, snd draw
ing tie curtains aside. looks out on the
+, he village the street is deserted, AMI he
,. not the sound of foorf.ll. Then
ha ,,,r,. = his grand daus shter Mary, and
saws: ~, a.,
l;,t WOO thee on this io
!est of eves7 Surely 10" cans, NJ not nave
driven him from thee in n. Se'
Then sighed the maiden IA. "'''"e CO
as follows: -,
"Trn!r. my father. I know no. ''.s "
reason that keeps him swav-'.is no
three DAYS since have seen him, though
he hath not been out Of the village
There are maidens more beautiful father.
than |. and richer by far. Mans heart is
q chargeab'e Ting, and perhaps my love
is forgotten"
Then paced the old man back ward and
forward. while dark grew hi> brow and
the feeling Of wrath wa> upon him. ct
last he ptuscd anh said:
Never shall Nihnlas-'
Suddenly paused the old man and his
hand fell down on the tahe-whiIc the
matron looked over her glasses, and opened
her wnnrh ~ if she were a-t"ni>hed--
| while The maiden rose FROM her char and
was fxel Ike a sta:ue-the dog cower7d
in the corner, and the cat crep. under
thp dresser. while the clock ceased il
| ticking. a Il held mp its hands in amaze
m-nt. Bat he cricket kept up lis c!tirp-
ing and son" louder aui louder brighter
GREW the fire, and the burning brands
crarklel and snapped, a. if giving wei
| come, while the flame and the smoke rose
higher and higher. ana wreashed Itself to
@e''',er Enthusiastically in clouds.
Tie door stood open. and there. on tie
piled mp snow was a sleigh, carved out
from an OAK Of the forest Cour>ers were
there with sta's'v horns. that res-rnhed
the reindeer. Of !.snIs.l tl,ev pave the
sn0w With their hnofS. scattered it high IN
the heavens irictss hang from their ant
ie!s. and their backs were covered wl'h
snow fakes; thrr Wer. fastened 10 the
>'eigh ~ith links cut from the berg>
and their ss1.iirs ere csrvel ont Of ebony,
inlaid with hailsion-- their ,eiuS were Of
cry Salizei mnnnt-a'ps. The .irigh was
filed with presents uf MI kind>-tuys for
chillre en- and candi~s and books in profu
~io". Then from out the sleigh there rose
a being Of j"vial appearance lie wink
el 10 his sirel> and entnrei the cottage
Iii, fa"e WAS ihe face Of ,he mron seen
through the mist of October. his eyes
were like stars of night. aud his mouth was
made for fcasting and drinking bis hair
was white as snow. and his beard like the
boar frost his looks were qnizzical, and
jp!itv shone in each feature he was short
IN statue. though broad in his girth, while
his walk was a roll and caper his coat
was the skin Of the polar bear, and hung
around his BODY; alas. ere The morning.
it would he black with the SCOT of the
chimncvs; leathern breeches adorned his
limbs, and fitted his person exactly moe,
casins covere his feet, AMI he bore in one
hand three corneIel hat and in The 9th
er tlagon Of home bTcwed. Closing the
door he at down in a char, ami placed
the flagon beside him; not word did he
speak. but taking mug from the table.
he filled it, and handed the same TO the
old man. Trembling he drank, but when
he had finished, he snacked his lips, and
vowed il was AS good as the bes,-even
that which his old wife lad brewed him.
Loudly old Santa Claus laughel, (for
it was he) TIL he shook " like bowl full
of jelly" Then he sang AN old song: till
The ratters resoun led, aud the old man
Joined in the chorus
Roth b,"k and sides go bare. GO bare,
Both foot and hand go cold
But on Christmas give ~ ,",i ale enough.
VIII her il he new or old.
At las; Santa Claus rose. but no word
did he speak IA he pointed to the fllgon :;
and there, As il in a mirror. they saw the
inside of n cottage, and heard the music
of v"ice>--y Dung men and maiens were
gathered together, and linked hand and
hand in the dance. Bat Mary saw not in
the group the one >he so lonred 10 behold.
and her heart grew light IA she gazed.-
Slowly the picture faded from her sight
and they looked on another, and heard
the fain: murnur OF bell
Rapidly over the f.ozen ground came a
party in sleiehs; and as each passed along,
the light Of the moon sirone upon them
Marv's heart beat faster an. faster: many
among them she knew. but now here saw
she her lover Slowly the picture faded
from sight; and now they looked on
another, and heard mems voices in ang
er.
In the village inn, in the bar room.
were grouped Together party Of men,
drinking and gaming. Mary bid her face
in her hands, for her wornaus heart dar
ed not 10 look on the picture. But she
thougEt nf her lover, If his goodness an,
Kindness unto her, and she knew he could
not he among them q; and she gazed with
/ cam heart and clear eye upon the sem
bIance before her, but 10 shade Of her
lover was there. Slowly the picture fad
ed from sight, and now they looked on
another, and heard tie faint chirp Of a
cricket.
Twas a chamber, alone and deserted
no light and no Ere gave warmth to the
picture and Mary knew twas the room of