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


and, pulling up the droWsy children, Ii
pushes into the road again. Fierce beat
tne tempestupoi himfmore wildly ruShG
inc wind through the trees, but ever III
liquid notes Of the Joy bell thrU6 on th
midnight air, seeming to say: "Com
u1to me, ye weary, suffering ones and
WIZ give you rest-come, e6merf
How they struggled through the remain
ing distance l cannot tell, but at last th
steps OF the church were gained, and th
little party fell exhausted upou' them. 1
ialn[Ilght ghmmered II ple Windows.
sfelleB mnst DO ringing that bell
said the lather; HWiSh We could get Int
the building thars fire, Pllbet.h
4 sHe tried the door cautiously.
openedi the sexton had forgotten 70 loci
Y He looked In. The dull red fire O
the stove disclosed the interior, with Id
clustering masses and, graceful lines O
evergreen decorations, but Tie bel-ropl
hung quietly from the roof, and not sou
BLAMED Gurus, this bell ringin' ant
nobody round ,HowsomeYer, here's tn
toost for us. Come IN, Old Woman h
said; going out and helpink up his hal
frozen Ic6tnpaninTiS.fy CScarce knowing
l-yhere they Werp, bhsya tottsred dow
the aisle toward the stove. The room
was warm and redolent Of the recent ies
tivities, Tired and faint as they were, tn
ehildren's ,eyes opened wide as they saw
dimlS reyeSlgf By TIE faint light, III
shadowS branches Of the Christmas Tree
But tlle,fire was the first attraction now
and all hudd round Ii 20 WARM tlieii
chilled and aching bodies ia
'"Alh't thisbully, exclaimed the wo
man presently. ssBeiter'nI any of We
barns. Tell yer, nov, we can Cook d lttli
supper first rate, Bin, YOU let out tina
pork a 4. we % have q fry and SOM
Theperk was soon sizzling in pan OF
the'st6ye and the potatoes warming or
attn plate; q battered coifeepot was also
produced from the pack and little pa
per OF coffee. Melted snow supplied the
water. Tho trampers rubbed their hand!
and begun to look comfortable.
While these preparations were going
on the children approached the Christ
mas Tree, still gay with cOlored papers
and ribbons ,"Pfe4S aihtt It fPsald che
boy. II seen one 'er them once at mis-.
sion school when we lived In New York.
There was candies and apples onto 1t ifor
the fellers." ~
lYWhat for do they do it?" asked the,girl
"Why, the teacher said, It was the
birthday Of q good nan named Jesus that
lived ever so many years ago, and loved
everybody, but'was Killed at last by some
wicked men, and Christmas is Kept II
remember him by. He said lot more,
but l forgitjkn Jl52 b5gHigfL
@1yish there, was something on i for
Jimhyf' Exclaimed RsBoy, who had
been peefiues iaB6dtItho tree.I'T believe
there is now,5and plunging his hand into
the tree near the back, he brought out n
red-checked apple and piece Of cako..
"Here, Bet, sit down and we'll eat EN-"
And the two children, sitting down at
the foot Of the tree, divided the cake and
the applo between them and eat yora.
1"Weivo got Christmas, too, amt VIC ?"
said Bet. "Now, young 'uns," said the
mother. IF you want any supper be live,
ly" Tho coffee and pork were sending
savory odors to the nostrils 'dt the elder
pair, butte the children they were moi
quite sofnviing alter the apple and cake,
However, they all fell to and made o
hearty meal.
And now, clustered about the stove
worn out by the fatigue Of the night and
soothed by the warmth and comfort 81
the room and the meal, they sink to sleep.
There let them rest. To.morrow's light
will dawn full soon to send them on their
weary way. Meantime they forget Their
troubles. What though the storm rage
wildly without anil hant. upnr-ih FAnAs
safe In tho house Of God they rest this
Christmas night-salely as did the Son Of
God on that inst Ohristmasnightin Beth
lehem's stall 3 N
And thou Joy Bell, far alOftl Thou
hast not forgotten thine ancient ministry
Two cenniriesloDg thou didSt swing ii
that old Chinese temple, echoing the Joy
of every pure and noble heart; now in Q
Christian church, in q Christian land
where the truth dimly seen in that an
cient kingdom is fully proclamation tho
birth.night of the Founder Of tho true re-
ligton thou peGlest forth for the first tint
thyjoyous notes And oh, how strange
Once they were heard only by the purt
and good; now they reach the ears OF thu
poor, the ignorant and the outcast, bid
ding them take courage and do better
Let the world mock thee rs q failure
thou hast thy work and right nobly ar
thou doing It Swing in thy tower .
thousand years to come, o Silver Joy Bel
Of Soochow WM. II. COLEMAN.