The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-12-31
JSIN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 81, 1868.

Refuse green's from churches and public halls
ground underfoot into the snow dust, yet, like
faithful Christmas, giving forth the most prec-
ious odor under the vllest usage. You could
get glimpses of rich dark wreaths around
bright pictures on lofty walls ofstately houses
as you passed. You could breathe the incense
of the '~ir-tree, aud the pine, and the cedar
together" as you passed a church, and the
poor children dragged home branches Of the
refuse to make humble lodgings gay with
Just q bit Of Christmas. There went Blueit's
sweeper now with a Bologna sausage and a
pretzel in a paper under his arm, and a branch
of pine to stick over his window; and the
cheap shop is hung with pines and tri-colors,
and even the carcassesa at the door wear them.
There is much good in your pine and hemlock
tree, however considered. There are poor
women and ~shivering children peer1ng in at
the windows of the toy-shop, where richly
dressed dolls, swinging to and fro in the warm
light, Knocked with the air Of stolid comfort,
the shrill whistle Of the wintry wind as it
tapped about the thin garments Of these
wretched ones.
"Good stranger, spirit, goblin, or whatever
you are, moaned out poor Blueit, "who are
these andwhy are they following us? Look!
look! behind, the line stretching out! And
who are you-you are 50 terrible, and after all
so kindly too?'
''These friends of ours, replied the goblin,
''why the most of them are your own employ
ees, and a few of your humber friends, that
from time to time | invited to join US, and
partake of the magnificent Christmas-dinner
which you propose to give in your great pack
ing-room on Christmas afternoon. They don't
look as if they'd be the worse for hearty
meal, dye think? And there's a few ragged
uniforms that | guess We'll find room for, eh ?
and some of their wives and little ones too,
maybe. It's a good while since they had a
taste of turkey. And as for myself appear
differently in different times and places. Some
times | appear as the Scotch brownie, and
work for the bouSemaid, you know, and get
a pot of crean-under the stair, duly set for
at night-in consideration of my services.
| appeared in the character Of Asmodeus at
one time, and the Germans have another
odd name for me toe. Just now | am Blazi-
us, head cook and majordomo to the excellent
st. Nicholas-also Mr.. Blueits most humble
servant" And with a smile Of grotesque be-
novolence distending his leathery jaws, the
brownie bowed to the beWildered Blueit, who
could not choose but gaze at the motley pro-
cession behind him. There were poor WoIuen
who lowered near a manned figure in a faded
blue uniform, with perhaps an empty sleeve
or Ieg,or some other dreadful mutilation to
as best they might. And pale, thin, hun
gry-eycd women, with pricked and blackened
f~ore1ingerg, with hollow cheeks and white lips,
and some had a poor bit of black stuff about
them, and great dark circles stained -
under the eyes, showing that no helpless, Ilv-
ing wreek vgas making their lives precious to
them by its dependence and weakness, and
revealing how strong q habit mere existence
had become, that it still clutched its hold with
the dead weight dragging the other way
There were aged people, leaning on the arm
of their children, who were fading to shadows
trying to keep the Great Shadow from the
venerated forms beside them. And some
whose tawdry fnery and mocking laughter
showed that the battle was over, the sharp
struggle for bread past, and the free, savage
life Of the street fairly commenced.
And Mr.. BIueit began to wonder if six
cents apiece for making shirts with deduc-
lions in case of imperfect work, wasn't rather
a tight fit, with flour at nine dollars a barrel,
and coal eleven dollars a ton.
''ShalI | ask 'em p inquired DIazius, Jerking
his long thumb backward.
Yes, oh yes" Blueit answered. 'Poor
things :" He began to understand what this
long chilly tramp meant.
They were all following. them-poor sewing
women, shivering little children, porters out
at the elbows; smart clerks, boarding them
selves in attics, to keep one decent suit i'll
which to serve the counter; thin, pale fellows,
with hard coughs. Not a very festally APP
pearing crowd, thought the poor merchant.
As they filed along, Blueit had an odd suspi-
cion that the dinner was to have come OFT on
Christmas day, and q feeling that he had lost
all account of time since he had started out
with BIaZius. But here they were, ia front
of the great Warehouse-the whole building
lighted; g%as-jets famed from every cornice ;
the great doors stood open, and the crowd
streamed in. The great room, with its coun-
tiers doing duty as royally-spread tables, was
all a tre1mbIe with gay banners, bright starry
flags, and evergreen garlands quivering Ill
the glorious music Of the band at the end Of
the hall. And upon the dais now arose tc
bid them welcome that ruddy saint, beloved
of all children and true-hearted Manhattoes,
st. Nicholas. Blazius led Bueit up near the
saint, then, bowling, withdrew to his own
duties, which. Judging by the wolfsh looks
Of the guests as they disposed themselves
aroundthe room, promised to be no ginecure
Friends" said the venerable Santa Claus
Sin the name Of Him who has hidden US wei
come to his everlasting feast do l bid you vel,
come to this which your friend has provided
for YOU"
Like the fields of July under grasohoppers,
like Egypt under the ~locusts, the tables were
Acleared, and again and again from unseen
sources replenished, till even that starving
crowd were satisfied.
'Blueit! Blueit! a speech a speech y
A speech!-poOr Blueit!
''You must
i can't"
Just try"
Il won't"
Just a word, you know, and III help yor
if you stick" whispered Blazlus.
Blueit struggled to his feet.
'Friends and feIlow-citiZens, he began
''and gentleman of the jury-no, hang It'll
ladies and g~eutlenan-on this paintul-no
confound It'll Friends, I've a word to say
and | must talk on i'll my OWN fashion. IY'
been boss here q good many years. Aen an
women, Eve worked you hard sometimes
I've ground you. l own it. i was poor.
wanted to be rich. I'd known harder povert,
than any Of you, and it made me a brute. In
ashamed of it. I've seen its workings to
night. know that sixpence apiece for max
ng shirts don't make honest poverty. II
makes some Of you desperate, and SONS o
you-starve. 1t sha'n't be so any more. Tn,
boss is going to be your friend. Wages
Cheers wages shall be living wages, no
starvation wages. And Eve a word mora t
.sy. Tv,a oIuaIrs baeu q Union man and
gave ten thousand to raise men, and ten NOR
for the commissions, and | hope it all did good
I'm no speech-maker, and dull at talking
but Pm going to give some more money 70
the glorious cause; I'm going to help tn
soldiers widows and orphans till the c%ountr!
gets ready to do something for them. They
shall have the preference, in hiring hands a
fair wages and if any poor soul hae got
wounded hero at home, l sha'n't wait for hin
to die; but [ want to know it, and shake hi
/ e. .f H. -. - 80 Joft NTH q fap-GoIIa