The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-24

~ the llIue church just spoken Ofand puF
chased for It's use. Such Is a brief hlsior,
Of the bell since It's plunge into the fer
furnace Of the burning temple, Il haI
passed uniDjured through the ordeal nv
now allernear two centuries 6f seryico /,
a pagan shrire Il was 10 be uAod to sum
mon believers In the Christian faith d
SSoIshlp In an humber temple n mighdC
WheA tho propqf time arrives A, j
heistSdy n ig phGe in The tiny beliry
which Is Just large enough 10 hold Il re
port has said thai It's tone Is yery cieT
and sweet, and the people await lis ring
ing with impatlence. The Workmen al
Just the ropes and hammer, and tho frs
blow Is struck. A duh, hollow ciang fall,
heavily on tho air and Is family heard a
tho other end Of the village, Again AMI
again the hammer falls, and still the same
dead sound. Disappointment EVERYWHERE
Days are spent in adjustment and feaGl
tnstment, but the silver tone responds not
VIII It ever! The neighbofhood WISELY
shakesits head and lm6ttefs; gUrSekedit
ltdoes not know the secret Ofitha bali.
1t Is Christmas Eve. The, full moor
lights up wintry scene. Houses and
trees stand dark upon n broad expanse Of
sparkling snow, irregular lines Of shade
mark the boundaries ofroads and fields
the GeSty bGgghs OF low gfound, tees
glitter Ia tIenoon beans,y while from tiie
long telegraph wires that skirt the high.
why rises ind falls q. strange: uue6fblv
music. :l'-- :
The little church IS. an agiow with
light, and up to its door In quick success.
sion come sleighloads Of laughing Young
folks, who descend and enter, while q
pleasant noise Of biIzzing iYpleGS md
feet l. borne upon the air., =
The children arc coming TO thU CHRIST.
mas Tree. Yes, there It stands Just out.
side the chancel, It's dark green boughS
shining with countless lights and,laden
with gills for tho little ones, How the
bright eyes sparklet how the tongues
chatter Fhow the restless ones nudge
each other and point out the things they
hope to receive, Presently the noise sub.
sides US the minister comes forward and
gives ont the words Of tie openinglcarol,
which all unite most heartily in singing,
Far up in its tower hangs the silver.
bell, vOiceleSs, silent. It should have
rung merry peal TO call the happy
children together, but there It hangs mo.
tiOnless and unthought Of o, joybcll, is
it not yet time? Z
While all is mirth and happiness in the
country church, a little, group is toiling
along the road u few miles from Rolling
Ridge. It lis an old post.road, much ire.
quonted by neutrality-suspicious. and travel
lers too poor To pay their way from city
to city, and forced to make the journey
on foot. s9eaim
A man, woman, girl, a boy-their
faces pinchclr and. hard, their clothing
worn and tattered-R family or "tramps,N
that shilllesS, despised, dispirited class Of
beings who seem always to live upon the
road, having no particular business except
to vibrte between the two great cities,
begging rs theygor aer.gs nj y,.4I
EverywhCrcthis nightare happy homes,
where parents and children rejoice to,
gcther ut the return OF the Saviour's birth
night; everywhere joy fills the hearts Of
young and old gathered, about the glow
Ing fires. Here is no Joy, no Light, no
thought Of Christ, who like themselves
had not where so lay his head. The
father tramps sullenly before with q pack
on his back, the boy follows at his heels,
ard the mother, with tagging step, brings
up the rear, holding the little girl by the
hand. Now and then a gruff word or
two Is exchanged by the pair, but for the
most part they trudge on in silence
The snow, though not very deep, makes
the walking difficult, and they have not
travelled as far Us they expected during
the day. The little girl Shows signs Of
"MAmmy," slIe presently,
"ain't weGoiug to have bit TO cat soon
I'm staryedh Z, Ia 81.
"That's list when, yer dsays, Bill,
when's We goin' to eat and rest u bit, I'd
like ter know
"When we glitter Rollin Ridge, returns
Bill. 81 know an old barn thar wees ctn
scotch under fur the night. When we
git thar we'll cat"
Tho woman makes no answer and they
plOd on. 1t is very cold-not the sharp.
est kind Of weather, indeed, but cold
enough to nip through the scanty cloth:
ing and pinch the blue, tltin.blooded
flesh.' , = aNa 'JJAt
An hour slips on. The festivities in the
church are ended, the children come
out, and the merry bells echo
over the snow, mingled with shouts and
laughter. Then the sounds die away and
all is silence under the white moonlight.
One by one the lights Of the village dis
appear, save where q sick one lies in pain,
or,sOme registering dogs hold jolly wassail.
Clouds creep over the sky ; the wind
begins TO rise; gradually the bright
fades until only dull, grey
light remains; lew snowflakes fiutter
follow; presently the air Is
full Of them; q storm is at hand. We'll,
let It snow.
Decent people are all abed; they do
not care, and tomorrow the sleighing
will he all the better. AS Tor the rest,
they may do the best they can; do US our
family Of tramps Rre doing now-push
along the track while body and soul hold
out, and then lie down and die.
"Blest i'll don't wish j was. in that
barn." growls the father, "eatin' them tat.
ers; and II we only could hev a fire
sum'crs, and cook this yer pork l lifted,
we'd be all right. But this cussid SHOWS
come and wet and kiVered up every
thing" : -.t-tD / =;
"kin't there no place nigher?" asks the
woman. raes.r-r
"Places enough, but tho folks as
own 1em wouldn't let US go nigh iem.
They hates US tramps like pisOn."
The wind was now rising to gale; the
snow came thick and fast, nearly binding
the wretchcd travellers. They kept close
together, marching in single file. Soon
the girl broke out crying, Nanny, !
can't 20 no iurder, 1 can't; I am so cold
and tired.n The mother took her up in
her arms and tried to warm her at her
Lrnost The bny said nothing. Int clutch.