The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-12-24
A CHRISTMAS STORY.


A CHRISTMAS STORY.
It was Christmas eve And one more charm
ing it were difficult to imagine. Inc cleaI'
cold, bracing air made the blood tlngle IN ones
veins, and the silent stars shone out OF tnelr
blue depths just as they did, years ago. upon
that night when the shepherds heard the Won
drous story of the Babe in Bethlehem.
TO Mrs. Stanley it was sore temptation TO
slip away from the glare of gas light and the
close air of heated rooms into purer atmos-
phere outside, that she might 'look through
Nature M to Natures God" and think, with
GLAD. grateful heart, of the tender compassion
Of our loving Saviour in coming to bless our
beautiful, guilty word, more than eighteen CEN
But What mother could have deserted her
post, with the memory of those happy little faces
that had gone to dreamland smiling IN their
innocent glee as they eagerly anticipated tne
pleasure Of plugging into the depths, OF tneir
stockings, which had been so carefully hung
BY the chimney ere they trotted OFT to bed!
Certainly not Mrs. Stanley. She !oved her
three little ones too dearly to disappoint them.
90 Giving one lingering glance of admiration
through the window, she went quickly to work
to trim a Christmas tree that occupied one
corner of the large sitting-room. AS she hung
the pretty toys in quick succession upon the
tree. and arranged with loving care the mossy
carpet, with the sheep and COWS, farmhouse and
dairymaid. she seemed the very personifcatlon
of happiness. Bright smiles beamed upon her
face and her eye shone with the excitement. :,
The pretty bronze clock on the mantel had
lust struck ten as she put the last touch to her
evenings work, when, to her amazement,
well-known voice exclaimed, very well oone'
Mrs. S. see you don't need my assistance,
and l might have saved myself this hurried
Journey home for your benefit"
She turned, to find that her husband, after
months absence, had returned at least twelve
hours sooner than he had expected. The ad-
vent of Mr.. Stanley was all that was needed to
fll up her cup of Joy, with a face fairly shining
with qualification. she drew him to the window
to listen to the sweet tones of q Christmas carol
that some German boys were chanting IN front
of the house. Her heart was so full OF happl-
ness she longed to share it with some one-so,
hastily snatching up basket of cakes, she ran
ont to distribute them among the boys who,
true to their nature, fully appreciated the un-
expected gift.
In the little group she noticed one, younger
and smaller than the rest, and there was some
thing about his pale face that interested her
strangely. There was an old, careworn express
sion, that was painful to see in one OF such
tender years, and she wished she knew some
thing about him. Carefully and with true
,romen,s delicacy she drew from the little fell
low the story of his fathers serious illness,
caused by fall.
"Where is your mother?" asked Mrs. Stan
Tears stood in the sad eyes as he answered
"My mother has tried for weeks to earn oreao
for us all BY taking in washing, but she is los
ing her strength so fast she cannot work any
more. I have done all I can to help; but
am. so little, people are afraid to trust me to
run errands and I don't know what to do"
AS he uttered these pitiful words in such
tones of despair, quick tears came to Mrs. STAN
ley's eyes.
Encouraged by the look of sympathy in the
lady's face, Frank continued: "This morning
my two little sisters asked for bread, and moth
er hadn't even crust for them. She said to
father, what we have dreaded so long has
come at iast-we must starve or 60 to the poor
house, And oh ! lady" said Frank, "it was so
different at home in Germany; we were never
"Why did you leave?" asked his new friend.
"People told US that this was wonderful
country, where gold could be picked up IN the
streets" said poor Frank; "and when we came
and found everything so different, we could
hardly bear the disappointment. If it had not
been for my fathers trust in God, my mother
would have given up long ago. This morning
when she was so distressed, father closed his
ewes and prayed that He who feeds the ravens
would send us help and teach US to feel that
everything our Heavenly Father does is just
right When mother rose from her knees she
didn't look quite so sad, and heard her say
she would try to struggle on little longer.
never begged before" said the poor fellow, try,
ing to swallow a big sob, "but l couldn't stand
1t any longer, and thought if would sing
Christmas carol, maybe some one would give
me part of a loaf to carry home" :,
Mrs. Stanley could bear no more. she nao
CLEANED enough from the boy to awaken IN her
Kind heart the deepest interest in the unfortu.-
nate family, and it was not part of her creed
TO content herself with only kind wishes and
good intentions, while fellow-creatures were
suffering for the necessaries of life. In her
eager desire to help, she couldn't bear to have
them wait until her various duties on the NOR
row would permit her to 60 to the home Of the
Werners. So. asking Frank to wait few mo-
meuts. she filled a basket with loaf of bread,
rice, sugar, tea, and as many cakes as the
crowded condition of the basket would per-
NIT.
So late was it before Mrs Stanley's eyes were
closed in sleep that it seemed to her the night
had but Just commenced when she was awaken
ed by the glad tumult in her room as six-year-
old Nellie, little Nan and Master Bob, who
had attained to the advance age of two years,
examined, in delighted haste, the contents of
their stockings What pretty picture they