The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-12-20

his sister I" And only look at that big
horse, Nina he's big enough for me to ride
isn't heS I'd look Just like the emperor if
was on his back
"No," laughed Nina, for you haven't
got any beard, and don't dress so fiue."
SO they stood long time looking at this
thing and that, and breaking out every
minute into new exclamations of delight,
until some one came to light the candles
which shown out one after the other like
stars, aud twinkled merrily among the dark
evergreen branches and over the gay twigs.
The shupkeeper too, catching sight Of the
two little faces, nodded pleasantly to them
so that he seemed to the children like
good genius presiding over this wonderful
fairy land. At last they turned 10 go home
aud their little cheeks burned aud their
eyes danced with excitement. talking aud
wondering Of what they should find in their
stockings 10 morrow
They were nearly home, when they saw,
sitting on doorstep, a little girl. crying
as if her heart would break. The evening
was very cold, but our, little excited
children had not thought of it in their
warm clothes. But Nina shiverel as she
saw how the poor little girls teeth chat
tered. as she tried to pull her thin shaw
closer around her. The children stoppeu q
and looked at her minute wonderingly
and sorrowfully. Then little Nina said
What makes you cry, little girlP didn't
know children ever cried Christmas eve."
20, | am so cold, miss, so very cold"
she answered with shiver.
But why don't YOU wear something
warmer then ?" asked Nina. Cant your
mamma make you warm cloak like miner
al haven't got any mamma, and my papa
hasn't got any money to buy one"
"Why don't he get some thcnp" said
Peter. who, verify believe, thought that
money lay around loose, aud all people had
to do was to help themselves, aud don't
suppose he had an idea how hard his
father found it TO get enough to supply
their simple wants.
Hes sick aud oau't get any, and we
are so hungry, papa aud H. replied the
child.
Hungry cried Nina, to whom it was
a new idea that good bread aud milk were
not to be had for the asking.
Yes, we haven't had anything to eat
to-day, and the people only laugh when
tell them so. They don't believe it, but in.
deed it's all true "
81 haven't got any money at ALL" said
little Nina, much puzzled bat if you
will come home with us, III give you some
of my supper. My name is Nina, and this
is my brother Peter" she added, rs the
little girl rose up to accompany them.
"What is your name ?"
Catherine" replied the stranger, and
| haven't got any brother"
No mother and no brother! how sorry
the children felt for her.
Perhaps Santa Claus will bring you
| ccn,a nj thinrS "a, ni,,it y cunpnafp1 Nina
20 no, he don't know me at all" answered
Ca'herilo
"rhen you are not good littc girl, for
he knows all the good children; /" said
Peter positively.
40 I'm sure that's not it," cried Cathc-
rine, with a fresh burst of tears. =" It's
only the rich ones that he knows. for did
hang up my stocking once, the only one
| had but Santa Claus didn't come
Wasn't there really anything in il "
cried Peter incredulousIy.
No, nsi a bit of anything, for felt way
down into the toe ever 80 many times and
papa says that Santa Claus don't know any
! thing about poor people like us, replied
the lille girl sadly.
But our children had reached their home,
and in they ran dragging Catherine be-
tween them. AS the mother turned to
welcome her little ones, her eyes flledwith
tears as they fell on tho poor, thinly. clad
little stranger, who presented so strong a
contrast TO her own roHy-cheeked children,
Then there was the story to tell. This W; s
soou told by both Peter and Nina all in
one breath and both speaking at once, so
that the good mother mightshave had some
trouble in understanding, had not little
GATHERINGS face told its own story.
Two bowls of bread and milk were al.
ready standing on the table for the chill.
dren's supper, and the kind mother quickly
added third for Catherine, and gave her
a warm seat b. the fire, and they all three
sat down and ate their supper together.
Very soon the pinched and hungry look
disappeared from The poor little face, aud
the purple numbness from the little limbs,
and the tears were all kissed away by that
same sunbeam which told yon lived al
ways in this happy home. The mother
then gave her loaf of bread and bottle
of milk to take to her father, after which
the child could not be persuaded 20 stay
onger-her "papa was so hungry" she
said. and off she ran with her treasures.
''Poor little thing!" said the mother,
after she had gone; / wish could help
| her and her father"
30 mamma " cried both children, papa
must give us some money aud some new
| clothes"
But, my darling" answered mamma
"papa finds it just as much as he can do
| to get money enough to take care of his
own two little children. lie has to work
very hard aud have all your clothes to
make, besides papa's aud my own, and so
with the house TO take care of you know,
| am always pretty busy. Yuu must try and
think of some other way to help them"
Well, | think it real mear in Santa
Claus not to put anything in her stocking
when he's got such lots of things cried
Nina Indignantly.
As for Peter. he felt sure that there was
something wrong somewhere, and was al
most inclined to think that The fault was
| Catharine's rather than blame his favorite
Santa Claus.
well. good night, children, It is quite
time You were in bed, Santa Claus will be
here before ycu know it, aud if You had
been good children, shouldn't wonder il
he were to put some pretty tbings into
your stockings. Just forget little Catha-
rine, perhaps you will thiuk of some way to
help her"
The children were soon suugly tucked
mp in bed, having first hung their stock.
ings, one on each side of the great chin
ney so that Santa Claus should have no
trouble IN finding them. Then they spent
some time in wondering what they should
fnd there, and that subject exhausted. they
began to talk Of Catbarine. They didn't
see how they could help her, and wondered
what their mother could mean.
Suppose we give her some Of our pres