St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-01-03

/ to me. but | often long to cry ont, ''FOr-
bear, YOU know not what you do
More than once have | taken case OF
genuine Hollands to a man breaking
down by drink, or box of "choice
| Havanas" to a youth whose nerves were
already all unstrung by excessive smok-
ing, or Il set of costly jewelry to a wife
whose wOmanly purity was already
soiled, if not destroyed, by too great
love of dress. Yes, even Christmas
gift may bring ruin to some poor soul
Another terribly trying thing to Il
tender-hearted saint. is to he compelled
to carry loads and loads of things to
persons who don't want thcm-who are
rather annoyed than pleased by theil
arrival. and to go straight by many a
poor mans door without leaving 81
much as n single stick of candy for the
baby. Last year. | carried solid sill
yer urn to rich Mrs. Fuller, who the
moment she saw it turned up her nose
and said: AS if | wanted to be plagued
with the care of such thing as that
How | hate to he under obligation to
that woman - and in going there | had
to pass right by Mary Minturn's door,
and she, poor thing, lying there year
in and year out with her curved spine,
and not a single pretty thing in her
room to make it cheerful If | could
have only left her some warm flannels.
or even a dish of oranges Yes, merry
as | am, and beautiful and holy as is
the work | mostly do, | have many il
heart-ache when go empty handed by
such doors. SO much light and Joy
antI1l La. nrriaI MT .,i.l d
lovely pictures, such refreshing fruits,
such dainty little contrivances for ease
and comfort, if only the money, worse
than wasted in some directions, could
he transferred to these
And there is an after to me, who
stands behind the scenes. To go back
to the Rubbs last year, we all chuckled
over what we regarded as the happiest
idea for grandpa "a beautiful, gold
headed, ebony cane, which was pre-
scented by the younger members of the
family forming il procession, headed by
Tom and brought up by baby, tum-
bling round promiscuously,y yet valiantly
holding on to the cane by his chubby
hands; the old man smiled and said !:
"Thankec, thankee,' good-natrredly
enough, and we tancied we had for once
achieved entire success; but us | am n
living man, and hope nobody doubts
that, that lovely cane has been stand
ing the darkest, farthrrest corner of the
bedroom closet from that day to this I,
After walking ont to the gate with it.
he said to grandma Rubb. 1T don't feel
material" and went back again to his
old, knotty, walnut stick, and grandma
RubhS cap. which We all thought 50
pretty and becoming. and which Minnie
sat up till midnight to finish off. didn't
feel natteraI either; so she shut it up
in Il box and carried il into the spare
chamber bureau drawer. and has never
looked at it since. Now, when | have
been at the trouble of finding and carry
ing things t" people. | want they should
hc enjoyed and used. and it hurts my
feelings To have them treated in this
way. OF course. il does.
As this is hut Il sample of what or-
CURED i'll one family. You may judge
that in Il million have my trials.
However. | am IL happy fellow. in the
main most of my patrons are loving
and true hearted: most of my gifts are.
welcomed as offerings of genuine atfrc-
ton; and the children tod bless their
merry hearts are enough To keep Il
harder hearted saint than am in good
hum"r from one end of the year To the
other.
only let me ask ynu to make me al
WAYS u blessing and never Il hanr. 10y
giving to my charge only precious
things, hallowed 10y love and sympathy.
and may each of You. dear readers. find
i'll y"ur stockings just the thing You
most wish for: and may y"u find also
how much better it is t" give than re
ccivc; and best of all, may He who WAS
born on Christmas Day, draw near to
each and every soul with Il choir of
whtcrohcd angels, chanting the old
Yet ever new song ''Glcry to God in
the highest; and on earth. peace good
Mil tn,XnrII I..DIL -