Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-06-12
1t Might Have Been.

was horribly lonesome What could / do
win myself 1t Is only about Christmas time
,hat the les ponAlbiiuy oil my Individuality hangs
heaNily upon me; my business engros ses ne Tor
the most part lor had been more success iul in
money matters than In any other interest in life
But now the holidays were here EVERYTHING in
my neat chambers were orderly and comfortable,
and had real satisfaction in the feeling that
they belonged to me. But how lonesome they
were! iellow Just passed my window with a
coVeied Dasktt on one arm, amt on the other a
happy looking woman chatteting gally as She
walked. Wen, might have had a wife if it had
not been Tor 'harIey's periidy-yes, and Emmas
too, iof suppose she was rs much to blame rs
lao was.
l wonder # either Of them were to blame
Love goes where 1t Is sent, they say, and really
suppose they could not help loving each other.
foor Emma! Proud, splendid woman; | should
like 10 know what her fate has been 1t seems
strange that Lave never heard one word from
them since that Christmas eve Gu which they
eiopcd. she was to hayo married me before
another Christmas, but Charley was younger aud
handsomer than /, and there We're such brilliant
indications oil genus about hun. Strange that
they have not been realized and surely they
have not, or | should have heard O. If / ceuli
only see them again! had forgiven them both
before the expiration OF the first year, i'll my anx-
iety about them for how could | forget the
charge OF my dying mother Take him, Paul"
she said "be good, and tender, and true to hun
matter what
lngratltude he may repay your klndncss-forgive
Inn not only seven times but seventy times
seven Be to him more than brother, 10y trust
ed child Ill my vacant place iCr him. Say to
yourselt-it VIII be true--there Is no crime on
earth that would cause my mother to cast one OF
her children out. The more abandoned the more
wretched they become, the more my affection
shall comfort and solace them until at last with
patience that never wearies, and u zeal that
never nagS, ana love whose strong wings bear
all burdens upward, | viii land them within the
portals OF that eternal home where sin and aor-
row can come no more forever.
And now 1our years had slipped down The
| thread oil hts, each adding 10 my anxiety, until
| felt that would gladly give all my accumulated
wealth for the sight OF their dear tace4 once
| more.
| will get away from th-ae toftuting thoughts,
| | said Will 20 out aud seek some adventure,
| praying my good spirit 10 lead NE where / can
| make IA Christmas 1or somebody though | may
not have one for myself. put on my wraps and
| started. The streets were thruneud; how bn-
| liantiy the lights shone, and what an array Of
| CHRISTMAS cheer they Illuminated. And then to
| sec the toys-D, il | had l ehtld to make happy
with gilt. Why Is whole Jevy OF ragged III
| tie urchins, shivering around pastry COOK WIN
dow. Now, good spirits, whose duty 1t is to in
spire lis 10 generosity, shall commit no act OF
disinterested benevoIenee to night; but | will
make these youngsters happy ii sou VIII grant
| lie some reasonable rccOnpense. 60 / called
them in, aud bought as they directed they were
SO engrossed and SO joyful that they forgot t.
| thank me. and departed With arms tull OF good
things iot their different homes lat when they
were gone, the old lonely feeling returned - lie,
aud l thought uncolniortibly u uY bachelor
Christmas AZ ain.
| passed the next day somehow / ave a l0l
deal 10 the iIlcndless ntte ones On The strcft
God's children-stii holding hrnly by my com
lpacl with my sp,rit friends, and asking frankly
Tor reimbursement. Why not Have not We
the promise that II we cast our bread upon tin
waters IN many days 1t VIII return 70 u3
On Christmas morning, as passed cut q my
door, found \ child sitting quietly On tho step
eating bunch Of raisins. lie looked hearty and
comfortable, though poorly clad, that 1t hrst
| thought he must belong 10 some oi my neigh
bors. But no; | had looked at all OF these SC
longingly and so tenderly, knew them as wei
as II they had been my own, | thonght would
speak to him.
"liow d'a do, young nI1u
"Dood moruy, h9 said saRl%, III neh, baby
eontralto.
did not know what to say nexl. No matter
he did. He took wet rasin fom cut his rosy
| mouth and handed 1t 10 me
| "Aint 90 hungry, poor man sud tile ittlI
fellow,
declined his hospll atty, hut hi5 lir4 luivered
and IL lrS came into his eyes.
aO, yes,' / said quickly, SEEING What alled him
II Iwauld like to huye some raisins - and stuope,
and lie commenced feeding e-attruatcly put
ting one grape IN my mouth and one Ia his.
thought was DOING him \ favor he knew b.
was dong me a favor, and al tue grapes dlsnp
pearod gradually he began 10 look a little Gu
easy.
"Ain't 90 dot enough >" he sud
| "o no. not halt enough yet.
| "ES 90 Is dot enough, now; dey4l make o.
sick" and lie actually put all the rest-a GOOD
sized hlndlnl-into his own mouth. Wei, itwa
not fair, but / reserved my opinion OF his con
duet, and asked him his name.
"Dottyo he said.
"Mhere - your mother
: "Don't know"
"Whers is your father
"Dou't know"
"Whare do you hve.o
3 "Me's doin 20 live with 90
"Wilh me-
! 'f.4-uy nanny tellcd me So
: "Your m1mmy Told yoa So Where . you
!, nanny
.HeT don'l OIL"
"What Is Your mamnly's name
lie look ad mo over from head 10 foo
: mentally gauging the extent OF MY idiocy
and then answered scornfnlly. "Mammy
named ndBlHlY don't 90 know lait'
ll "And sho said you ware 10 1.-Two wit
me?"
"E,; she said ii mo would oo'd dit M
lots OF pretty sings.
tell like the man who drew the elephai
= by lottery Its most deueed COOL salt
4 -, -, a Ia