The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-12-28
VOL. XXXV.i
THE CROSS UPON THE THREsH


Christmas eve the snow is ~hirlinE
Thick and fast along she street,
And the sky is dark and goom my,
Wild ths wind and sharp the slset-
Hsrk there family down the pathway,
Comes shs tread Of baby feet.
And behold through all the tempest,
Glidss . tiny, childlke form;
Weary, wandering without shelter,
Lost IN cold, and night. and storm.
"Whence art thou, poor little stranger,
Through the night and through the storm
Far outside the wide plais stretches,
And beyond ars hills Of SNOW;
High above, the black sky low ring,
And the river frouns below.
"W bither, whittier, ia the midnight,
Little lone one wouldst thou 60 ?"
But she hears not, and the snowdrift
browns the voice that bids her stay;
And, afar along the pathway
Speed those little feet away.
Hurrying uhither7 Blessed Saviour
Speed those little feet away.
Feet and hands are cracked and bleeding,
Feet, and hands, and head are bare.
? And the froze1 sleet, like jewels,
Cluster in her golden hair;
Tsttersd garments futser round her,
Battling with the bitter air.
Ahi now shrnks the COW ring infant,
As the fierce gust chlls her throughj
Fo~bly dies her voice Of wallipg,
For her lips stiff and blue,
And the tears cling to her eysllds,
Frozen there IN icy dew.
Onward, through the gathering darkness.
Still she totters in her fight;
Weary. lonely, like pieiAd
Wandering in ths outer night.
Is there no one ? Ia thsrs one,
Keeping for hor warmth and light
Hs there CLEANS sthvart the corner
Ruddy glow from happy homes,
And sweet merry, childish laughter,
Ringing the bleak wind comss;
For tonight they sport all hopeful,
With she Christmas elves and gaoneS.
H.Ppy children Happy parents,
Rl~ssth, roof that shields you here!
Tender father Gentle mnthert
Loving sister! Brother dear!
Not . frown To mar your pleasure,
Every Joy ana comfort near
CHRISTMAS eve, the freight dances
On the pictured parl0r
And apar, In coy chambers,
Gifts are ranged for one aud all
While, below, the blazing kitchen
Sends il cheer through court and hall.
And. there, cleaning past the curtain,
See the glittering Christmas tree
Hung with golden fruits and trinkets.
For the fun that is to be ----
o, the candles o, the treasures
On that glorious Christmas-tree
Then, the ts sbles spread for feas.ing,
Pies, and cakes and comfts piled
Rosy apples nuts, and raisins,
Grapes ~hereon the Troplc smiled
Heaped together-what an Eden,
For that homeless, starving chndi
Now. look on her, where she crouches,
Close beside the friendly door,
While she counts the dancing footstsPs
As they elatter Ger the floor;
They are singing Christmas carols,
Singing t'l their hearts orim Ger
A.d she watches through the ~indov'
l.ttie faces NE her own
bsamiSg with CELESTIAL pleasure
0tossy ringiets backward fhrowni
A. the father clasps hts dariings.
With sweet words she TOO has Known
fiOWsry wreatns that DECK tns manti
Frame this picture, As she peers,
molly twned WITH buds aud roses'
Types OF happy by-gons years
For her, too, they ~ove gay garisnds
In the happy by gone years
And her little heart outbursting.
Wall. aloud its wordle,s woe;
For alas thev sleep together,
This vih NIGHT beneath the SNOW
"Tak. me in. kind Chri.tian people ~%
All these ioys they once were mine
Here die OF cold and hunger"
Heeds her but the Ear Divine!
~ a..
Drows, bells in hidden steeples
Toll the heavy midnight through;
All 10 hushed save distant revel
And the Storm Kings noisy crew.
~ -, L;s, ., r - L;,
Nov. tn. mother hug. her bantiinS
whers il nestIes on her breast;
Age and childhood both are happy
In that heavenly Christmas rest.
= NJ, -, h,,v,, ,.,.;,,s ,,. t,r.,,.
rs.s, Ana no u a.snst i,"1i hAna may o...s
Yielding there 70 Death's c.rs,sI
Thu. thev found her in III. d.vdawn,
knseling With uplifsed eyes,
Ana nsf hsnaI lIis ou's'Fs,snea as I, .na open
While the rosea,e glow WAS rising
In the 6lushing Orient skies
Observation-Disclosures,
Ana Mn ,hs r,f s.ee' nsa 20. 6oana [ nsr F'hsies