Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-12-23

packing box, it's cheek pressed close to
the shining pane, a tiny creature sat-
hour after hour gazing in at the won
ders from which it was SO utterly cut off.
Oh! tragedy offorsaken childhood, how
terrible thou art ! A great gulf lay be-
tween this little one and the children
trooping by, their lips warm with
mothers kisses-hands clasped in large
and loving ones-hearts beating high
with fond anticipation. It was only
one atom of the mass of orphaned
humanity swept out with the dust upon
our streets-quite alone, this child that
chung with suffering hands to the win
dow-frame, and shrunk from every
passer-by. Young as she was, she
knew the policeman's cry of Move
on" and dreaded the rude hand upon
her tender frame-dreaded to take up
the march again upon this bitter night.
Even that sound and touch was want
ing now. She was overlooked in the
tide of festal JOY. Whence she came no
one knew; where she was going, poor
babe, who cared The signs of love.
the looks of sympathy she saw, awaken
ed in her nothing of fellowship. Never,
in the sad maturity of her short life
could the little vagrant recall one single
link that made her less waif. And so
she covers, chill and friendless, under
meath the hooking glitter of the stars,
while up and down the street the win
ter's wind carried it's ceaseless moaning.
Mr.. Bright rubbed his hands as the
shop cleared of it's last customer He
locked and barred the great door and
then stepped lightly back into a parlor
in the rear.
Now it might have been that there
were many finer rooms and gayer scenes
than this, but, [ am sure, not one more
full of glowing comfort in all the broad
city limits to night. It peeped out of
the folds of red moreen that draped the
windows-it shone in every piece of the
stiff hair-cloth and mahogany it
squared itself upon the tufted rug-it
simmered delightfully."- in an old fash
Toned tea-kettle it eliminated in
the person and presence of a tortoise
shell kitten that frolicked before the fire.
Everywhere the flicker of light showed
wreaths and sprays of holly, disposed
by some delicate hand.
And while John Bright settled him
self, after the manner of old gentlemen,
upon the rug, with his back to the
CRATE, there foated out from an inner
room the notes of hymn, sung in clear
and childish tones:
ITO you, this night, is born child
OF Mary, chose mother mild;
This little child of 1Owly birth
Shall be the JOY of all your earth"
In another moment fairy girl, with
faxen braids, and eyes of serious sweet
ness, came out and started joyfully at
sight of him.
John Bright's big face grew beautiful
with tenderness as he caught her up in
his arms.
Naughty father p she said, in mock
reproof, "to keep your housekeeper
waiting SO long for her tea"
"Christmas Eve, little woman, and
the poor folks all coming in for their
little treats, remember"
''And somebody sent his assistants
home early to their Christmas, and did
all the work himself, poor tired dear, -
she added, passing her snowflake Of q
hand over his bald head with the dain-
tiest of caresses. s'He shall have some
thing nice and hot forhis supper, shan t
he, kitten %
The last-named member of the family
had no idea of being left out, and sat
saucily blinking her green eyes, on
Johns other shoulder
''Put me down, please, father, now;
1 must bring in the things myself to-
night. Isn't the room pretty? You
haven't said anything to my holly,
either, after I pricked my fingers so. p"
He kissed her hand and her lips a
dozen times before he could let her go,
and when the little maiden fitted off,
there was something akin to alteration in
the gaze that John Bright ntafter her.
For here was the handspring of his
life. All day long, at his labors in the
shop, John would leave the door ajar,
that he might hear her singing; and
when she stood on tiptoe before the
counter, and played at shopping in her
quaint matroniy way, John would
laugh, and look from one clerk to the
other, until his fat frame shook and
quivered like rollicking Santa Claus.
Nine years ago that nj ht Johns good
wife had gone out of the world, leaving
this tiny Christmas Offering to cheer his
loneliness. Faith they had called her,
and for nine years the child had grown
and nestled deeper in her fathers
heart, like some fair expanding flower.
whose petals each day shook forth per-
fume sweeter in that humble home than
the myrrh and frankincense of kings.
She had never let him know the want
of any other, since her hands grew
large enough to hold the keys, and per-
form the offices of mistress in their
household. A rare little thing she was,
SO fine and fragile, and yet SO fit for ali
domestic uses. She set her sssomething
hot and mice on the table with
deftest fingers, and sat down by her
fathers side to Gull for him the choicest
morsel. Truth compels me to say, that
John consumed his food in great gulps.
and drank from his saucer with a pro-
longed sigh of satisfaction; but no
miniature princess of the blood could
have pecked about more quietly than
the little girl beside him. After they