The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-01-11


? looked rubbing away to rub the fresh, sweet
rain drops off from her che Is. and tugging
at Marks overceat to help him off with it.
and pouring out his coffee with tile baby
in her arms, and Peter and Johnny, and
Mollie and Jim, and Dolly the little, nndg-
ing her elbows as plea for their supper,
and Zeke looking on all delighted from the
rocking chair. And werent they all very,
, very merry t..lsa- T s-- sia
So Christmas Eve howled itself away in
} the storm without, sud laughed itself away
!, by the sweet home fires within, and the
beautiful golden Christmas came, with it's
crown of pure soft snow, an shimmering
sunlight and the bells ringing glad and
high from the old church towers And
with it came the Child who bad come two
thousand years ago, stealing down, down
into the hearts that waited for him. leaving
each whispered message that nope but be
and it should know. ts.ts1 .4ls,i s4a74f
Mr.. Gilbert Cruncher had dined alone at
his stately table on which was spread his
stately Christmas dinner; Grinders, whose
hopes had slowly reduced to the melancholy
dimensions of quarter, and seen them
faulty fading away in the dessert spoons;
MIR. Cruncher had taken his afternoon nap
and read his afternoon paper, and waited for
his afternoon mail, and then Nh Cruncher
with his brows hanging heavily over his
hidden eyes. started out for walk sus-
picious observer might have conceived the
idea that Mr.. Cruncher was restless; but
perhaps it was only chicken Ia creme At
any rate, Mr.. Crunchers brows hung very
heavily, when he told Grinders particularly,
on starting, that no beggars should be let
inside the door that day, he had had enough
Of them. Did be hear? Not one. Grinders
heard. Then Mr.. Cruncher put on his hat
and went out asa ss.s- o5e oUA
Surely the Child had passed this man by,
had he not Passed him by and forgotten
him, and left no whispered message for him
that only they two should know. How could
he turn aside from the sweet home fires and
weary himself with pleadings at this locked
| heart that had not watched and waited for
! him ...
Mr. Gilbert Cruncher walked back and
forth and to and fro, and wandered the
streets until twilight Restless was Mr.
Cruncher? He would have assured you 1t
was the chicken .Io.f..
And while ile walked he came at last to
q little window behind which the lamp was
just lighted. and the red curtain was push
ed aside. Behind the curtain was bit of
a plcture-when were there not pictures be-
hind that curtain Pa little rounded, ROSY
baby; down in the lamphght, and faces of
children upturned and happy; tiny Christ
mas toys, too. scattered about
Mr. Gilbert Cruncher was not an amateur
IN the fine arts but nevertheless he stood
there looking in at this little picture, and
thought, with the line that marked where
his lips should be, relaxing, that it was
really very pretty. Now Mr.. Cruncber was
Mrs. Dolly Dryden's landlord so MIR.
Cruncher, finding the picture 30 pretty,
thought he would go in and make CALL
make friendly call. And really, that
made Mr.. Cruncher remember that it was
Christmas, and before he knew it, the line
where his lips should be began to soften and
soften. So Mr.. Cruncher knocked, and John
ny opened the,door. -a9.W
Oh my goodness gracious cried Dolly,
jumping up and dropping the baby. Why
MIR. Cruncher, Sir J. adj
How do you do, Mrs. Dryden p said Mr..
Cruncher, bringing his hand down on john
nys head with vague idea of patting it;
which resulted iE conviction of Johnny s
that he was about to be scalped, and setting
up there at scream that did justice even
to Johnny H,
oh! mercy on me = said Dolly Johnny
be still Mr.. Cruncher, won't you take a
seat, sir Mark has just gone out-he will
be very sorry, sir
And oh ! he was going to raise the rent,
thought poor little Dolly and picked up
the baby, and sat down quite pale But
not word said Mr.. Cruncher of rent-only
looking around the cosy room. rtt
Your young people seem to be having a
nice time here Mrs. Dryden Aud Dolly
could hardly believe her ears, but she
thought Mr.. Cruncher sighed
| oh yes, sir-indeed they have, sir. And
the best OF it was the poor creature that
came last night-he's been playing with
them all day, and we made the turkey go
round, sir, easy, after ALL Bless my soul /!
never saw such poor creature 11., .re
oh begger 2 said Mr. Cruncher.
Yes, sir, and he wasn't quite right in his
mind, sir, and said he'd come to find Christ
mas-just think of that, sir, poor thing |!
poor thing!-that there was nobody to give
him any y ass.a
oh y said Mr.. Cruncher. And then the
shaggy brows came down over his eyes till
Dolly was quite frightened, and til fought the
rent was surely coming. as
and so you took him in, this-this imbe-
Gle !? said MIR. Cruncher after pause.
Dear me, sir who could do anything
else he dripping away on the steps, and SO
cold, sir.
| And, indeed, sir, think he brought
blessing OF an angel or something with him.
for never such a merry Christmas saw in
all my days. 10 see hm banging up his
/ little ragged stocking with the rest of ZEN.
did-it would have mnde you cry, Mr..
Cruncher.
/ And to see when he found the scraps |
took out Of the chiIdrens and put into his
they never missed EN-, sir, and to see
him bold EN- up an laugh-only one or
two sugar-plusus and such, sir. and to see
him take hold OF that turkey, and call it
Christmas sir = -t..-...
] Dolly felt for her apron Just there but she
hadn't any on so she hid her face in the
baby's neck instead.
Mr.. Cruncher looked out of the window
Presently
What are you going to do with this
% hem! this imbecile, Mrs Dryden You
will find it troublesome getting rid of him
now, am afraid Is w.
\ i don't know, sir, said Dolly, with the
dimple coming back Mark and [ haven't
thought so far yet. We couldn't turn him
off till Christmas vas over anyways, of
course, Mark says, which was SO very good
f of him sir /; and now he's taken him off for
walk with Peter. else you might see the
poor thing, sir, and Dolly looked around at
the happy upturned faces, Mark and me, we
were saying last night how hard it was tn
: see poor thing like that wandering, all
about the world do wish you could see
him. SIR
oh it is OF no consequence, said Mr..
) Cruncher, rising, with the hidden eyes quite
impenetrable, none in the world Good
evening, Mrs Dryden se
9 And then the door opened. and in came
Peter aud Zeke tumbling boisterously over
each other. and Mark stonnino short MIL, his