New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-24
For the Republican.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
4 4

The city streets were crowded with pedes.
TRANS and vehicles, hurrying singly and in
silence, or in gay parties, whose merry
voices rung out on the cold night with in
that many silent one turned to catch the
sound. Unnoticed in the vast throng there
wandered child, a wan little one, whose face
looked too sad ever to have known the
light Of smile, and showed all too plainly,
that poverty was the most familiar form
her childish eyes had gazed upon.
Idly and slowly she strolled along-no
goal wa sbefore her, no end in view-follow
ing now one of the gay crowds, and then los
ing that, she paused to watch the effect Of
\ some brilliantly lighted window, with a
faint show of interest in its beauty.
A pauper's grave had closed that day
on the last, the only friend ner life had
known. Her mothers eyes had given the
only fond look that ever fell upon her; her
mothers hand alone had dwelt with ca
ressing touch on the tangled head, and now
she was wandering from that mothers
grave tO-nO where, to sleep CT wake, as
chance directed, with but little care what
the future might bring forth. This she
knew: that the wind was cold, her rags but
few.
She gathered the tattered slIreds of gar
ments closer to her cold. blue little body.
and walked on, with her orphan heart SO
full Of its misery that it grew and grew till
II 70 h,,rs @;,a fro
that held it.
1t was Christmas eve! Households of
happy children in that vast city We're wake
full that night with excitement.
Hundreds of innocent little ones sank to
sleep, wondering what dainties and toys
would fill their tiny stockings in the morn
ing, and why good old Santa Claus never
came while their eyes were open, that they
might see him in his fur suit, with his huge
bag on his shoulder, just as he looks in the
picture books!
No visions of cold and hunger fitted
through their busy little brains; no thought
that Father Time held ills as well as bless
ings in his store Of years to come. Warm
and happy, their eyelids closed, to waken on
Christmas morn to more pleasuue and joys
The little wanderer strolled Oh. faint re-
membrance of the time and occasion fitting
through her mind. One year ago her
mother had told her of Christmas Eve and
Christmas day; how Santa Claus came to
rich mems children, but that He who came
on earth on Christmas day came alike to
poor and rich, to heal the suffering, cure the |
sick
The long days of this last unhappy year
had all but Obliterated the remembrance of |
that conversation, but faint impression
still remained, and endeavoring to call back
the faded memory, she mingled the two. God
and man, and wondered, in vacant kind of |
way, why He came not to her.
Then memory brought up another almost
forgotten faet: the mother had said PRAYER
was the only means of access to His ear
Suppose she were to pray, would He send
back her mother!
The weight Of misery grew less, the be-
numbed body was scarce felt and the brain
walked into activity again. Her little heart
beat high with hope, and the tagging step
grew every moment more rapid. She would
pray! 1t was happy thought; but where
should she prayi She paused and looked
around. The business streets were passed,
and insensibly her feet had wandered into
one of those beautiful avenues where rich
men dwelt. Their palatial residences rose
on either side, and beautiful trees stood like
on guard to hurl back Poverty
should he show his gaunt face and meagre
form in this precinct, go different from his
haunts.
She saw no resting place-scarce more
she needed than NOah's dove, yet found
not this little. Iron ratings with indis-
,inguishable gates shut out intruders from
he yards, and there were still too many
persons on the sidewalks for her to stop
here. But her heart and brain were too
NIL of the one thought, the bright hope,
or her to despair. On and on she went.
Until number Of carriages blocked the
way.
Drowsy coachmen slept on their boxes.
Those who came in the carriages were
lancing and chatting in the most palatial
# all this long row of palatial dwellings, ,
orgetful Of the waning hours and sleepy c
rivers, and of aught but pleasure.
She raised her eyes to the brilliantly il
minated house; lights shone from doors
nd windows, and her gaze rested on f
overs and fairy forms; children, as beaut,- Q
lily dressed as angels are, fitted by win =
ow and door; black, golden and chestnut
,lorcd heads, with flower wreathed curls o
ingled in an ever changing mass, and y
oking on this scene, self faded from a
ind, she Involuntary entered the gate,
hich, unlike the others. was stretched e.
spitably open.
Her little feet carried he. on almost to G.