New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-27

| physical development as you could lind IN the
country"
Saint Nick clapped the Doctors hand heartily
SIR, I'm glad to hear i'll God bless the people who
! take care of the children. and remember Who
! bequeathed them to our guardianship, But IL
they all gone out of town. what need is there for
us to look further'" stopping short under the
shadow of the Madison-ave. Presbyterian Church.
aud gancing round at the blocks of buildings
For the first time the compacent smile grew I'M
easy on the Doctors face. He besitated. coughed
uncertainty. There may be few left yet" walk
ing on "We' see we'll see. A few ieft-the
town is so large"
| "OhoD The Saint looked at him koenly. We
will not slight the few thon." dryly; well take
care not to offend one of these little ones! lthihK
that was the charge Dootorf No talk OF electioh so
| far as the babies were concerned when tneir
mothers brought them to Him to bless lie TOOK thci"
all in His arms He did not leave one OF two on te
ground as predestined TO damnation. 80 you anu ,
will make no distinction between them now GU
| Well find tho few. Where 90 inc chiiuio" ~ ~
! of town, did you sayV
| DR. Puryianee answered hastily, rs Though 10 rld
himself of some unwelcome thoughts. "Oh, you
| must extend your journey Tomorrow, ana sec tno
places where they CO. You really can have no idea
of the resources of the country skimmng over 1t In
that very hasty way in December We have the
rich farms of Pennsylvania near on one hand. the
market gardens Of jersey on tho other DelaWare
with her sweep of peach orchards straight TO the
sea the mountains but few hours distant with
plateaus raised miles above the region of miasina
and above all the sea itself within cheap and easy
access, with ITS winds purified by thousand miles
of sun and salt water, full of new life for the sick
and dying We don't need smiling benigny' to
90 in search of the Fountain Of Lfo with De Soto
IL waits for us on every SIDE ready for us to go and
drink All this is owing to our increased knowledge
| of hygiene
| "stin this fountain is not altogether without
money and without price imagine" said the Saint
| drIly "What is this very unpleasant odor I" hold
ing his handkerchief to his nose.
"That arises from the sewers. SOne-somo mis-
take about the drainage" hestated the Doctor
"Take care where you going" as he stumbled
headlong over heap of filth in the middle OF the
crossing. Things look pleasanteT about Christmas
time. We usually cover the streets over with snow
to prepare for the holy yue-tde.'
| Cleanliness" muttercd Saint Nick, "is next to
goodness. But it usually comes beforehand Us TO
! point of time"
| Past the waving branches Of Grainercy Park,
| which darkened and heightened into far asles aud
| dusky recesses in the uncertain pale moonlight.
"The names of the householders within single
block here" said Purviance, pompously, represent
| one hundred and fifty millions of taxable property"
| "Ahi Not much Of il lies in this direction pre-
sumo 7" suddenly lodging down dark entrance
between two closely built rows of tenement houses
The Doctor gasped for breath. An indescribable
fetd odor oppressed the air; a minghng of the
sence of garbage dead cats whisky shops, and.
worse than all and overpOwering all the damp, low
living efluvia from hundreds of thousands of human
bodies the foul gases rejected by the lungs of the
| whole city, The heat grew more and more intense.
| swarms of venomous musketoes filled the air; the
alley as they entered it alive with men and
women fully dressed. swearing, joking, cursing as
| if out on a holiday at noon.
| The sight was new to Purviance. DO these
wretches never sleepp he cried, stopping short.
| where should they sleep - Ietorted Saint Nick
| angry. II saw in Winter. that many OF them have
| but one room for dozen to cook and live in. Add
| 10 this internal heat fire, aud your dreams would
be none of the best. fancy. Come along. ] am
| going to see Dan, if he is here. You remember
DanP'
OF course the Doctor remembered Dan. He had
made hobby of the whole Brnkhouse family at
Christmas in fact for the sake Of this boy Since
then he had seen and heard nothing Of them or him.
"Do YOU remember" he said, with hearty laugh,
to SAINT Nicholas, " how almost terrified that child
was with his first Christmas tree two years ago.
poor thing enough and planned by you and me at
the last moment, there being birth in the house
that night The baby was laid under the little
cedar BUSH hung with its pound of candies, just be-
fore Dan came in. That was his mothers fancy.
Astonishing what delicacy and tenderness one finds
among mechanics and their wives! Let him think
the good Lord sent DOM tree @uo AttIe oaDy' she
said
Last Christmas forgot tho baby in the gifts. The
little fellow noticed there was nothing for her, and
for the moment was astOnished and angry. Then
"gThe Lord wanted to give them to her! he cried,
delighted; and heaped his toys on her lap. The baby
was a puny little thing but the boys admiration
for her was a curious pathetic thing to see She's
| very small DAM said day. for one speaks TO
him as TO a man, somehow. She's big enough TO
be my sister, he cried. proudly. The Doctor was
fond of telling anecdotes Of his poor people,
| 1.-The baby, like yours. is teething now. sup
| pose and Dan 7" askedithe saint, as be thumped
on down the alley: Il have not heard fIom the
Brinkhouscs lately" with constrant
"Tbey live here now" Saint Nick turned off the
street into narrow court. and from that down a
cellar-way "Brinkhouse is out Of work-tTinking."
| "Tut. tutl I did not know that"
mo" quietly. Nobody seemed to know or to
care.p The Doctors conscience twinged him
sharply. He did not wish to think his peculiar
prodigy lived in such foul den. He had bad some
| odd notions about this boy.
de was Just the same age as Nesbitt, but curl
| ously enough the laborer's son showed traces of
strength and intelligence which his own boy lacked.
It was pity the doctor had thought. that for the
want of few dollars this helper should be lost to
the world What if he educated the lad, and de-
veloped all his latent possbiitiesi The Doctors
| resolutions, however, have ended in Christmas
| tree.
| Down after the Saint into a room below ground,
| in which fire was duly burning in stove, not six
| feet from wretched straw-bed. The window was