The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-12-29
Ght gantaster Ga5ette,
"a CHRISTMAS STORY.
Br vtsourL ,. rowSSESp.


sensitive children, whose lives must
blossom in the dark, cold, chilling at
m1spliere Of such woman's lifo.
OF this sort was Mrs. Drake, A ton
der, warm, sympathetic heart never
throbbcd under that thin, sallow, cold,
keen face, of hers. A woman, too, she
was Of many valuable practical quail
ties; she had groat deal of executive
pawer at the ends Of her fingers; she
maac out Of he virtue OF her tdiness
almost a fault, BY carrying it to excess
--bustling, restless, sharp and feeding
her self esteem constantly on the pos
session of those qualities, and not
dreaming OF the hard, cold, barren ma
t,Ge which yielded so poor harvest
ofSvmpsthy md charity. of the things
which arc lovely and Of good report
Mrs. Maxwell Drake had two child
r5l} couple Of little girls, VINO were
siugularly unlike herself in personsnd
character. Now you must not sup.
roSo that Mrs, Drake had no instinct
Of maternity within her soul When
she heard for the first time the cry Of
those baby voices; when she looked
first into tbs swoct blue eyes that were
so utterly unlike hor own keen, black
ones, somo we'll sp ing of tenderness
opened in her nature whose waters
would never grow dry.
think she would have died in de.
fence Of those children Of hers. There
was no sacrifice of comfort nor happi.
ness that she would not have made for
their sakes, had-tbe oeca'ion demand.
edit, But lfa's not full of grand oc
casions, and there is many woman
who would watch through weary days
and slow nights BY the bedside Of sick
or suffering child, and who yet, after
all, causes that child in health to lead
BOT sorry life Of il. For it is Of small
'thihgs, Of little daily cares and speech
es and tcnderncsses, that life consists,
and here Mrs. Maxwell Drake was
fatally lacking.
She took admirable, care Of the ply
aical moods Other children. Thcirfood
aud their clothing ovinced'aIwnys: the
notable. thrifty supervision of thcirmo.
thor; but sho lacked quick sympathics
with thoir childish feelings and wants
sho could not entor into their lives
their sorrowSand joys, their hopes and
tears-in brief, she did not understand
her, children, and tho mother who docs
not seldom, if ever makes good one
.iy Bright, active, pretty children these
were, Elsie and Agness,, Drake: gentle
and affcctionato by nature, Of just that
quality to feel most kecnly the want
of softncas and tenderness in their
mother, Their father got nearer tc
thom; but ho lacked force of charac
ter, was ono OF thcsc sort of men swhC
want moral fibre, and VIII always fine
it easier to lot principle 60 than stanC
by it with heart Il soul to the death, SC
"tor peace sake, that great argumcn
for all moral towards, this man, lik,
many another, allowed much in tn,
family government which his own mo
ralinstncts taught him was unwisc o.
egjl 10 take its own way"
Mrs. Maxwell Drake had her owl
opinions on ovcry subject, and an I'M
pleasan, way Of assortiugythem Sh,
did not know how to deny roques
50 ss to take tho sting out Of tho rctu
sal, but she nj Ways did this in pcr
emptory, authoritative, dsagrccablt
fashion. And 80 it happened ono at
'teiMoon that her two lar-haircd blu,
eye Iittle girls burst in from school
With their faces full Of somo cage
thought that made bloom in 9Th eli
checks.
ooh, mamma, the girls aro all talk
ing about their Christmas presents an,
the pretty things they expect to have
,Iou haven't told rs anything abou
ours yet; but wo shall havo them
shant we?",
Mrs, Drake sat in n littlc wicl,c
rocking chair cmbroidcring some pref
'ty buif'uprons for her girls.
II think" shc said, "ihis fuss owe
Christmas is all nonsense. It's mis-
cradle plan to bring up children to cy
poet presents every ycnr--bcsidcs. IT,
hard times now, and wave no mono,
TO waste in that way, as said to YOU
father when ho talked about it. YouI
getno Christmas presents this year.
Y. A shadow darkcned over the brigh
faces, n little culver stirred each re,
Under lip.
.s.i'But, mamma, you let us hav
Christmas presents last year and tn
one before" pleaded Elsie, who was
year the younger of the ittlc girls.
.hht'Ihats nothing to do with this one
II did. Besides, it learned me II ZOO,
lesson. There's no usc in indulgin,
children with all sorts of notions an,
Jetting then always havo their owt
way and giving them toys to brcnI
every time thoy want them; "
learned that. SO let me hear no NOR
about It, for, as said you'll hay
Christmas prefcnts this year"
Their .mothcr was in cxorablc-th
eAtldren knew that; but as .hcy turn
sd away with sadness and disappoinl
.ment on their young faces, which WA
Pltliul to sec, the elder girl sleppc
back and looking grayoIy on he
mother, said
Our teacher told US this afternoon
mamma, that the gifts which parent
,bsstow on their chldren'at Chrstm.
were symbols Of that one great ri
which God gave to;all the world
oUa,st- man "A al ,,,.,,,. .,...l I,,I- =,