The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-01-30
THE NEW YEARS GIFT.

1t was New Years eve; q clustering
night. The wind dashed the frozen sleet
furiously against the sturdy wall of the old
Red Stone Farmhouse, making the bright
nre that was burning in the large old
1ashloned kitchen seem doubly grateful,
and around which were gathered father
Williams, his wife and four children.
The weather bronzed face of the farmer
mad careWorn and discontinued look. Ee
was one of those who make haste to be
rich, and though he is surrounded by
many blessings, and every reasonable want
Is supplied, as the close of the old year
nnds no surplus in his purse, his heart, in
stead of being lifted up with gratitude, is
filled with repinings.
bis gentle, meek broWed wife is sitting
beside him, and her countenance wears a
look OF chastened sorrow, and tears
gilsten IN her eyes as they wander to a
corner OF the room where stands vacant
cradle, from which smiled, week ago,
the rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed boy, upon
whose little grave tonight the snow Is
drifting heavily.
The silence was broken by heavy
knock at the door.
Father Williams Immediately opened it,
revealing respectable, middle-aged col
ored man, who held carefully in his hand
a covered basket
"Does Mrs. Williams live heres" he
inquired.
"She does"
"The lady who buried little child yes
terday?"
eyes"
SWELL, here is New Years present for
her"
Thrusting the basket into the farmers
hands he turned and walked quickly down
hn plnra - IT. tf,r
outlines of covered sleigh, from which
could be distinctly heard the sound Of
stided sobs.
Bewildered and astonished, farmer
Williams carried the basket into the
kitchen, and carefully set it down upon
the table.
As he did Sc he was startled by plain
tive cry; and upon opening it, there lay 9
lovely boy, apparently about three months
old.
Farmer Williams sprang to the door, but
the sleigh and its occupants were nowhere
to be seen.
In the meantime Mrs. Williams and the
children gathered around the basket with
explanations Of surprise and pleasure
As the babe saw the sweet, gentle face thai
| bent over ii, it suddenly stopped crying, anC
| smiling, stretched out its little hands te
her.
The heart of the bereaved mother noW
yearned toward the child, and taking j
up IN her arms, she pressed it fondly to hel
| bosom. Just then the husband came bach
from his fruitless search.
az declare it's an imposition % he ex
| claimed, Stamping the snow off his boots
| "But l won't submit to it. I'll take i
over to the town farm the very first thing
| in the morning"
~ can't bear the idea of its going there
john" said his wife "Just see what s
sweet babe it is %
| 81 don't see but what it looks like al
other babies" returned John, grufly, do
ing his best to steel his heart against the
little stranger, in which he only partly
succeeded, for, rough as was tbs farmers
way, he had kindly nature, if one could
only reach it,
| ANY way, the authorities will have te
take care OF it," farmer Williams contin
ued "We can't-we have got more
mouths to fill now than we can find bread
| for"
Mrs. Williams lips auivered as hel
thoughts reverted to the little grave in the
church-yard. All, to her heart there was
| one too few!
"Dear john" said Mrs. Williams, plead
| ingly, cit seems as though God had sent
| this babe to take the place of our own
| little Willie, whom he has taken to himself
| Let me keep it. It will not fail to bring
a blessing upon US, you may be sure"
Farmer Villains countenarce relaxed
| somewhat IS he looked into those fearful
| eyes.
"Well, well, Mary" he said in soft
ened voice, OH think about it. If we do
you and the children will have to go with.
III e.. ], Il
times, and likely to be harder. So you
had better weigh the thing well before de-
Gliding"
Mrs. Williams did SO, and the result was
that the New Years present became fix
ture in the Red Stone Farmhouse. He
grew up g. merry, winsome boy, twining
even around the farmers rugged nature,
and taking, in the heart of his adopted
mother, the place CT her lost darling, and
loved and cherished by her with equal
tenderness
Many sacrifices did Mrs. Williams make,
many toilsome hours did she spend, in
order that her husband might not feel the
expenses of his maintenance too heavily.
And well did his growing intelligence and
beauty, and the ardent affection he evinced
for her, repay her for all. There was
nothing about him that would give the
slightest clue to his parentage. Simply a
bit OF white paper pinned to his frock, on
which were these words, evidently written
by ? woman, in graceful but unsteady
hand:
Arthur, born September %. I was a
stranger and We took me in."
Farmer Williams made some inquiries
in the neighborhood, and learned that a
lady with an infant, accompanied by a
servant, bad been stopping for week past
at the village tavern !; that she was very
beautiful, but very pale and sad, and kept
her room most of the time. But they dis
appeared from there almost as suddenly
as they came.
1t is just ten years since Mrs. Williams
received her New Years gift Let us take
another peep into the Red Stone Farm
house. The group is smaller now than
then. The farmer who murmured ten
years ago that he had so many mouths to
feed, has now only one child left him-the
little ffaxen-haired girl that is sitting be-
side his knee. The rest are sleeping in the
little churchyard.
A heavy misfortune has befallen him :;
the thirst for riches has brought its usual
curse. Possessed with the mania for specu-
lation, he mortgaged his farm house and
all it contained. The gilded bubble burst,
and the dawning Of the New Year found
him ruined and a homeless man. This
was the last night hat he and his were to
stay in the old homestead, that had been
in the family for four generations, and
was linked to his heart by so many tender
memories. On the morrow they knew
not whittier to CO. 1t is true, that many