The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-25
GhAGttelliaettfer
KATY GRAY'S CHRISTMAS.
How Thannf,.Ineas ror common Bless.
Ings Brings Contented spirit.
n Me Springfield Republiean,

bonnet on Christmas eve, as she stool
gazing at the pictures In the shop win
dow. Not that anything In particular
allied Katy; she had no new sorrow
and she was not sick; 1t was only thai
II was Christmas eve. For these ami
versaries are TO each one flood. It'd,
either of Joy or sadness, rs the case
may be.
Aud Katy Gray, who was now q
sewing girl, while she looked at the en-
craving Of an English kitchen deoora'
ted for the Christmas festival, was re-
membering the time when she was the
pet OF such family gathering In the
dear old English home now In the
hands Of strangers. She had come To
America only two years before, with
her father aud mother; now she was an
orphan, and Obliged to earn her living
In u humble way. She was sad and
sometimes hopeless; her quiet ways had
won her friends, but she shrank from
their offered sympathy into the shadow
of her grief. She was faithful In her
service, patient and uncomplaining,
but II was sad TO see such n look Oi
palned endurance on so young u face,
II was weary work, loillng for her daily
bread, and hardly doing more than to
secure II.
Aud Katy had painful sense OF not
being necessary TO any living soul; she
could do nothing, she thought, TO make
any one happier, she was nothing but
a poor homeless girl, adritt upon the
world. Perhaps she did not take the
little opportunities that offered; per-
haps she was too pre-occupled with her
sadness, and the hope Of some sudden
and great relief, TO notice them. Pos.
slbly, too, she did not set the true value
on her youth and health, and abilities.
She was not alone In making such mis-.
takes. II she went home tired from
her work some evenings, and found no
mothers care TO sooth her into forget
iulness OF the days trials, was II
strange that she did not think Of try
ing to Amuse her landlady's sick little
daughter, or that, Instead Of sitting for
an hour beside the cradle OF her fellow
boardsr's baby, SO that It's mother could
get u breath OF fresh air, she had q good
long cry all by herself, and uursed her
grief instead OF conquering III No,
we cannot blame her; only there was a
better way, and Katy was 10 find II.
II was Christmas eve, AS we said, and
II so happened that on this day, OF all
days In the year, she had been TO the
place on her list which she most dis
liked; TO u house, which could not be
called home, where Thoroughly
heartless woman and her frivolous
daughter made the day one of petty
vexatlons that wore upon even Katy
Gray's patient spirit. She had seen,
too, the Christmas gifts in store for each
member OF the family, and though she
knew that affection had little TO do
with their interchange, II had been a
bitter thought that no such remem.
brance awaited her; that there were
none OF her kindred to give her even II
"Merry Christmas" on the morrow.
Even the announcement of her inten.
ton OF taking Il holiday had been re-
ceived with displeasure, and one oil
the young ladies had asked her what
was the use Of her stopping work when
she had no friends TO 20 to.
Katy had answered quietly that she
never had been accustomed to work
on Christmas day, aud wns iutlexible
Notwithstanding the fears expressed
that certain party dresses would not bt
done In season for Christmas ball.
All these things made her even more
out OF spirits than usual AS she camt
4. ..-VNul, lao fE1nnRNVNI uN il,E
cracking snow, among the crowds O.
people out on pleasant Christmas or
rands. Suddenly familiar strain o
music arrested her attention. Sht
looked up; she was passing church
and the choir were singing an old an
them which she had heard year Aftel
year In her English home. She stop
ped,-and finally, drawn by the IRE
sistible music, went In and took sea-
In the nearest pew. The music ceased
but still she stayed, for the familiar
prayers and Christmas lessons touched
her Ms never before. The house OF the
Lord was u home for the stranger
That glorious chapter for the day, thG
Goth OF Isaiah. which is never read
without lifting up and comforting
some heart, cOmIorted her, The scr
mon, a thanksgiving for the blessing
which the service commemorated, had
too, a message for her. "If we adore
said the preacher, "the wonderful good
will Of God 10 US, let us remember thai
our best worship Is the imitation, as iui
as II Is In our power, OF that holy hu
man life which began In Bethlehem
IL any one too exalted to copy his hui
milIty7 He was God as well as man
and He stopped TO relieve the distress
OF the outcast and the vile. Is any one
too poor and too insignificant TO find
any work for Him. He had not where
10 lay His head /; lie was despised and
rejected Of men yet out OF His power
~ He made many rich. sympathy
kind words, the bearing OF anolher't
urdeu,-theSO nre the best gifts. and
they are In the power OF ALL"
Katy did not hear much more than
this, but she bad new thought, and
before she raised her head Hfter the
benediCtiOn 1t had grown into u prayer
and Il purpose. Yes: she had been sell
fish. But was there something that
she could do for the ChrIst-Child there
and thenY One thing, surely; she
could be thankful and forget her sor.
rows on that day, II on no other. And
Hhe would.
Going out with brighter face than
she had worn on entering, she was
again 10 the crowd, and hud nearly
reached her boarding place when III a
shop window where toys Of all sorts
were tempIinRly displayed, sho no.
ticed some dolls and remembered how
poor sick little Lucy had longed lol
one. "Her0 IL something can do, al
least" thought she. ar | have no
body to give melanythiug, l will try tC
find comfort IN giving, even little, tC
sombody."
So Katy went In and bought doll
She could not afford TO get one ready
dressed, but she had some pieces 0
silks and ribbons In basket ut home
and she could sit upH little later aud
do II. How hoTd II must he 10 be sick
and not able TO go out, or take care O
ones self, she thought, for the tirH
time remembering her own uninler
rupted hea has blessing that she had
moi appreciated. Reaching her room sht
Uuilt n fire, drew up her little table to
II, aud rat down to dress the doll that
II might be put at Lucy's bedside before
she should wAke In tho morning.
Somehow, h0r room had never look
cd 40 cosy 10 her. The few old piCluTel
she had hung about the walls seemed
10 smile upon her as cOntentedly m III
the family rooms where they used L
hang. There would be no Christina,
bells In this new country TO be seen
no Christmas singers In the streets; buI