The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-12-18

shone out clear and glorious through
the tiny window upon the little boy.
now in profound and dreamless sleep.
III.
Merry Christmas |" shouted Willie
as he sprang out of bed the next morn
ing, and battered on his bare feet to his
grandmother's bedside.
Merry Christmas, DEAR" she au-
swered. "Did you sleep well all through
the cold night?"
Didn't II" And 1 had such fun
ny dream 1 dreamt that the north
wind told me all about Christmas. Eve
III different countries, and he told me,
yes, he told me that there was present
coming for me this morning, o grand
ma has it come yetp has it Gomez"
Not stopping for an answer he ran to
the window.
90 grandma !" he exclaimed, CT
see footprints in the snow all the way
to the door. Perhaps they have left the
present inside the porch. Oh! let me
make haste and dress so that 1 can go
and look"
He began to dress in such hurry
that he put on his trowsers wrong side
before, and his jacket inside out, and
had to beg his grandmother to help him
correct these droll mistakes. Soon
both were dressed, and, kneeling down,
Willie's grandma implored Gods bless
ing and protection upon them, and then
they opened the door leading to the lit
tie kitchen.
But what does this mean ?" The
fire was blazing merrily where they had
left only dead embers the night before.
And how was this? A famous breakfast
was smoking on the table in place of
the simple bread and milk, which was
all they had had in the house the night
before? And who is that tall, sunburnt
man, with the long golden brown beard
and bright blue eyes so like Willie's,
who stands by the hearth, smile just
glimmeriDg through the big tears COM
ing down his cheeks?
Grandma looks steadfastly in his face
for moment, and then she turns deadly
white and faints IS he darts forward and
catches her i'll his arms, and sobbing
"mother mother p folds her fondly
to his heart. The next moment Willie
is caught up, and for the first time in
his life the little boy felt his fathers
arms around him, his fathers tears and
kisses on his cheeks.
"My son, my son." murmured his
mother, "has God indeed sent you back
to me at last ?" Her thankful Joy soon
made her strong again, and nowhere
could there have been a happier party
than the one in the little cottage as they
sat down to breakfast that Christmas
morning.
Strange is the tale that Willie and
his grandmother hear how IN the heat
of foolish quarrel the husband had
left his home vowing never to re-
turn; how fate had directed his
wanderings to the golden shores
of Australia; how fortune had
showered her gifts upon him; how
at last God had awakened mis- con-
science and brought him to repentance
so bitter that he could not rest until he
had returned to the mother-wife and
little child so cruelty abandoned long
years before. He had arrived at the
village late on Christmas Eve he had
been told that his wife was dead, and
his poor mother and little Willie were
struggling to live with poverty-that
gaunt wolf-at their door, He had in
duced the landlord of the inn to pro-
vide him with all things necessary, and
in the gray dawn had softly entered the
little cottage, the door of which was
never locked. "And now, mother,
please God," he said, "you and my
boy shall never want for anything again
in this world. My poor Maggie" his
voice broke and he burst into tears, =" if
1 could only have heard her say that
she forgave me F."
"She did, my son" said his mother I;
"she died praying for your welfare,
wherever you might be. Never doubt
that her pure spirit looks down upon
us now, rejoicing in your return to your
boy and to me"
AS size said this the merry Christmas
bells rang out a joyful peal. The happy
little family rose, and clasping hands
made the glad answer:
"Glory to God in the highest, on
earth peace, good will toward men !"