The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-02-02

/ More precious than wealth or renown.
a=----tt-lA-A--=7t- IT II ezztttt----z4-=
|. Christmas AZ THE III ON G 80 =
| Yes. we had christmas at the VII one;'
and a night merry one too. Though the
richest of Heavens gifts, a mother kiss, a
fathers presence cheered not our Orphaned
ones, though the heart that loved, tte hand
that wond have bestowed the welcome pres
ent, having gone forth to battle for our
country to shield our homes from desola-
tion, lay cold and still beneath Southern
soil; yet our kind Heavenly Parent moved
many noble Leart to generous contr1bn
tons for the happiness Of the soldiers
child, so that, while many a. favored home,
all over our fair State, was ringing with
merry shout AID joyous glee, at the Home
of the Soldiers Orphan was scene oyer
whiohiangelsl might. rejoice and on which
the brave spirits of the departed fathers look
ing, forgot, Tor a wbife-Tfeavern..' 'i"'s
For seyeral days previous to christmas
came bales and packages, from Des Moines,
. p
iowa City, Davenport, Eddyville, Keosau.
qua, Bentonsport Pennington and Danville,
which gave rise. to mysterious wiisperipgs
among the older ones, and caused little
eyesto wopderr because, instead ofheing
opehed and theirscontenss distrihnted as
usual these packages were quietly locked
in the store seon. nis f'a-
g But when at last on Saturday those same
little eyes caught,a glimpse Of green tree
accompanying a box and child's rocking
char from Burlington Visions ,ofa little.
jolley old man, loaded down with toys and
candy and nuts, and christmas trees and
well filed stockings danced before them.
= Sunday morning, came, a quiet "Meriy
christmas" passed from lip to lip.
Nothing more Breakfast, prayers and
Sabbath schoo! went on as usual.
Evening pspsers fsme-ths aiie. !'good
night" and the order for retiring were heard
and still the mystery was unsolved. Were
then all those bright visions suggested by
that glimpse of. green illusory? Was the Or
pban to have TO christmas gifts to cheer his
lonely heart? Doubtless many little eye
dropped tear on the pillow that night as
the thought came of christmas at home,
when papa was there, and brought the
beautiful present. and mamma made such
nice cake and pie, and brother Eddie and
Willie and sister Minnie all were there, aud
they were so happy together, and then of
another christmas, that came after he had
heard the sound Of The drum. and watched
the Soldiers go by, and felt proud that pa
was among them, after he had watched the,
tears falling from his mothers eyes as she
sat and sewed and bad seen her tuyn pale
when the morning paper came, after she
elapsed him in griel's wild embrace, and
told him epa was dead ~
! Obi how sad was ehristmas, with no pa, :,
no presents, and ma crying all the time,
was this to be another, sad christmas, like
last
Wait little one, "Sorrow endureth but for
night, joy come.h in the morning" \
On Monday no bell at nine SUMMONED
fifty little feet to the accustomed school
rpom, but out in the yard, or on the pond
and in the play room each forgot in, joyous
sport his pleasing anticipations and subse I
quent Disappointment. IA, ,s.s ,,... G. ..a.7'
= But the dinner hour, with it's turkeys
chicken pies and mice fixpgs," never be-
fore seen on that frugal table. aroused again
all those bright christmas visions. Surely.
st. Nicholas has not forgotten them--the
tree n'ay come Jet, yes .cblldren, It win.
come Fingers are nov busy With box and.
package, and'a tree ten ifeetiin diameter and
reaching to the ceiling is loaded from lowest
branch to topmost .kqqgh with warm fan !.
peis. stockings, mitters, skates, tops, balls,
whistles, bngses, jews hsrps, jumping jacks /
knives and toys Of every absorption, boxes
Of marbles, candy and snutsr-reyerr,y thing
that hats could warm the body or the heart Of d
child; another. little beauty from the n,irs,
sery of Neelly Brother & Book, ,of, Buriinr, /
ton, is made still more beautiful by the pres,
ence Of thirty dollars gracefully reposips
amid its greenery and many tiny flags wsv1
ing from its 5oughs. <e .9e e sa n 80
! Christmas dinner over, the younger child
rem are dismissed to their play, the older
boys proceed TO their accustomed duties Of
Feeding the cattle and getting in the wood !,
while the older girls clear the tables. : The
hour Of six arrives. u SA d lis 9f II
J Visitors having been previously admitted.
the doors leading from the spacious dining
room into the hall and school-room are
thrown. open andethe children. two by two,
come marching in and gather around the en-.
chanting tree. Pen now essays in vain to
depict the scene completely lost in won.
der and delight they stand silent with UP
turned eye. ana faces radiant with Joy, ga
zing on the bright vision before then, more
then realizing all the fairy dreams with
which their childish imagination ever in
vested Santa Claus and christmas tree ;
while the beholders look on with tears q
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