The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-12-13
s ann seifes, 6sutaon grisntur luhds amnsennt e.


a kindly word to the innocents, instead Of
the silent salute he had vouchsafed to
their mutely- offered lips. Perhaps they
were not asleep yeti His wife was
still with the twins,i in the room overhead
for he heard her walking about the floor,
as he. knew, to leave them for
the night. He could slip up noiselessly
to the small chamber adjoining, and so
lace his uneasy spirit by loving "good
night" that should dry Nettie's eyes, if
they..were wet, and comfort Ally's disap-
pointed soul, while the partner of his bo-
som would be none the wiser for it.
Mrs. Dryden did net allow the attend
ance of nursery maid to her elder chill
dren In the evening. For more than a
year they had undressed themselves and
retired to their respective cots, without
noise or complaint, leaving nothing for
mother or servant to do, but to look in, a
few minutes after and extinguish the gas.
This had been done by Ellen, the cham
bermaid, before she went down to her own
tea; but the moonlight, streaming through
the window curtain, showed to the father.
as he stood without the partly open door,
the two white beds in opposite corners of
the room, and the forms that ought to
have been laid snugly under the blank
cts. Instead of this, they were raised
upon their elbows to half-sitting pos
ture, and the low hum of their earnest
voices arrested the spectator upon the
threshold.
II wonder if papa and mamma were
ever little boy and girl!'' said Master
Ally, in doleful key. eff they were, l
guess they have forgotten how they used
to feel. | could have cried right out, to-
day, at school, when the boys were all
talki ng about Christmas gifts and what
they expected to get. You ought to have
seen them stare at me when they asked
me what thought should have, and !
said that we didn't keep Christmas at oui
house, and shat I had never hung up my
stockings but once, and that was when
was at my aunt'sl And one boy asked
me if my father and mother were dead
And when / said NO. another fellow
called out, as rude as could bel guess
they don't care much about you'll 1 tel
you, Nettie, it makes a fellow feel rea
badl''
ssI know It'll" said the miniature woman
tenderly. "But, Ally, dear, papa ant
mamma do love usl Only they don
know how much we think of Christmas
and how children love to hang up thei
stockings, and all that. But that was
very naughty boy that told you the.
didn't care for you. Papa works ever s.
hasd to get clothes and food for US, s
mamma says; and mamma sews for us,an,
takes care of US when we are sick-an
l-and-a great many other kind things.
"Maybe so; but she was awful cross to
night, and scolded like everything, jus
for nothing at all, and am very misera
i blel Just hear the boys shouting out
doors, and the people laughing and talk
! ing, as they GO alongle It's downrigh
mean in them when they-might know tha
there isn't to be any Christmas in ou
4 house. I wish they would be still!
wish was deadl''
J "Ally, Allys that is wickedP' expostu
lated the gentle tones of the sister.
j IT don't carel where is the sense {
, living,.,i If fellow is never to have an
} fun? Where is the use of being good?--
) If I was the wickedest boy in town,
could not be treated worse than am no,
, How hate this stupid old housed Whe
: am man, and have boys and girls
my own, I mean that Santa Claus sha
come every week and bring them-ol
t such lots of nice thingsl and you sha
3 live with me, Nettie, and we will fl
! dough-nuts and have New Years cak
| every day!"
II .'Ally!" said Nettie, thoughtfully, I'd
you suppose there is such man as San
5 Claus? Mamma says there isn't!''
] II knoao there isf' returned the DO
t confidently. "But he doesn't come to
!. house unless the father and mother of Il
i children that live there send him an inv
! tation. One of the big boys told me S
e to-day. And good fathers and mothe
, always tell HIM what to bring"
: "I was just thinking" resumed Ne
r ties liquid treble, "if our Heaven
P Father knew how very badly we want
: to have Christmas, whether He wouldI
6 send him to us. Suppose pr ay to Hi
e and tell Him all about itl''
o "You may try it'll" was the eonclusi
t Of the embryo skeptic. "But don
e lieve it will do any good
1t In triee, Nettie had slipped upon t
le floor, and was fumbling among heap
?, lclothes laid upon chair. Mr.. Dryd
If watched her curiously.
a "Now, Ally" he heard her say, PR
e emily. "Here are the clean stockings tt
9 Ellen got out for us to put on to MORO
i'd Mamma wouldn't like it if We hung thu
IN up ourselves, SO I will just lay them
is the foot of the bed. If Santa Claus sht
- come, maybe he can pin them up for u
IS. Then, sinking to her knees,she put
d. hands together and raised her pure Fl
is angelic in the fathers sightAas
ae moonbeam revealed its expression of me
is devotion. -.s.-.5. s..
IN ssOur Father who art in Heaven! pie
RS make us good and happy, and let US b
er merry Christmas. If there is any s
of ia Claus, please let him come to our ho
ng to night, for he has never been here in
as our lives, and this makes us very sol
stl Bless dear papa and mamma, and dc
m let us think hard Of them, or say naug
to.Ethings about them, only because Il
n don't know how little children f