Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-25
ADAM WHITES yISiON.--A CHRIST.
MAS STORY.
by OLIVE HARPER.


the last year II shall have to give away
at least twenty dollars worth 10 the poor
again. don't see why we have TO pro
vide for the lame and lazy. People have
no right to be poor; there's no sense in
il. / wouldn't give a thing IL ! could
help il; but IL looks well 10 see on the
subscription list, Adam White a large
amonnt OF provisions;' and il makes one
popular brings custom"
SO he took down the rusty old ham
and put Ii In basket with large pack.
age Of musty coffee, a couple of sacks of
mouldy flour. and half n barrel OF sugar
that had had kerosene oil split in IL, and
when a few wormy dried apples and
peaches were added. he hcavcd deep
sigh, half melancholy al the sacrifice.
half satisfaction 10 think his religious
duty was so we'll and cheaply done, and
that as far as the poor were concerned,
he had done all that could conscientioasly
be expected of him for a year 10 come.
He was certain, too, that the worthless
ness of the gifts would not be discovered
except by the poor, and they would not
dare TO complain, for these charitable in
stitu,ions have a fashion OF declining 10
visit any one second time who hnds
fault ungratefully for favors.
This doleful duty performed, Mr., White
went home to his lonely house, ate his
supper. gave thanks TO the Lord for all
His boun,ies and blessings, and told Him
In his PRAYER how Chrisiian.like and be-
neyolen, Adam White was, counted his
money, smoked his peaceful pipe, and
went 90 bed.
In another part of the city, in poor
and lonely street, lived a woman with two
children, who was distantIy related to
him, but whom he had long since failed
10 remember. because they were poor, not
merely comparatively poor, but wretched.
ly poor. For three years had this poor
widowed mother struggled on earning a
bare subsistence, and now she was i'll and
the gaunt wolf left Off peering in the
window and boldly walked in the door.
1t had been cold and rainy for several
DAYS, and she was growing weaker with
each succeeding day; but the little chill.
dren, with all childrcn's thoughtlessness,
never imagined that their loving mother,
who ever stood between them and harm,
could leave them The night before Christ
mas the children asked il they might not
go out and see the shops and toys, and she
consented, wrapping them as well as she
could They wandered on hand in hand,
now stopping 10 admire some beautiful
toy, again some warm. looking garment or
happy child, until they at last paused, and
Nellie spoke: I'VE never shall have
Christmas any more, Sammy" while her
plaintive voice quavered in the endeavor
TO keep down her tears as she looked in
the bakers window, where the tempting
dainties were displayed, while the blaze
of light made Sammy's little form look
thinner than before, and his rags show
palmer.
"Oh, Sammy, wish we could have
just little of that gingerbread, l
wouldn't ask anything nicer, but now
we'll never have anything good any
more"
perhaps you will, Nellie. l will go in
and tell the baker how hungry we are,
and maybe he will give us some"
mo, Sammy, don't you know mamma
told us never TO begs"
"Yes, Nellie, but she don't know how
hungry We are. She is never hungry, you
know
s'Yes, Sammy, | know she says so, but l
think she is hungry sometimes, and tells
us that so we needn't feel bad. Don't
you know yesterday, when there were
only two potatoes aud one piece of bread,
she gave II all to US, and said she wasn't
hungry, and we ate it all upf Sammy,
saw her eating the peels and crumbs af-
terward. Oh! it Is too bad, isn't it, Sam.
my"
The golden head dropped, great sob
heaved the little breast, and bright tears
fell fast from the shy violet eyes, until
Sammy put his arms around his sisters
neck, and consoled her with predictions
of better days.
AT last they grew tired of standing
there, and were about starting home, when
group of well-dressed children passed
by, and handed Sammy package of
candy, which he gave to Nellie, saying;
snow we are going TO have a Christmas,
toop'
"Oh, Sammy" said Nellie, "this does
taste nice. 1t just seems like the good
old times fore papa died. and we got SO
poor. think it's awful to be so poor,
and never have enough TO eat or be real
warm-don't you, Sammy Why, Sammy,
you gave me all the candy. Here! take
half again, you good brotherw
WELL" said he, eating it, at is good !;
but I'd rather have good piece of bread
and butter. think you are right, Nellie,
and its awful to be poor, for everybody
kicks you when you ask for work, just
cause your clothes isragged. could do
good deal Of work if anybody would
hire me; but am SO little, and thin, and
they only say, get out, you beggary"
Il know it; let's 60 home Sammy Pm
cold, and it's no use looking here any
longer. We can't have any OF the good
things, and l don't believe we ever will
any more. wish were dead and with
papa and God. guess we could have lots
Of ginger bread and good things there"
And with this expression of new ideal
heaven, the forlorn little ones turned
home. Nellie chartered on, but Sammy
set his teeth hard to keep from shivering
with the cold, and they soon reached their
comfortless home.
The mother was waiting for them by
the scanty fire, with her baby Of two years
in her lap. Her last cent had been ex.
pended in the supper, meager as 1t was,
that now awaited the two little ones, for
whose footsteps she listened Silent tears
were dropping thick and fast on the little
head that was clasped to her bosom, for
she felt that the time would come soon
when she must leave them forever. But
she did not know how very soon that sum.