The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-25

4 T
.------------ # IT
ANNE AND wrLLrE's PRAYER
no SANTA CLAUS.
,r-,.s tho eve before Christmas" Good night had
nd pf snn lear and Willie bad crept into bed;
There wtre tears on eir pillows anu scass =" ''e''
n ey sscb ,it,le bosom was seaying with s,shs,
Eor Tonight their Stern fathers eommane had oeeh
r,. n ,hay should retire precisely at seven,
insiead Of sisat for they troubled sm more
VIII ag ,,a tss he SoSsht this sn
40 sush bei,,g as g santa Claus ever hao nreHs
And he hopes after M he should sys ,,h nSes as
Han he scran,b.ed down chimneSs VIVID pieeeho'
And his Was The reason that two little heaa as
No r,st,essly tossed on their soft 6owny 1t1s %,
3ebi nine, and The clock the seepe ioiiea Ten
Not wnra haa been spoken by either till men, ,,
when Witilcs sad face from NE nau Tast ssleen
ssMhy. no. brother Wiic.-a ,weet yocs replies
.rye tried in vain. for cam, smut ny eyes,
n ne5 nana has sa there Is no santa Sians;'
now NE know there is, aud 1t can't be denied:
Tn. then I've tetu thinking that che used 70 pray.
And Cod wx,aid hesc rything mamma Houi1 guy
And perhaps she asked Him TO send SANTA eis"s
with the sack fall OF presents he brought every
year. -, =, ,,an,oo did dan
I.
And ask bod 10 send him with p'esents aaen 800
s. I've been thinking 80 too" Ana "ithou' WIN
E,onr S,,,e hare feetbouud ID out on the foor,
Aud four nitie knees the soft carpet pressed, .,
1ad two liuy hands were ciasped close 10 each
.Sow. Willie. yoa know we must firmly believe
That the presents we ask for were snreto aeSen,e'
You must wall Just as SUI, t say .nn nus come
And by that you VIII kho" ''ia' 'oHA 80 '
Dear Jesus. look down on my brother and me, me,
And grspt us the favor we are OF lhee-
Iyant wax dolly. tea. set ana rlnx, ,
And an ebony work. box that shuts Win spring.
Riess papa. dear Jesus ana cause Dim ~ SEC
That Sapa Clus loves us Tar better ihan ne.
Don', lei him g,t fre,ful and angry again
Al dear brother Willie and Annie. Amen. ,,o,,
and t'ns ms some p'esrnts before 1t IS light.
Jwant ne should dive me nice lite SEQ, co. va.
with blight shirin' runners, ana All pa'hoce Gu
A hoy foI, of tandy. book and 10Y
amen and den. Ucsus, III he dcod boy"
Their prayers being ended they raised up 1heif
And With hearts light ard cheerful, again sought
THU nept soon lost in slu,Aber both peaceful and
And With fairies in dreamland were roaming In
Fight nine, ard the little French clock had struck
Ere The father had thought of his children again
He seems now 20 hear Annies Aai'Suppio''e0
And - ce The big tears stand In WillIes blue eyes
II harsh WIN my earrings s s ne enrIE 10 bed,
IA. ,nsn w.s Iroubipd my feelings found vent,
For bank stock to-day has gone down teh pc, cens
But 81 course they've iorgo''ea 'he'r ''ou's' CAV
Ana mat denied thcm the thrice asked sor Kiss;
BUT Just 10 make sure u s,ea' up ~ .'I nefrrn
SO saving, he softly ascf nded Inc staiis, ~ .ho,
And arrived at the door 10 near ko'n VI '''e'
His mics Bless pupa' draws forth the big tears
And Wiie's grave promise falls sweet on ms ia, ear
"slrapge, strange I'D forgotten Sala he' WIN
"Hos longed, when child to have Christina
1m a,ame fIsr nv barshness, he nwardly said,
!'Bv answering their prayers ere sleep III M
Then ne turned TO the staircase, and softly wen
rhrew Oft velvet slippers, aud silk dressing. gown
Donned hat, coat, aud boots, ana was out i'll Ill
millionaire Millionaire facing the cold, driving sleet.
Nor stopped he until he had bought everything , ing,
From box full of sweets to the Tiny golo rug
Indeed he kept ADDING much To his store,
That the various present outpumot req scoIe. re-
Then homeward he turned WIN nus nouay ,I s,
Miss Dolly was seated beneath pine tree,
Nv the side Of table spread out Tor her Yea
a work-box well iled, in The centre was LAID,
And on il a riug, for which Annie mad prayed
soldier, in uniform stood by siea ed oil ,,,,rte,
with bright, shining runners, ana al palnteS
There we're balls, dogs, and horses, books pleasan
And birds Of all colors were perched in the treo;
While Santa Claus laughing, stood up III tine top'
AS If getting ready more presents 10 urop.
And AS the fond father The picture surveyed,
He thought for his irouble he had amply been pald
And he said to himself, as he brushed OF tear,
I'm bapnier tonight than I've been for year;
I've enidved more true pleasure than ever before.
What care II bank stock FAN ten per cent more
Hereafter IN fnage 1t Il rule, beiieve: r. ,
10 hsve Santa Claus visit US each Christmas Eve
So thinking, he gently extngltshed ING liSnt,
And TIPPED down The stairs TO retire for the nlgh1
AS soon as the beams of the bright morning sun
Put the darkness flight land the stars one by one
-Four iittle blue eyes out OF sleep opened wlde,
= And AT the same moment the presents espled.
- hen out of their beds they sprang with b9und,
And the very gifts prayed Tor were oil u "'en
They laughed and they cried in their innocent gee
And shouted for papa " 10 come QUICK ano see
VIVA r-esenls old Santa Claus brought lu tht
tJus; sne things that they wantedJ and left before
"And now" added Annie, in voice soft and low
"You'll believe there's Santa Claus, papa
know ,
While dear little Willie climbed up on his knee,
Determined no secret between them should be,
And told In soft whispers how Annie had sald
That their bl' ssed mamma, so long ago dead,
Used to kueel down and pray by the side OF he
AAnd tina, God, up In heaven. had answered he
"Den We dol up and Played dest as well as We
And bod answered our payers. Now, wssI't hi
dood2h
al should say that he was, if he sent you all these
And knew just what presents my children wouIe
Wei, We'll, let him think so, The dear little elf,
t,Twould be cruel TO tell HIN l did II mysel.I
Blind iather! Who CAUSED your Stern hears 10 IT,
And The hasty words spoken so soon to repent?
Twas The Beng who babe you slea softly up stairs
And made You his aget I to answer their prayers
MRS. SOPHIA T. SNOW.
S,v,rtusxnea Shadows