Litchfield enquirer., 1868-02-13

straw. on which little golden head was Tyr ;nc. The mother could contain herself no longer: She flew across the ! room, and throw herself on her knees by the side of the pallet. My baby, my baby!" she cried. Johnny open ed his blue eyes With LOOK or "ohoer put did not speak. He is dying hoarsely whispered Mrs Timmins, dying of hunger For one moment Mrs. Beuisby turned I away her eyes from her child, Fetch food she motioned with her lips to her husband and he was gone in mo- ment. ThareHasas silence ia thereom till his l return, both women brooding over the chld At last he came ladened with all hef had beenable to seize ina raid of two minutes upon the pastry cooks and followed by a boy bearing stea1ning can of soup. The children oh the floor looked tip and a ray of hope shone upon their white faces. Mrs. Ifmnins helda spoonful of soup to Johnny's mouth, and his mother raised his headas kkind of. .stupor crept, over him, butfhe swallowed the soup, and one or two spo6ifuls more; and then as they laid him down, ( lighs came into the blue eyes and a murmrir ffoin the childish lips, -''Thy will be done. Forgive Us our trespasses as we-1I"t It wsts the right word. It touched the hesr4.strings of both his hearers With aHood of tears, Mrs. Hmmins held ont her hand to the woman who had been the cause of her Husbands ruin, saying, l "Gtod bless You for having come in time to save f:!'he is like my own. l forgive yo,f for lis Iisasabse.''a asabse And the two women
 embraced and kissed each other by the side of the child s poverty stricken bed.
 The sun rose bright and clear on Christ mas Day. 1T About noon Henry Boultoy carried little weak Johnny III his strong arms to a warm cheery lodging Tn healthy neighborhood. Most of the family had moved some hours before, so as to be ready to receive him, and the child looked round with amazement when he had been so1tiy laid On the little white bed in tho corner.
 Mrs BonltLy had decked the room with holly and nistletoe beughs, 2 cosey fire was cracking out it's welcome, kettle was singing on the hob, and the table was spread for the dinner that was already sending out savory whiffs from the adjoining kltch- en. Mrs. Tinimins was there, already be- ginningto smile and beam again, surroun- ded by her children in warm winter dresses and Mrs Boultby waiting on them a1l. Johnnys ideas were vague as to the rela- tionship in which sine stood to him, but he had no objection to find second mother in the loving woman who watched and petted him 30 tenderly.
 Presently in came MT. Timmins, who had been forbidden to make his appearance earlier and his astonishment was sight worth seeing. An armchair had been drawn up to the fireplace, and Henry Boult byis cheery voice invited him into it. As he was about to sit down, he found a bum dle lying on the seat, but he almost let it drop again when he saw what it contained Of all things in the world, Q bran-new Rail- way Inspectors uniform! 'FYes, you are honorabiy reinstated," Henry Boultby was saying, when he recovered from his stupe- faction ''I wish you joy, I'm sure"
 'sNow, little woman, let's have dinner. " They had dinner, and such dinner! There was turkey, of course, and there was roast beef, and there were sausages, and mince- pies, and 8 blazing plum-pudding, and all the delicacies that ever were thought of And what delight Mrs. Boult- by seemed to take in poping these dainties first upon the plate of one and then of an other, and how both she and Mrs. Tim mins kept jumping up to carry tit-bits to little Johnny, and to see that he had every thing he could want. The children, pool things, were very quiet at first; they were not used to lnerriment, and Mfr. and Mrs. Timmins, though their hearts were brim- full of glad thankfulness, were >harsa]Yo prrs
 was really over. But the very spirit oi Christmas seemed to shine out of Henry Boultby's eyes; and to illumine his good
 humored face; he was resolved upon fun, and he was not a man to be daunted.
 Bless you! the stories that he told, the jokes that he made, the absurdities that he perpetrated at that dinner would fill vol
 ume, and the children began first to smile and then to laugh, until, upon the magni
 fcent apparition of the pudding, decked with holly and spouting fire with all its might, he actually extracted genuine shout of baby glee from the youngest which reioiced its mothers ears, and oI which he was as proud as man could be- The Boultbys were in no hurry. They had taken rooms in the same house and meant to live there, so as to be with Johnny with
 out separating him from his friends. An6 when at1ast dinner came to an end, anc the table was pushed close to the little boys bedside, and the family gathered round it, it is my opinion that though there might be many noisier, there was not happier. set of people to be found anywhere in England. Henry Boultby concocted il thetmost artful way steaming bowl ot punch, and over it they shook hands al round, and wished each other; as wisl to you, my: reader, 8 merry Christmas andahappy new year, and many, many te
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