Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-12-30
the WANDERERS RETURN.
A CnRIsrMAs STORY.
M 3. ELLIsoH wARxsx.

Pi0V0S VI Auto, lAtt UIOWu IuNAto4 kuLA0y5t AnA
great generous slices Of piunmy cake. Before
ones vision appears good old st. Nicholas, with
his merry. jolly face and twinklng eyes. bearing
upon his mythical back prodigious quantities Of
presents and goodies for his anectionate chill
dren.
For weeks beforehand preparations have been
going forward for the proper celebration Of this
grandsst festival OF the yesr-grandsst in that it
commemorated the grandest epoch the world
has ever witnessed.
II there 10 one season Of the vear calculated
to soften the atntiest heart or 70 drive away all
thoughts Of care and yexstion. that season Is
peace which thrilled the earth on that wonderful
night eighteen hundred years ago, has not been
lesssned In its gentle power. but once year at
least returns and glorifles with Its blessed pres
ence the worshippers Of all mankind.
1t was the night before the ever memorable
holiday, and the business streets of our city
were thronged with restless eager crowd Of
hurrytng men, women and children. There was
blur old pater Jdnil,as, his warm overcoat but
careful way through the noisy crowd, growing
occasionally 1t the pert little snowfakes falling
thickly around and which would now and then
find resting-place on his Jolly red nose, caus-
ing him much ingenious torment thereby.
Numerous brown paper parcels protruded from
his capacious pockets, and - he outwArdly
shivers, he thinks Of the happy home-circle
awaiting his coming and hastens his retarded
footsteps.
Happy looking mothers staggering along un-
der the weight Of clumsy bundles, happy under
the bundles which were to produce happiness.
Gay misses rushed hither and thither dragging
with them their big brothers ~ beasts OF bur
den. Everyone in the whole city seemed to be
happy that evening in tha pursuit Of some bene-
VIOLENT purpose.
Everyone but one : and that one . woman.
Pale aud shivering, she had drawn herself into
the partial shelter and gloom Of little alleyway,
and stood gazing hungry, and oh 10 mourn
fully, upon the gay crowd passing before her
eyes. ~.
.oh!it was plt'fu
Near a whole city full,
Home she had none."
Sine WAS young, apparently not more than
twenty-five or three, and her face was one of
more than passing beauty, but the wan look Of
starvation, the drawn EXPRESSION Of intense suf-
fering. was SO plainly visible a almost to hide
the sweet purity Of the regular features. The
wind howled dismally about her trembling
frame, and struck an icy thrill through her worn
garments. piercing her very marrow.
"Oh, heavens !" she moRned, "homeless such
a night ss this. oh father. mother, could you
rec your poor child now" And she Xroaned
aloud in her anguish, attracting the attention Of
one from the great busy throng moving past
her. ..".
"Why, bless my soul it's woman and nearly
frozen to death at that Come, my poor girl,
wh..s the mat matter w WHY amt you At home such
A pompous though kindly face psored down
into the eyes Of the homeless waif, from the
comfortable recesses of warm fur collar and
and thick fuzzy comforter At the first sound Of
the CHEEKY voice, the girl gave great start Of
fear and alarm. glance into his face was all
the response abe made TO his kind inquiry, and
aaE 20 |f SaS asGH ls 81 ala0H,se1a ~ 6Esa a
snons es oounslsss nyzisAs of fossa shAt
" Blcss nv soul /" sjssulatsd the amazed way
farer, using his favorte mild oath to express his
surprise, ''why one would think the girl imagin-
Cd me to be rascal, by the way she ran. Well
well the wicked fee when no man pursueth,
and / doubt not there IL something wrong some
where" and with this exceedingly wise and orr
sinal remark, Mr.. Solomon Graves marched SOL
emnly on to Join his family, where, kind reader,
with your permission, we will accompany him.
bright FIRE and warm supper awaited the
deepest pleasure that he sank lu1uriouSly into
his easy char after the meal and listened plac'
idly, though with slight inward shiver, to the
bowling winds without
How thankful we ought to be. my love-" ho
observed to his dumpy, rosy little wife, who sat
lovingly on N ottoman by his side, and divided
her motherly offices between her husband and
the two chubby children playing near at hand.
"How thankful we ought to be that we have
good home, = warm shelter and comfortable
clothing tonight, while 30 many thousand poor
creatures are without either, wandering about
the street. "And besides" continued he COM
cheeks, "think Of our pantry loaded down with
good things for the Christmas table tomorrow.
tell you, Mary, there are not many families
more comfortably situated than us, and we
ought to be very thankful to Him who has 30
pleased u.s." Lifting his eye piously upward.
NOW have observed, dear reader and
doubt not the same thing has occurred to you,
that no one, and especially no member of the
sterner sex, IL ever in such fine humor, or bet
ter pleased with himself and the world in
general, than when he has just arisen from .
bounteous repast, and is sitting before bril-
liant Are. A man IL never more benevolent
gAlly generous in his thoughts, than at that
pleasant period Of his existence. He turns
his thoughts toward the suffering poor, and IL
- sincerely sorry ut their condition.
lie abuses the blosted bondholders And
"pampered aristocrat-," while ho condoles
with the unfortunates OF the lsboring classes.
But did you ever likewise notice that these
generous Thoughts and sympsthizing words are
generally the extent Of that benevolent indi-
vidual's reflections? Did you ever mark how,
~ the pang Of supper time commences to
gnaw ut his stomach, and the burning Goals
grow DINNER, he shoots out sharp replies st
his wife, makes hits ut his daughters beaux,
and frightens the cook half to death with his
loud commAndsp Such is the inevitable end
Of the great msjcrity Of such csses-but beg
pardon for this digression, brought on ~ II
was by the remarks OF our friend Mr.. Solomon
Graves, after eating hearty meal and seated
in the bosom OF his family before a cheerful
anthracite blaze.
A half smile at the compliment to her house.
wifely industry, and the little woman looked
pleasantly up into her husbands beaming face
'Oh Solomon, she said, "if Helen we're on
ly here with us tonight. how happy indeet
should we be. Heaven knows where she is
perhaps wandering about our very streets
starved and frozen while we are oil comfortAbl,
here !" and At this first mention Of lonl
tAbooed subject the tender mother gave way b
= food Of bitter tears, as she thought OF her dar
ling child, driven from home Ave years befor
by her fathers curse, uttered In the bitterness
of rage and disappointment, for her disobedi
ence in marrying young sculptor, destitute o
everything but u handsome face and moderat
talents.
Five long years this terrible event had bee
tue skeleton In the closet Of Solomon Grave
home, and the subject had been aacredly avoid
ed in obedience to the masters whim, BY til
whole household.
Whether the pompous lord Of the domicil la
repented Of his rsrh and unnatural act or no
IL IL not our province to say; certain 1t IL ths
Ut this first outburst Of his wifes overcharge
heart, he manifested no unreasonable rage b.
rather turned uneasily in his velvet-cushione
comfortable chair, and the incident Of the sire,
that night came involuntaIily to his mind-th
pale starved face Of the outcast woman, starir
him uncomfortably in the face, - he thougl
Of his loved, once beautiful. Helen, wander,
There wife, there" he said II Last in softenn
tone, ''let the subject rest between us. Hele
was bad disobedient child, and deserves I
thought of ours. As for beng homeless" sterl
iy now, .'she chose " leave our roof, and Il
companionship Of her best friends, to follow Il
beggarly fortunes Of . nameless vsgabond, ii
IL he provides her with no shelter tonight who
has she to blame but her own wicked hear
10 dry your eyes, my dear, and don't allow Il
thought OF such things TO disturb us on Il
eve, which Of all year should be the most jo
ous," and Mr.. Solomon again raised his eyes d
voutly. .. t.
Poor Mrs. Graves sadly lifted her bow
head, and wiped the tears from her tsar-dimm
Isshes. Her mothers heart yeArn
after her child more than she could expires
\ abe longed eagerly to clasp to her arms I
: poor errtng one, aud assure her Of d mothe
love.
It was . hard duty then to give up the v
dreams Of reconciliation, in which she b
iudulged, and once more lapse back Into
dull sickening life without her darling.
hastily quilted the room taking with her
merry pratt!ing children At her foot and
she tucksd them snugly In their little or
lhs murmured prayer to Heaven for |