The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-11-16
wagon with red wheels, apd-but i FOR.


got, It is wrong TO make such wishes.
Aunt Maria has told me that musI
'Inot -coeet ahythmg-that 10 do so Il
very wicked. Come, grandpa" And
she turned away sadly d gsLet us &c
home. ] don't want 20 be wicked, buI
Lcan't belp 4, when I see 50 many
pretty things!f uH
i Thsold man p,fmitasa himself to he
led from the Eindowllby the child, and
hand In hand they walked slowly away,
l Fora moment stood looking aftel
then, then, pcting upon the impulse,
started IN phfsnit.' After proceeding
ashott distance along tho. main thor
oughfare, they turned of into q marrow
street, and, following, / saw them entel
q small and rather dilapi dated house,
whionlatood come littld distance bach
from Tho street, with a courtyard before
| 1t I'noted Its appearapce carefully. II
twas built Of wood, two stories high,
4 end flooked to be- considerably older
than . century. "a picket. fence minus
many of the pickets4with rickety
I,gate, which sRnlg backward and for
ward In the strong wind, discoursiue
the most exoruciating music imagin.
able, divided the plotot ground upon
which II stood from the street. Salts.
fed TINT I could find the house again
\ without difficulty, I retraced my steps,
and was soon Standing before the coun.
ter Of the little store, into whose win.
dpwa the old man and child had gazed
so wiBtfully but q few minutes previous.
Whenir stepped out into the street
Eagain II was with alafge brown paper.
lbnndle in my arm, the contents OF
which consisted Of tho coveted doll,
seymalsugar soldiers and peasant girls,
10 miniature cradle, the wagon with red
wheels, awhile goolly dog, with pro-
trudipg glass eyes and ., red paper
llcollar, q cat that inewed when squeezed,
and numerous smaller toys, together
with several cornucopias ofsweeta.
Though the package was o cumber-
some ono, and ON several occasions
came near being knocked out Of my
arms sby Aonie careless or excited
passet.by, aud the tongue Of the wagon
would pefsist in getting into complica-
tions with my legs,I must say ! never
felt lighter OF heart. or better able TO
contend with tho ordinary annoyances
Of mankind, than on this particular oc-
casion. a A'lad qNAI 3l1p
b. Back TO the littleold. fashioned house
Ilstrnggled, but I was not destined to
reach II without two complete "fp-
ups, from which I suffered no incon-
yehience, however, beyond o slight
bruise upon Q. rather prominent por-
ton Of my anatomy, In, Consequence Of
my coming too suddenly and violently
in contact with the pavement, in o sit
ting posture. I pushed open tho yo-
ciferous gate, crossed the courtyard,
and knocfedat the door Of the house.
Anaged female, wearing q frilled cap,
answered the summons. ss -
"Good evening" ! remarked, "My
sail may strike you as somewhat singu-
lar, but this being Christmas eve, !
have undertaken, for the first time, to
enact the agreeablerotsof ST. Nicholas,
and in that character I have tapped at
your door. y nsqiyfg 81 a D
: She looked rather yperplexed, and
considerably alarmed ia'l J ;laaesg, 4
"sEep aside, Nancy, and let me do
the talking" And pushing her gently
aside, the old man I had followed
stepped iiorwSrd. ViFWhatis;it, sir2"
be asked. eyeing mo rather sharply.
THE fact H." I Irepliad, - j gawia
Child, tonight, gazing into the window
OF store, and heard her express de-
sire y possess some of its contents, and
here they are," ," and I extended the bun.
die toward the) little pale face ] saw
peering timidly out from behind the
old woman's akirts In the background,
One glance ~ thae couatenance, as
the expression oi perplexity. and idonbt
gave way To. tHat Of extreme 10y, as the
ichild' seized the bundle and tore IN
aperture in the wrapper, paid me ten
fold for the bruises I hadreceived in
conveying IL TO her. The old man
looked first at the child and then at me,
as ifdebating in his mind whether IL
was advisable TO permit the little one to
retain tho package, 80 nysteriously and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS but the female,
Regardless 6fiis hesitation, lhgain came
forward, and with-a low "God bless
you" bade eIne euEer.isl
Accepting the invitation, I found my
self within "a good, sized room, upon
the large Ok. iaslibned hearth of which
sparkled and blazed q cheerful wood
tires The furniture, which was antique
in style, and, much worn, consisted Of
several cumbersome maple chairs, o
huge mahogany bureau with diminu.
tive glass knobs aud 'claw.like feet, and
a tall .clook almost. resembling q coffin,
which hstood in d remote corner solemn
ly telling of the passing seconds, with
It's measured "tick, tick" Upon the
walls hung several highly .colored
prints Of seriptural scenes. There was
no carpet upon the 'well.scoured' floor,
and everything wore an air Of the most
scrupulous cleanliness and respectable
poverty. The occupants OF the apart.
ment were four In aumber-the old
man and woman, the child. and o short,
withefed.up piece offemale humanity,
who retired to the utmost extremity Of
the room Immediately upon my on
trance, and, 'burying her face In her
hands. gave vent to the most astonish-
ing and tnaccountable outburst Of
feeling, in the form OF unintelligible
titterhhces and hysterical sobs, lever
heard. The old man motioned me 10 o
chair, and when the excited female had
somewhat. subsidized, said: "Sir, you
have brought happiness TO one little
heart tonight, and God bless you for
1t. But how happened IL that one OF
our household should be the object Of
your generosityi' p"