The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-28

,,looaonf' sound Of carols, can 1--WE
p'. TTh.s, Rosamond went from her gTan ".
s,tscr abe sought her own room 10 put ny
her little treasure. ssssSt ;,
A Iove-sifs to the Lord OF christmas,
che repeated TO herself. That IL beautNnl-
but have no such gift. None OF mine are
meant for Him. never think such Soou 'uiu
holy thoughts Of myself"
She glanced over the army OF presents sne
had with sucn interest prepared. otia-
thing for every one who will lie likely 10 give
w.. ss." ssornetl;nr, She said aloud. "And ia
never thought Of any one else. oh'sses oe'H''
dny, and no gift for CHRIST: .,;a. .7
Il the table Rosamonds father said
,,e,rd to-day that the Minturn cottage y "
ho cold next week undcra mortgage. MN
trrn,s been unfortunate Ltely-olit OF eih-
nloyment SO long. 1t will so hard with MN
n lose his homo. It won't bring over e'shl
ho,ndred dollars at auction, and the mortsase
calls for three hundred more. The inIere T.s
md costs will consume another hundred i1e
won't have much left" u,,,o,, +,
mWhat pity" said Mrs. Gaze 'sG G,,. !.
rood man, and sIcL nice hiii.l1.
Something be done?" co,o aue
.stod mo to lend him four hundred dohal'
.,S tai.n mortgage, but couldn't just now:
TIA too near the close Of tho year. heeo
the money in my business"
'' d" rs too bad. How sad they must be To-
night, II quite spoils my Christmas
After tea grandpa called Rosamond lh1o
''' q Come. Rosie be said, "what am to do
ITO too hard for our neighbor Mlntllfn TO
lose his home this way. Icould help him Dy
making little sacrifice"
ooh do help him, then" said Rosamond.
uRut il | do, somebody must needs 90
without the Christmas present / intended 10
bestow." ,c,,
rWell, grandpa, who would be SO selfish
~ am afraid my little Rosie Wlll,' said
grandpa. "lIy one gift is intended for her,
and il is to cost just 300. have selected it,
and intend buying it tonight and have 1t
sent up in the ,herning, unless, indeed -
ooh, grandpa. present for NE 70 COST
500! II is--it is o new piano? Oh, you
dear, beautiful grandpa. Just what had so
longed for. Ny old, worn-out hurdy-surdy
is a real trial TO me-
She had quite forgotten everything and
everybody save the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. piano
and iEs generous and doting grandpa. Sud
denly she recol!ected.
"Oh, grandpa" She said, y! ulaelstahu
YOU now. Either I must give up the piano
or the Minturns must give up their home.'
She threW her arms around her grand
fathers neck and hid her face, and the tears
that arould come upon his shoulder, u was
n sharp struggle between self=loye and Christ
love. The dear grandpa's words came to her
mind-"a love-gift to the Lord OF Christ
mas"-and she whispered, as she kissed the
old mans silycry locks, dear grandpa, we
will not buy the piano, We will make love-
gift to the Lord instead"
"Rose of the world" murmuered her
grandfather fondly, "you make my heart
sing for JOY. No music that you could ever
have drawn from the piano had hoped to
give you could have yielded me such delight
as does your sweet voice now, when ltspeaks
in accents of unselfish love. 1t chimes Ill my
heart true " Christmas c,rol.'
"Then each has sung carol to the other"
said the young girl, her face beaming with
smiles, "only mine would never have been
sung at all had not yours been sung first.
Aren't we happy, Grandic? feel almost as
if it were my home that was saved"
awe mustn't be selfish on Christmas eve.
Get me my coat. rllgo ownand speak good
word to Ninturn," said the good old man.
Tears were In his eyes now. When grandpa
returned Rosamond was sitting at the old
piano, and the family were singing Christ
mas carol