Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-01-07

but when 1t never stops hurting, how can
1t feel good2 Hunger is fine sauce, but
when you've nothing to eat with il, 1t be-
comes rather aggravating. Cold air is
braclng, to those who have enough clothing
10 keep from the sharp pinch, but 1t has a
very ugly effect on bare flesh, or where the
garments that served for summer must an
swer for winter, too.
1t was Christmas eve. All the stores were
lighted and filed with people; up and
down the streets went crowds of fathers
and n,others hunting up Christmas for their
children, and Of young people looking after
ii for themselves
In good many churches and Sunday
Schools there were preparations being made
for the joyful holiday of tho morrow.
Wherever there were pillars, eyergreens
had been twined festoons of the same ma
terials hung upon the walls, and scripture
texts, ia letters of cardboard, covered with
moss or ivy, or something Of the kind were |
placed over pulpits and desks. In some
school-rooms, Christmas trees were stand |
ing loaded with dolls and trumpets, glass |
balls and candy chickens, and all the other |
wonderful fruits that ripen about Christmas |
time. Of the stockings hung by chimneys |
T do not need to speak, Hardly house in
the land, that had children under its root,
but had those dangling, pocket-like arrange
ments waiting for the coming of good Saint
5 Nicholas, or jolly Kriss Kringle.
, Miss Euphrasia Coldchisel had accepted
, the very earnest invitation of her neighbor,
Miss Carver to accompany her to DR.. Hart
leigA's church, on that evening. Miss Car
: yer was an enthusiastic Sunday school
teacher, and had taken an active part in
4 getting ready the decorations for the school
q room and the candies and toys for the tree.
$ DIR. Hartleigh considered her pillar in his
"a church. But she was neither cold nor stiff,
n for all that. She had bright eyes and merry
smile, and warm hand, and moved around
q with quick glad step. She was very diff
n fercnt from Miss Euphrasia who was pol
a ished and rigid and stately, and for all the
&c good she did might really have been pillar
:, standing somewhere for ornament only and
at not for use.
of Why she accepted Susy Carvers invitation
i, cannot tell. But go she did, and looked
"a on while other young ladies and some young
i, gentlemen, and some who were not exactly
r. young but seemed quite happy, finished the
~ garands and the tree and g0rsatf-ready fol
~ wondering little eyes and eager little hands
~ on the morrow. She cast quitea chill a
~ first, but after il time wnen they all got busy
they did not notice that, and talked ant
or laughed right merrly.
!, 1t was ten 0 o'clock when all was done, ant
200 when they came out into the street, the.
,e found that II was showing.
ona Miss Euphrasia reached home and sa
- down by the parlor fire, for an hour or more
H. Then she went up to her bedroom, cold
ever Before she undressed she thought sh
heard q faint knocking at the great fror
-, door. She did not attend to that; why shoul
5od she ? Servants were paid to open the door
ID let them do their work. But the knocking
nj, faint and weak though 1t was, continued
-. and she even fancied she heard a plainti'
!, !, voice CT. ing, sI4et me in Oh, let me in
h,t She was amazed and angry at that, but sti
inn she went on with her preparations for golr
-, to bed Nevertheless the knocking and Il
-. CRYING continued She looked out OF Il
e. window; the snow was driving furiously b
ant ioio the wind, but on the irohI sup mae
far small, dark opJeet 1t was child, then,
kec, she had begun to suppose, from the feebl
,h;u ness of the knock and the call Her ar
av impulse was to ring for the servant man
o,,d drive the little wretch away. But somehc
i ~ she could not do that. Under new al
RON strange feeling she went down stairs a
~, opencd the door herself. The snow rush
in. but with it came the fearful little voi'
,,,; ssLet me in. Oh let me in" Euphrasia
Mod closed the door to keep out the storm, tn
;,rar looked out and said ''lyho are you? WI
sh,, do YOU want? Why don't you go horne
h;np A pale, pnched face with two dark ey
With swimming IN tears looked up to hers, a
and from quivering lips came the answer.
,non have no home. Please take me in-ple
feol take me in" II was a tiny little boy, kHt
,arru ing in The snow and almost covered by
lenty fierce drift.
r,ing Ordinarily Miss Coldchisel did not
o,bsr children. Usually she hated poor peopl
I,;,,er so warm thing as hatred could posi-
a M dwell in SO cold brcaGt. But as she lool
of,re into those pleading eyes and heard that
seeching voice, strange emotion OF
;ro 9, throbbcd for an instant in her heart,
,,,rso she nut out her hand, with all its co.
10 d. rings upon it, and took the little fellow
wero the hand, and helped him over the thrt
= haa hold. 1t was the first time the foot OF 7
od M erty had crossed It since that house
,akcr built
1t was certainly very warm in that
Ii she now that the door had been shut upon
would raging storm Even Miss Euphrasia IL
,arlor so. a breath from some summer-l'
.r,,nt, genial and fragrant, seemed to have pa
'"aeA' through, and left at least its memory.
very conservatory door was open, perhap
owing came from there.
art Rut the hall was no place for the cl
;lv no He was wet and shivering, and his
!, ~ were fixed upon the young lady VIII
ueai' lmploring look which she could not re
1t him. 1t was only after struggle with her
never however, that she could resolve to leaf
y, and poy INTO .ne ~, H. nnn,fnrt Sbe sa
But him by the glowing crate, and he street
doors, out his poor thin hands to the delig
night, heat. Then Euphfasla pe,nougl. ,,u ~
nahner yided for him. With quicker step
at the usual she went up to her own room ant
water gan to search the bureau drawers for
~ were snitab!e wrappings, Du. sue c1g'u oni, III
nothing any,hins u he .aa, mnndered = moment and
yen his went to the door of her mothers room
t often Mrs. Coldchisel was In bed, but sh'
8. He not snug Lhe p'ahne's s a. VIII n,, ov Z,
icicles, would nu, Id not he driven away. She sle
nforting lightly that she heard her daughters k
t of his and answered Immediately;
outside, Mo.nef, acar, S",T There ,s = It'll,
Their Avn stairs az cold and wet and pool
/ want some clothes to make him war
although can't find any IN my room oan you
to lack W9ere 70 oa,auh;sai SaJ ,yas .s,on;shed
ey never and wet how in her house! How did
home. there ? Euphrasia caring for anybot
you see herself, and actually saying Moanes, as :,