Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-02-09
Gbe yntelligenttr,
The Iowa Orphans Home.

rused with interest by all the friends
Of Soldiers Orphans every where:
Yes, we had Christmas at the
Home; and right merry one too.
Though the richest of Heavens gifts,
mothers kiss, a fathers presence,
cheered not our Orphaned ones, though
the heart that loved, the hand that
would have bestowed the welcome
present, having gone forth to battle
for our country to shield our homes
from desolation, lay cold and still be.
meath Southern soil; yet our kind
Heavenly Parent moved many a noble
heart to generous contributions for the
happiness of the soldiers child, so that,
while many q favored home, all over
our fair State, was ringing with merry
shout and joyous glee, at the Home of
the Soldiers Orphan was a scene over
which angels might rejoice, and on
which the brave spirits Of the depart
ed fathers looking, forgot, for while
Heaven. ..~
For several days previous to Christ
mas came bales and packages from
Des Moines, Iowa City, Davenport,
Eddyville, Keosauqua, Bentonsport,
Pennington and Danyille, which gave
rise to mysterious whisperings among
the older ones, and caused little eyes
to wonder because, instead of being
opened and their contents distributed
as usual, these packages were quietly
locked in the storeroom.
But when at last on Saturday those
same little eyes caught glimpse Of a
green tree accompanying box and
Child's rocking chair from Burlington,
Visions of little jolly old man, load
ed down with toys and candy and nuts,
and Christmas trees and well filled
stockings danced before them.
Sunday morning came, and q quiet
Merry Christmas passed from lip
to lip.
Nothing more I! Breakfast prayers
and Sabbath school went on as usual
Evening prayers came--the quiet
"good night" and the order for retir-
ing was heard and still the mystery
was unsolved. Where then all those
bright visions suggested by that
glimpse of green illusory9 Was the
Orphan to have no 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 pa
pa was there, and brought the beauti-
full present, and mamma made such
nice cake and pie, and brother Eddie
and Willie and sister Minnie all were
there, and they were 80 happy togeth-
er, 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 had seen her turn
pale when the morning paper came,
after she had closely clasped him in
grief's wild embrace, and told him
"pa was dead!
Oh how sad was that Christmas,
with no pa, no presents, and ma cry
ing all the time, was this to be anoth-
er sad Christmas, like the last
Wait little one, Sorrow endureth
but for night, JOY cometh in the morn
ing" .s
On Monday no bell at nine summon
ed fifty little feet to the accustomed
school room, but out in the yard, or on
the pond and in the play-room each
forgot in joyous sport his pleasing an
ticipations and subsequent disappoint-
ment.
But the dinner hour, with its tur-
keys and chicken-pies and "nice fix
ings," never before seen on that frugal
table, aroused again all those bright
Christmas visions. Surely, st. Mich
olas has not forgotten them-the tree
may come yet, yes children, it will
come. Fingers are now busy with
box and package, and tree ten feet
in diameter and reaching to the ceiling
is loaded from lowest branch to top
most bough with warm fannels, stock
ings, mittens, skates, tops, balls, whis-
ties, bugles, jews-harps, jumping
jacks, knives and toys Of every des-
cription, boxes of marbles, candy and
nuts-every thing that could warm
the body or the heart Of child an
other, q little beauty from the nursery
of Nelly, Brother & Rock, of Burling-
ton, is made still more beautiful by the
presence Of thirty dollars gracefully
reposing amid its greenery and many
tiny flags waving from its boughs.
Christmas dinner over, the younger
children are dismissed to their play,
the older boys proceed TO their accus-
toned duties Of feeding the cattle and
getting in the wood, while the older
girls clear the tables. The hour of
six arrives.
Visitors having been previously ad-
mitted. the doors leading from the spa
cious dining room into the hall and
school-room are thrown open and the
children, two by two, come marching
in and gather around the enchanting
tree. Pen now essays in vain to de-
pict the scene-completely lost in
wonder and delight they stand silent
with upturned eye, and faces radiant
with joy. gazing on the bright vision
before them, more than realizing all
the fairy dreams with which their
childish imagination ever invested
Santa Claus and Christmas tree while
the beholders look on with tears of
Joy and mnrInurs Of I" How happy"
"They deserve it all, Dear children
of our dead heroes" Heaven bless
the givers."
For . moment they stand thus. and
then the purely joyous laugh, the mer-
~ shout Of satisfied childhood rings
out.
How we wish that each donor to
that tree could have seen that happy
group and. heard the welcome his or
her gift received. The first gush Of
gladness over, the matron babe them
be seated, when song written for the
occasion by lady Of Des Moines. and
other appropriate patriotic pieces were
sung-after which the gifts were dis.
tributed. So abundant were they that
l.. Al