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


birth of Christ dawned upon earth.
Again the choral hymns went up, the
joy-bells clashed upon the crystal air.
1t was the festal time for all Gods tired
children, wandering, stumbling, stray
ing onward in the journey to their rich
inheritance. The time when hands
should clasp upon old feuds; when the
balm of forgiveness should be poured
upon old scars; when pride, vain-glory,
and all Observation-Disclosures should flee
away, like sorrow and signing in world
| to come.
To-night-for it is Christmas Eve-it
is bitter cold, and the stars look down
with their sleepless eyes upon the great
city, all alive with mirth. Uptown,
every door that opens sends forth a
burst of light, of life, and song, that
trembles out and dies upon the wintry
wind Through window-panes where
no selfish blinds are drawn. there are
sweet home pictures to be seen in pass
ing.
There, trees glisten with their golden
fruitage, and white lambs lie upon the
moss around their base. There, happy
little children dimple with delight, and
maidens blush their Joy. And there,
the matron lends her hallowing smile,
turning aside, it may be, from the rosy
band, with yearning thought of some
lost presence that will lend to her crown
of jewels its loving ight-ah, never,
never more
| But while In swift succession these
Christmas phantoms pass before my
view it is not here, among the mansions
of the rich and great, that must inger
now. Quite out of the pale of May
Fair dwells good man, above whose
door Is writ III shining letters,
JOHN BRIGHT,
GROCER.
ga merry Christmas It was in
scribed in an arch of evergreens within
| the door; it echoed upon every passing
tongue; and if ever fat, honest face
expressed a kindly greeting, John
Bright's repeated this.
Throughout the lingering twilight, a
busy stream of holiday folk poured in
at the grocer's portal, and blocked up
the street IN front. Mr.. Bright and his
two assistants had work enough to tie
up brown paper parcels, and fill jugs,
| and load baskets.
The best of it was that somebody ac-
tually bought the fat turkey, who lay
in state on bier decked with parsley
sprigs, and his arms crossed, like a
hero as he was, taking his rest, under
the gas jet in the window.
Mr. Bright might we'll have said
Ichabod after that, for the brother and
sister turkeys which remained looked
SO insignificant, nobody cared even to
ask their respective price. Perhaps
that was the reason why, when it came
to be time for Mr.. Bright's two assist
ants to unite their aprons and go home,
the fat grocer ordered them each to
take one of the remaining fowls, and
never let his hear of it again
He did not look very indignant, how
ever, as he brought out two well filed
baskets, and told each assistant to take
that home, and never say that he had
not seen the color of a plum, pudding,
but it smelt very much like tea, and
wine, and oranges, too, and !, the thin
face of one of the poor boys brighten
ed up SO, that / don't think his feelings
were hurt. Gle had just come there.
and was said to have grandmother de-
pendent on him at home.) an .s.fs 7sa !.
ALI this time, and whilst every face
wore smile, and every eye a CLEAN,
there was one little outsider whose lip
had never learned to laugh, and whose
hollow orbs rsfecteds nothing of the
seasons Northumberland = sasasssg I'D
Crouching in the shelter of large