The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-25
The School Girls Christmas Eve

at il all decided at last" said Rosy Bow,
ers, dancing into the music room where her
friend Stella was practicing. Miss Shep-
ard is willing we should have Christmas
Tree, and you and ! are on the committee to
decide all about it. They need not have
been particu ar to put us both in, for we
should be sure to think exactly alike In any
ease-shouldn't we darling?"
Stella gave nod and smile TO her merry
little companion. and then kept on with her
practicipg as faithfully as if her music master
was standing over her 1t was not her way
to slight her duties for her pleasures.
Come now, Stella just stop that racket |
for second and talk sensibly with me on
this important subject, that darling.
. In fifteen minutes. Rosebud said Stel>
la, gancing at the clock There are two
nice letters for you to read meanwhile - and
she drew from her pocket two long and mar
row envelopes with blue initials on the seal,
which quite appeased the little lady.
II there is anything schoolgirls like better
than box OF goodies from home, it is a
handful Of letters when the mail-box is
brought in and they often seem as delight
ed in reading over the lengthy epistles Of
their companions as with their own.
The committee met in the school-room af
ter study hours, end gravely proceeded to
discuss the matter uppermost IN every one
mind. 1t was requested by Miss Shepherd
that the gifts should be inexpensive, and
derive their value rather from the taste and
beauty with which they were made up and
the affection that prompted the gift. The
day scholars were all TO be invited, and
busr time those thirty pair OF little hands
must have for the next three weeks. To add
still further to the interest of the occasion,
Miss Shepherd decided to distribute the pri>
res for the session on Christmas Eve.
Poor Mary Webb sat alone in the small
attic loft. which was the only spot she could
call her own in that home of poverty. She
had wrapped her old shawl about her, and
by the light Of the poor Pickering candle,
strove to learn lesson for the morrow. Butt
her thoughts wandered now and then away
from the page before her which was not
often the case with the dillgent young stu
dent.
Al dare say it will be beautiful sight,
she said TO herself, gazing off, dreamiy, at
the old weather>s stained board. and bare RAT
tiers Of her garnet room. 9 The girls will all
be dressed so bright, aud the Christmas Tree
is TO be blazing with little colored lights.
How should love TO see it, but Christmas
times do not come around for me, she
thought, sadly.
Alas, poor orphaned Mary II had been
her lot q to eat the begrudged bit and drink
the begrudged sup ever since the sad day
that wrote her motherless. But had she for
got the babe of Bethlehem and the Man of
sorrows whose heart of love is ever open and
Overlooking for his sorrowing ones2 All.
mol it was for just such hearts as hers that
Christmas times came round with all their
holy memories
a | might 60" she thought, eff | only
had dress TO wear. The girls treat me
kindly, aud oh, it would be Joy enough to
feel the warm clasp Of her hand and see the
look of affection she always has for me. No
bic, beautiful Stella she seems like an angel
star indeed to my poor heart. How wish /
could make her some little GIFT but what
have to bestow? she thought, almost in
bitterness But this is not nv lesson ~
and she took up her book with sudden ener-
Ky, while she looked ansiousiy at the rapidly
lessening bit of candle. She put back all
thoughts OF the bright festival which was the
dream of all the school girls by day and by
night, and the iron hand of duty kept them
in place, while she applied all her energies
TO the task befor her. The last flicker of
candle light found her at the last paragraph
and hastily disrohing with her benumbed fin
gers, she crept into her humble bed. With
command of memory uncommon 10 one 80
young, she rapidly ran through the lesson in
her mind. before she suffered her eyes to
close IN sleep. She was possessed OF good
mind naturally. but possibly her unfavoring
surroundings had developed its strength and
depth much more than life of ease and
comfort might have done.
AS the important evening drew near, the
hurry and hustle grew more intense. Every
spare minute was given to the dainty affairs
in zephyrs, silks, and beads which seemed to
to abound on every hand, and the difficulty
was to keep things secret which ought not
to be revealed until the proper time. But
You may trust q company Of bright schools
girls for that. stranger might have i'm
agined that a grand fancy fair was about to
come of, for the purpose Of building 4
church, or some such trif1e, judging BY the
appearance of the preparations Mary had
coutrived little gift for her friend after all,
though a. humble Is her own lot in life. Ii
was simply fair, graceful hand, cut ont o.
pure white paper, with fancy colored hear,
woven into the palm. 1t was only book,
mark, but it required exquisite taste and
elk TO fashion it so delicately. Mary would
not think of offering TO put it on the tree
but gave ii privately to her friend the day
before. Stella threw one arm about thu
slight figure, and kissing her pale cheeks
said
s'Come early tomorrow evening, darling
there will be some gifts for you, which hap
II