The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-01-18
ing hush, and loid little fingcr on hier red

meah 70 condemn them to total silence, but
only to secure himself hearing, and then con-
tinucd his story: ,F,
ut was Christmas Eve, in Wittemberg, and
stormy night it was but from the window of
my dreary room In the inn, tho snow "a it
whirled silently along the streets shaping out
the forms of the queer old gable roofs, and
covering the rough streets with its beautiful
white folds looked 80 much more like Christ
mas and even comfort than my great barren
room, with its tall, odd stove, its stone floor,
and the one dim lamp, that turned from the
window, wrapped myself up as well as 1 could,
and started out for walk L felt lonely
enough for awhile, can tell you; stranger
always must on such night, when every one
else has home and a ireside to go to, and he
can only fancy what his looks like far across
the ocean. I tell you didn't think it fine
thing, just then, to be in Germany on Christ
mas Eve as Charley imagines. Some of the
streets looked bright enough with their store
windows all glow with Christmas lights and
brilliant with toys, and in many of them
Christmas trees all lighted up, and figures of
Santa-Claus, with his pack on his back, filed
with all manner of Playthings, peeping out
from amidst the branches of pine and holly.
Inside the shops, too, the groups of men, with
their pipes in their mouths, looked Jolly and
comfortable enough in tho warmth and tho
blaze
There werc plenty Of people in the streets
but they all seemed to ME to have busy i'm.
portant look, and most of them held such
tempting quecr.shapcd parcels in their hands
that they only set me thinking of the times
you were all having at home, trying to guess
from the odd packages that were handed in
what you were to see next day. There were
woman in tho Streets too, Notwithstanding the
snow, comfortable looking faces, hurrying along
to their humble homes, where nevertheless,
thero was something OF Christmas most of
them carried baskets on their arms from which
pccped forth some remembrance of Christmas
fare, while their clumsy wooden shoes left
brOad tracks in the new fallen snow. From
solnc'of the windows as passed 1 could al
ready see the lights Of tie Christmas trees !
knew them by a silvcry radiance they shed
out upon the snow; often, too, heard the
sound OF music aud the hymns which tho Ger
r.*n people are SO fond Of singing on Chritmas
Eve can tell you, young people, it was
dreary enough to be wandering about outside,
going nowhere, and having nothing at all to do
with all the merriment and expectations No
thing pleasant to think about either; but just
to picture to myself what each and every one
was doing around the Christmas fire at home,
the good house mother, as tho Germans say, in
the midst, and sister Lille aud nll the little
ones, and wonder If every thing was just the
same as it was the last Christmas I was home,
until after awhile l nearly forgot these strange
people in their selfish Christmas happiness, and
came back with start to find myself almost
stumbling over q dark bundle, which the snow
drift had half covered"
tho little birdie; did you take it right up and
warm it?"
II believe called it birdie, but it was
really little girl, not older than Charlie,
crouched down beside the steps of a house,
quite bcnumbed with cold and misery. tried
t0rouse her, ana nnu out where her home was.
but the poor little thing was too cold and stiff
to speak, and only gazed at me with her pitiful,
frightened eyes, while she graspcd in her little
stiffepcd hands some branches of evcrgreens
and few red berries. which she must have
boon trying to SELL tell you what, children,
it was sad sight as you could we'll see /: this
poor, homeless. triendlcss little one out in the
storm and cold, md the light Of the Christmas
candles falling on hor whore she lay in the
pure snow from the bright windows above.
was just enough of wandoror myself that
night to tcel moro than usually for this little
forsaken ono"
"What did you do brother?" said Willie,
whose earnest: quiet oyes had been fixed upon
Henry with breathless attention : ''not leave
her there in the snow ?"
Of course not, Willio," said Fred; "you
children ask such silly questions" And Mas.
ter Fred, with his fourteen years of expo.
rience, looked quite superior.
"Well, but you know, mother wasn't thoro
70 take hor home to; 1t wasn't like finding the