The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-01-10

to his chair, and he do get uncommon
lonesome; and it's many year since Il
baby came under our roof"
"They'r plenty enough hereabOuts,"
said Tom, with his old grutf way. But
in a moment his face broke into twin
llle of a smile, as he added:
We'll. well. III come over What
a thing it is, now, to have baby"
And all the neighbors started III wonder
to see nurse Mcbride carrying the baby
home in her arms, as carefully as if it
had been little princess; and Tom
walking after, with a proud air-proud
Of lis baby, to he sure.
The nurse was right. The baby
brought blessing. The dear Lord sent
her a messenger before his face to pre-
pare the way for him 20 enter into that
humble little house and that poor heart.
Even Tom found that Maggie would al
ways he a cripple. let her live as long as
She might. 1t only brought little cloud
on his sunshine. "It1l turn for the
best, some way" he said. We've both
ON cross to carry and maybe it keep
us nearer to each other and the Lord"
AS for Maggie. everything was right
to her. She sung. and smiled. and kept
the little house full of sunshine. in spite
of the crutch, which never seemed a
bit iii her way. Every Christmas Eve
ghey two sat together by the fire, and
Tom told the story of the baby that lay
upon tie track: and Maggie listened,
with her eyes shining i'll the freight,
and even the cross, grumbling old
crUtch grew amiahle for awhile.
i thought the good Lord had forgot
ten all about me. away up yonder among
his angels; and all the time he was
nigh at hand, takin thought how to
save me- said Tom, with reverent
wonder.
He's a good Lord, Father" said
Maggie.
Yes, a good Lord, - said Tom, fer
vently. "Do you mind the hymn they
learned you at misSiOn-schOOl, Maggie
To save thy soul from sin and shame
Thy Lord helpless child became?
Wen, ! can't seem to get it out of my
head that the Lord did more than that
lpI iIlC. 1lN N6lliiN w lNt IOI OllCC III
Bethlehem. that time the angels sung;
and once ten wears ago this very night,
right here at the crossing. And it's nv
mind the Lord comes to a-many doors
where they never know what they lose by
shutting Of him out"
Il VegOt myChriStmaSg gifts all ready,n
said Maggie ''Such a lot of 'em. toO!''
And, picking up the crutch. before it
had a chance to grOwl, she whisked it
over the floor to the corner cupboard,
and back again. with Il big covered bas-
ket. See. Father! Something for
everybody at the crossing" And Mag
gle spread out the gifts, enough to load
down st. Nicholas himself Warm
cloth slippers for old Sandy Mcbride.
Cut out by an old shoe ard shaped like
the foot of gouty elephant; but that
was no matter.
" The tailor gave me the pieces - said
Maggie, and quilted the soles on his
big machine. And this flannel night
cap is for Granny Peters: she's been
wishing for one a long time" She
clapped it on her own bright head. and
looked 50 funny even the crutch laughed
a little
Well, cannot begin to tell you. Soft
balls and hard balls; rag doliies. paper
dOllies and queer little old dOllieS, with
heads made from hickory nuts. looking
in their Quaker dresses and white caps
like regiment of blessed grandmOthers.
Pretty pictures. pasted on box covers
and painted gaily; mittels, made of old
and finished with bright
yarns at the wrist: pin-cuShionS, hold
erS, all manner OF ingenious little trifles,
out of odds and ends Of
ribbon. calico and silk. Nothing came
amiSs to Maggie.
Something for everybody but me-
said Tom, pretending to look grave.
Oh. dear. said Maggie But you.
and | don't want any Christmas gifts.
| don't see how anything could possibly
make us any happier.'
All the time the old crutch was laugh
ing 20 itself. 1t knew of two secrets.
One was a splendid long muf1el-gray
with green stripes at the end; every
stitch knit by Maggie, and safely hid
away for Tom Christmas present. The
other was a pair of brown gloves, fan
Inclined and trimmed with fur at the
wrist, that were ruStling in their paper
that very moment with impa-
tience for Maggie to hang up her stock
ing and 90 to bed.
They were both asleep, Tom and Mag
gle, that night when the chimes rang
from st. Madeline'S Steeple; but know
That the angels and the Lord of the an
gels blessed them, for they had done
what theycould to bring ''peace on earth
and good will to man."