The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1875-02-04
- ,reur r,Asr,os oo,ou
1uer STORY OF as CID euHisrahs,

tH#H LseH4 AN4 taiHNE NAs- NaN
gaad dcal Cf travelling 70 thc state at
penusygauIa, going from county town 90
caauty town from lbe beginning Of the
yrsr to she close. li was pleasant busl-
ness enough. or there was less rsiroad-
Ing TO be done then than now, and more
staging, and not uulfequoHt'y long rides
an canal h0ats III The summer time, !
wss not often bnuied on my trips, and
took uY own time. My exact business
at ibo county seats consisted 10 hanling
up titles 70 obscure, wild lands, paying
taxes upon them, and getting them in
good condition for immediate sale,
( In consequence Of the nature Of this
business. knew good deal abont the
topography of PeBusy lvauia, and great
deal that was worth knowing about its
roads and Sos inns. All Of the latter wete
baa, bat some were better than others --
One Of tbc worst Of them there was at
Tamaqua, aud possibly il is there yet,
though when ! last slept under its roof il
was in altogether such lsmrutable con-
dilIou Of decay, and it's roof was such a
very .eaky roof indeed, that doubt not
. IL long ago disappeared ont Of the sight
Of men, aud possibly out Of their memo
. rles aIso-Tamsqua having achieved
railroad since, aud, Of course, grown as
only railroad towns do grow.
I | arrived there In that December OF
/ 1886. on a Monday afternoon, which was
quite as cold and dsagreeabIe Monday
afternoon as remember ever TO have
known, though when compared with the
Tuesday that followed s-it' might be con
sidercd rather warm than otherwise.
was half frozen when ] got there, and |
was not quite lhawcd out when left, for
/ had yielded to burning curiosity 10
/ visit coal mine, aud fancy that Tamaqua
( is nothing else bat coal mine, with q
( thousand mouths that every morning
{ swallowed so many thousand miners aud
/ disgorge them every night. 1t was then
aud | think II Is low. a very black and
sooty place, with canal in front of it,
/ hin behind it, aud the huge mine have
spoken of underit, ...
II was not only black and sooty itself,
but the people were similarly black and
sooly; and so were its horses or rather
/ It's mules, for it seemed to have few Of
the former aud a great many OF the latter.
Even its dogs and cats partook of the
general sootiness, and were evidently
greatly depressed by H. was very cold
when went down into the mine--which
had It's shaft just behind the hotel-aud
I was colder still when | came out Of II.
went 10 bed cold and got up cold, SO
I cold indeed that thought | would never
be warm any more. When went down
into the frozen breakfasl-room, looked
I out OF the window, and saw that the
ground was covered deep with snow, and
that Il Was still showing rs If 1t meant to
exhaust the whole winters supply in five
minutes or so, being very greatly pressed
to do il Immediately. | drank my cold,
black coffee, and ate my cold, tough beef
steak ia gloomy silence, thinking more
than | had done for q long time before of
home, Of ito pleasant cheer aud warmth,
and OF tie loving boys and girls in it,
who were even then, no doubt, expecting
my speedy coming, for this was already
the morning Of Tuesday, and Thursday
would be Christmas Day, In that home
/ was ST Nicholas himself, for il was
that brought home IN the night the brave
tree with its spreading green branches;
it was that planted il firmly ia the mid
die of the wide parlor; it was ! that
found the infinite variety Of toys, cakes,
! l.bon-bous, and gl.tteriug baubes which
covered IL; il was / that placed the ever
baanuiul image OF The Chvist-ChjId on the
tot,anost bough; | that lilled the many
coluged topers, and that at the auspic.
ious laameut, suddenly threw open the
folding doors aud let the children 10 to
behold tbg glory Of that wouderous
Christmas uslfacle.
In my frequent iourneyings through
tie state, had seen many places which ]
wanted to get awag from quickly, bat !
never saw another gAat wanted to lurn
my back upon 50 much a. Iamaqua. Ii
was not in any manner pleasant place,
aud besides, II those uephews aud nieces
Of mine were to have a Christmas tree at
ell ia this year, 1856, / thought | must
90 home, fast as could travel. had
come to Tamaqua in a stage, and must
90 away ia a stage-uot 10 Philadelphia,
exactly, but to the next railroad town,
aud that was distant, | knew not bow
far.
arose shigefiug from the dreary break.
fast, aud hunted mp the landlord Of the
inn He was easily found, aud was 30
better o. warmer-lookiug man Than bis
accommodations promised him to be-
paid bis cxlraysgaut charges, and then
informed hin that wished 10 reach as
quickly a. possible the nearest railroad
station, and 10 take the fret irain for tbe
east.
The nearest station !. At llium: Ilium
is twenty-five miles distant; you cannot
get there before night, ratal / thiHk
you won't get there At aii
All lil. WAS spoken reaeeaFely, aud
with deliberatign
M sau get there by ten O'Clock To-.
night. san make the eastern cEpusss
You ean, bat ! doubt IL yoa eau gel
tacrc Al aN
wbyY / asked.
ne VS. not a man lB wasfc words. II,