The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-25
JOE OILERS CHRISTMAS FEAST.
A Good Story for the Season.

Good Story for the Season.
"Please'm. only penny. I'm frozen
and starved !"
The carriage stood at the edge of the
sidewalk, and Mrs. Linley was just going
out with her two children to buy some
Christmas gifts Nellie was all scarlet and
ermine, her sweet, happy face framed in
with golden curls, and master Frank not
whit behind in elegance, though tride
more naughty, as you could tell by the wide
distance he gave the miserable little beg
gar.
.'Get away I" said Mrs. Linley, with
disdainful sweep of the hand
The child and she looked at each other
one of those glances that stamp a face up
on ones memory. But she was always
afraid Of street boys. They might have
fever or small pox, or any other infection,
lurking in their rags.
The carriage drove on. The children
were happy. generous, well-behaved, and
belonged to christian family. They were
going to prove all this now. Besides gifts
for mamma and papa, and some little cous-
ins, half dozen poor children were to be
remembered.
They spent all the pleasant sunshiny mid
die of the day going from shop to shop.
What hosts Of tempting things A perfect
Santa Claus reyel everywhere. 1t was like
glimpse of fairy land Frank and Nellie
laughed and talked, ran to mamma with
hundred pretty things, but did not tease.
They had quite n load in the carriage. & And
oh wouldn't lame Johnny Ashton be de-
lighted with his books, and the wheeling
: chair mamma had bought him, and Susy
Door would be the happiest of the happy
in her new plaid dress, and her tea-cups
and sauceIs.
For poor children love to play just as
well as rich children don't they mamma p
said grave, sweet Nellie.
81 hope you will never forget, my dear.
that we are ali created alike, and that al
the poor little ones are just as precious ln
Gods sight"
Sand it is 80 nice to make them happy !"
Mrs. Linley gave her darling smile.
"And Christ the Lord was horn for every
body Frank added, in reflective manner.
"My teacher told me 50 on Sundays that
all little children might be saved, and have
merry Christmas"
"Maybe they can't all have merry
Christmas. Some are very poor and sick.
and nobody seems to caie cor them--likc
that little beggar who sio1l watching lis
when we started. mamma isn't it hard
What becomes of them?"
The sweet face was full ftender pity.
God takes care of them, like the spar
rows" said Frank
Mrs. Linslcy did not answer. She half
expected to find the wretched object on her
doorstep. But he was not there.
They shivered with the cold, and ran to
the fireside. Then papa came home, and
they had the happiest Christmas eve i'm
aginable. OF course you could not make
your charities go all round the world, but
Mrs. Linley thought she had stretched hers
long distance So she had. Andyet she
might have given the child at the door few
pennies. But street beggars were 80 often
thieves.
He wandered on. For nearly week he
had slept in a station.h house, and begged a
little during the day, just enough to,keep
body and soul together. lie used to sell
matches and pins, but had no capital to buy
new stock, and there were so many In the
trade. A month ago the old woman with
whom he had lived died suddenly, and her
sharp niece csmc in and took possession.
Then he had to tramp.
He went on, asking now and then for
penny. Some gave him ascowl--some did
not even design to look, and one or two
men called him rough name. oh . he was
oo hungry anu 80 Coiu! Inc pilBut ruusnihc
did not seem to warm him bit. He looked
wistfully into the basement windows; he
stared at the merry. happy children who
ran by in warm clothing. His shoes were
out to the ground his tatters Tapped IN
the biting wind
1t was growing colder and colder. lie
ran along until he came to an eating saloon
Such a delightful, savoury smell came
through the grating, and faint warmth
that was most grateful to him Not q
mouthful of anything had he eaten since
Yesterday noon. People went along with
great market-baskets full men with bun
dies in their arms; girls and boys with
Christmas gifts.
"Move on, move on, youngster !" said
otarn vaire