Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-23
A HOMELY STORY OF HOME.
BY MRS. EEBKcCA HARDING DAVIS.


even the SPECIFICS nature about him knew
what day it was, and waited for the Babe that
was to bring brotherhood to man. The distant
mountain peaks, that had faced the sea for ayes
with the same awful, inexplicable meaning
wrapped themselves to-day in soft white mantles
and bent their heads like prophets who had
heard at last some kindly answer to the long
ve1ed riddle of the world. Between them the
httle seaport town cuddled snugly, full of life
and hsat. The AIR was alive with chidren's
voices and the tinkle of bells; the snow had en-
ehanted the duh shOp-fronts into white Gothic
arches or gllttering Eastern minsrets; the shops
themselves had become nothing less than little
Al Bahia caves of jewelry, or sparkling can
dies, or yellow turkeys wreathed about with
feathery green crowns foot. The house win
dows, too, were open, and inside were Christmas
trees, and people, hot and hurried. about them.
lighting the fairy candles before the children
would come home Overhead the setting sun
had burned the sky crimson, and at the end of
the narrow street one could see the glitter of
the ice cOaSt-iine, the flag tapping on the fort
against the wind, and the great plane of the
sea, with the surf rolling in low, joyous mur-
RuTs.
People ran against Firth and his wife contin-
ually, 50 great was the hurry of the crowd, call
ing, .' Hiilo, FIRTH" or 'iHappy Christmas.
JOhni' Everybody was loaded with bundles
except themselves Their hands were empty
Ms, irth looked soaIly at Squire Dunn,s car,
dress and toy castle; but when she came to her
washerwOmans shsnty at the corner, her con-
tempt broke into words, for there was Betty with
piece of pine brush, hanging a bag Of marbles
ard wooden doll on it.
" II is the very madness of waste!" cried Mrs
Firth chow many OF these poor wretches
know where next weeks bread is TO come from,
4 wonder"
John did not speak for a minute "And vet
was Just thinking, Navy" he said at last, show
good il was that one morning in the year the
one beautiful thought should come to all the
world; TO the banker at his desk, and the thief
In his prison; to poor Betty here in her cabin,
rs well as to the queen in her palace. They
All are forced to see once in the year the same
picture"
somehow reminded Firth that his wife was a
member OF the church, and he was not.
He answered uneasiIy: 81 meant the white
Socks asleep on the hills of Galee, and the stars
shining down into the stable, where the child
Law" lowering his tone.
What proof is there that Christ was born on
the twenty-ffth OF December, john" IN her
suietest tone Of argument.
81 don't know, Mary" hastily. 1--WE will
not say anything more about it."
- Probably that would be BETTER folding
her lead-colored shawl tighter about her spare
Squire.
fore his courage gave vay, that would take
home some tribe To Rob. To mark the day, Won
know. Very inexpensive, Of course, Mary. That
ia, IL you do not object"
- IL i well you consulted me. You seem 10
have forgotten that the religious education of
the children was 10 be left 10 me. | have tried
to show Robert, young as he il. his condition As
a sinner, and the necessity OF repentance. /
certainly do object TO filling his head with pic
lures OF the stable, or of Ocks asleep. and call
luS tfldI EtilglOn- III l. OdtDOiic anu lelfhPn-
ish, her high cheek-bones growing hot. They
walked on in silence.
=. Robby has not been out to-day - said Firth
looking wistfuliy down at the noisy troops of
boys with blue noses. and their pockets fun of
pennies, staring with insatiate eyes in at the
shop windows
.sNo- He had not finished his lessons. am
willing he should come out. tholgh. There's
no better lesson than seif-deniaI TO teach a
child
NO. no. Let him stay indoors John
Firth Jagged behind his wife. Squire Dunn
came along behind him, clapping the thin little
man on the shoulder, and taking in with a
sbrewd glance his sunken dulled eye aud sh abby
suit of black. % HilO, Firth, This won't do
You newspaper men don't know what modera-
tion is, even in work. Take . holiday. boy
When you tap A tree 80 deep as that, IL the life
that's OoZing out-miRd tell you."
John laughed and went on A holiday? God
knows. Mary was good woman. BIT she had,
I'm some way, shut all holidays out OF their life.
Ii had been for years one long, duh stretch of
work; for religion, stern rules OF duty barring
them in on either side, aud IN the future a
certain fearful looking for of judgment. He did
want rest When they were In the house Mary
would see II, and instead OF going 70 her sewing,
would read Emerson or Edwards on the Will to
him. She prided herself on knowing what cor
aial 20 give TO An exhausted brain or doubling
soul. Ii might be childish in him, but Just then
he lOathed Edwards on the VIII and all sorts OF
orthodox spiritual meat IL he could take Bob
by the hand and 20 lounging about the streets,
Joking with old friends, looking In ct the shop
=, the tiester II be could sho" . tSs asse
boy the picture that had haunted him All dzv
IL he could not rid himself Of the words of the
old carol,
God rest you, oil good Chrissians
Let nothing yc0 dismsy,
For Jesus Christ thu savior
Was born this Christmas day
1t seemed to him that across the guilt Of cen
tnries he could feel the healing touch OF the in
uocent Babes hand upon him. And he fancied,
infdel as he WAS, that the Child came 20 bring
back the world 20 q divine childhood again TO
thrust out Of il anxiety for money getting. and
malice, and sour discomfort, and bring In the
day of brotherhood, Of light hearts and happy
trust and jests and laughter. His fancies duiled
al his own front door. Thss house, q stranger
would think, was the very squarest and plAinest
object he had ever seen until he saw the inside
OF ia, and understood how plain and square and
mesgeT anything on Gods earth could be made.
John Firth never crossed his own clean clay
ward, with the ash bin AZ one side and the raj a
barrel at tie other, without a secret spasm. The
narrow hall Vas laid with yellow and red OIL
cloth and Papered in gaudy stripes; and 50 il
went ON to the end. Money saved.
At first when they were married he would
have spent all of his savings % see the house
bright and pretty. He had a within Of m liking IL
q sort Of Iairy land for Rob; he wanted TO have
friends dropping in 10 breakfast, dinner, and
-. n. ,-anteA "a fazch BIZ how auSff aud 0.v-