The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-03

w ana inc McfTllncnt llduc MN liolc "iC''h
cd than ever. Why should he, OF all The
world, have nothing for which to be glad OF
Christmas Eve? The very crossing sweeper!
danced with their muddy brooms and raltlet
the coppcrs in their pockets; but he had no
; Il soul to wish him well or care if it went IL
with him. IL seemed all the worse because
there had been some one, not 50 very Ions
ago.
The wife who loved him, in spite of his dc
formity, had only been dead year; ana
though he felt that somewhere and somehow
she was with the blessed, he had never learn
ed to think of her as q Christmas angel, sing
ing the fine old song of peace and good VII
to men.
So Tom was lonesome and he sat by hi
fire, waiting until the sound of hurrylng steps
and noisy voices should cease, as it did after
a while Tho lights went out, too, from al
The houses in the neighbOrhood; and Tom''
lantern burned on, until ii was time TO set The
switch for the night express. Then he wen
out gloomily, swinging his lantern, and new
or once looking up. He could hear the FAM
whistle of the train three minutes late thai
night. lie wondered at il as he was setting
the switch
Down the long street, ght and left, all was
still and dark, only at the bridge, where thC
night patrol made a restless black shadow on
the little strip of light. Overhead the stars
were glttcring; and away beyond them, Tom
thought, was God, forgetting all his poor
Up and down for little way the red CLEAN
of the lantern showed the cfndery road and
1.-The dull black rails showed the little frozen
puddlcs between the ties and something else
Tom was not quite sure what-a small
dark bundle lying upon the track He had il
| in his hands in u moment None too soon
for thn hp
the engineer saw something darling away
from the very brink ofdes,ruction But Tom
had the bundle, and, with his breath coming
quick and hard, he turned into the house, and
laid 1t down IN the light of the fire.
cts baby, and it's dcadr' he said, open.
ing the dirty old shawl and looking curlously
at the white, pinchcd face and thin blue lips.
Never in all his life had Tom ever touched a
baby before; and his dull heart stirred a little
as he lifted the small pallid hands and let
them fall again, strokcd the cold cheek with
his coarse finger, and then, folding the shawl
about 1t, laid it on the foot of his bed. Just
rs he had laid it down the Christmas chimes
began to ring from st. Madelnes stecple, and
poor Tom stopped his ears with his pillow,
and said in his angry heart: ut is lie.
There is neither peace nor good will"
Tom slept late the next morning. He liked
his Sunday nap, when there was no
train to wakcn for and nothing else, indeed
no Christmas greeting from wife or child.
He thought of it sOrrowiully, lying half
awake, with the red sunshine streaming
across his face. Then he started up with a
sudden remembrance OF the little bundle in
the dirty old shawl. 1t seemed warm, and
not cold lying there at his feet; and he al
most thought 1t stirred Il little, rs the sun.
E,II .,fH oil 4
long bright fingers upon it. He opened the
shawl, half dreadng to see the pale wan face
by daylight; and oh, wonder! the great sor-
rowiul eyes were wide open, and the baby
looked in his face with the mute appealing
patience of one used to nothing save utter
neglect, and making not the least claim upon
any loving care.
How soon the fire blazed again upon the
hearth, and how tendcrly Toms clumsy fin
fingers held the cup with its draught of very
strong black coffee, to the baby's mouth. He
had vague impression that milk was the
proper food for babies. But milk he had
none; and the little one showed its apprcci-
alton of the situation by eagerly swallowing
the coffee, and going off into u sleep shade
less like death 1t slept on and on, while
Tom ate his breakfast and took counsel of
his heart. "rll bring Mistress Mcbride to
And so he did
Tho motherly old body laid it tendcrly on
her knee, chafed the thin, pallid hands, and
stretched out the little cramped feet to the
blaze, while Tom looked on, wondering and
anxious.
80 50, poor thing, poor lambm said the
nurse. She's beginning to come round a
bit. Deed, then, Mister Larkin, the croolty
Of this world is past believin'. Tho baby's
been drugged till its brains is all of water :;
an to think of layin' the poor innocent on
the track"
might have been dropped accidental"
suggested Tom.
might be-" said the nurse, "some poor
drunken crcetur,' And she dipped her fin
ger in the coffee and moistencd the baby's
mouth. EE
Heres teeth, Mister Larkin," SAID she tri.
umphan,ly -"Stummick teeth and grinders
the baby's gon' on two year, if she's day
| wouldn't wonder now If she pulled through
after all"
Toms face lighted up, rs il this were good
news; and then fell again, as he added "Icr
mothcrll be after her NEST like"
Like enough said the nurse, "Somc poor
creatur' has used her for begin purposes
and she's been dragged with GIN and what not
To keep her from CROWN"
Tom looked so angry that she fastened to
add There's many folks does it, and may
be this one got sick of the child and left It,
Look mt that, now" said She as the baby
opened her eyes and fixed them on the dane
ing flames; shes comm round peart enough.
And what'll you do with her then, Mister
Larkiny
Keep her" answered Tom, without the
least hesitation
"Thc Lord be good 10 ye, Mister Larkin
The baby's sure to bring blessing, coming
on Christmas, and Sunday too" And the
old nurse bent her gray head and kissed the
little skinny face on her knee
Poor baby. She knew well enough what
blows meant, and cold and hunger; but in all
her little life she had no experience of love
and tenderness 80 She lay quiet and unre.
sponsivc, only her eyes seemed to follow the
dancing flames.
"I'll 90 and see 10 my old man, now" said
Mistress Mcbride. "Just You lay her in the
warm, and give her time TO come rightly to
herself I'll brew her some porridgc, and
,rtnr hit ~