The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-01-25
SELECTED STORY.
from the Baltin; ore Episcopal Methodist. ]
BROTHER TER +HENRY'S !.
Christmas Story.
(Concludetl.)

(Concludetl.) / .Gy;ssi,
Initruth: the gentle, earnest German girl,
with her fair face and hopeful why's that .were
so like sister Lilies" had made more than a
passing impression upon the young travellers
heart, and even now The had strong hopes of
some time winning her to brighten his home
across the ocean. Of this, however, the boys
knew nothing; it was only sister Lllie who
had OWNED it ALL as shc, ,alwaus did with her
quick sympathy, and had already prepared a
place in her heart for that othcr!eldcst sister
from her quiet German home ,;..a
II wish you could have secn," resumed II en-
ry, "the eager, curious circle, when VIC, ,cutcyed
the parlor; the good father had just been pre-
pairing for the ceremony Of lighting up the
Chri 'tnlas tree in another room when had
caused the interruption, aud NOW they must all
wait until the mother and sister Ncttic could
be spared from tbc;r LABOR OF love with, their
{ little Sanderer." .';,Y ce,
| The children wcrj full of curiosity about the
little 'silow,naiden" who had laid at their door
on Christmas eve, so like tho little Gretchen in
Hans, Anderson's beautiful tale, which the
German children almost known by heart. PEI
hnps they did not express .lthcir excitemcu.
quite as noisily as their = mcrican cousins would
have done, hut their little lvund checks glowcd,
and tire big blue eyes danced just MS eagerly
as 1havc seen in some little faces not fur of.
on other Christmas days. iil.,, l;i..tgl,of
| 1t was pretty enough picture as they gath
| aroIc ,,r,A k1os. ,C.<l,, Al 4 l. 4
who had just le;rncd to toddle alonglby chair,
Fgrasping papa'u knee and laying his rosy cheeks
against it /; the two demure little girls, Grat.,
and Nina, looking so German, with their faxcn
hair hanging in two smooth pls;:s OIL each side
OF the round, fair faces, their blve, wide open
eyes, and bright cherry-colore1 bo,liccs, and
short .skirts; then -the,.wo boys, Herman and
Fritz, jolly fellows enough even for Charlcy's
liking then the sober, student-like brother,
Godfre, aud over in the corner by the stove,
keeping steadily on with her knitting, in tho
midst OF all the hustle, rather stern, sad-look.
ing middle-aged lady, whom the children called
! Aunt Katariue, bntwhom Herr kaufman in
trodnced TO me by the Ebglish-soundipg name
OF Madame Lestcr.>5 1J7 snu sansuiso
"Thc good Christ-child has,sent you gift,
| my Children" said the father; 'sHe could not
conc to bo with US Himself, tonight, SO He
has sent one of his dear little ones instead ;
He wishes to. make the little snow-maiden vel
come for His sake, this Christmas night. Let
each one Of us, my children, strive, what we
can do for the little one the kind Christ-child
has sent US, that she may learn what this hap:
ny Christmas means" h,-.dH
AS the good father glanced from one to
another of his own rosy, happy flock, staid
German ds he was, I could hear that his voice
rev husky, and even fancicd that his eye
might h:ve become o little dim, as think
:, "rs would, if You had seen the contrast be-
~, 49,, ESQ children, in their bright happy
homo tbe;r hear. dancing with Joyous expce-
tntions, md just on the o... sia" oi that cold
stone wall, the poor little homeless girl, With
that pitiful branch of Christmas grcer, the
moaning of which she little understood with
the keen wind sweeping ever her, and the cold
white snow the only shelter she could find;
the Christmas beams, shed such chill, silvcry
light over her poor, snowwct curls.
V At length the mothers step was heard de-
scepding the stairs, and half-adozcn little feet
ran out 10 meet her, while the little tongues
poured forth list Of excited questions
Little Agnos--for thus she had given her
name--had quito revived; warm rest in a
soft bod tonight would quite restore her.. But
alas ! she had no home, aho said, and seemed
to have no friend to look for her coming back.
Two days before. and saw the tqars cleaning
in the good Inothera Jeyaet they had hidden
hor ncthcr under the snow, and thpt a4lorpip,g