Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-01-14


did all the rest, in tin1uestioning belief
and utter ignorance of the meaning of
the word.
When she was all dressed, Miss Rus
sell lifted her again, and carried her to
a cushioned seat in corner, saying:
Nov sit here quietly, like good
little girl, and will soon have some
thing for you to eat besides this"
A great bun, with plums in it, was
placed in Dots hands, and the kind
lady went away.
Far of, Quite at the other end of the
! long room, size could see a group of
ladies busy about tall green tree,
which they were loading with toys, dolls
and horses, and hundreds of bright
beautiful things, none of which Dot
had ever seen. She tried to eat her bun.
but the pangs of hunger had given way
to sick loathing of food, and she could
not swallow.
Over the little thin limbs there crept
slowly a numbing warmth. and the little
hooded head dropped till it rested upon
the wall beside her, powerless to rise
again.
Yet the child did not sleep. The
ladies at the end of the hall, moving to
and fro, took fantastic shapes in her
large, wide-open eyes, and she wondered
if they would all rush at r by and by,
tear off her new clothes, and fling her
into the street again. Once or twice in
her wretched life, she had bad a gar
ment given to her that had vanished as
soon as she took it home, and she
thought how she should cry If her
mother tore off all these warm clothes
and sent her about shivering in her rags
again.
Then the great tree danced up and
down il her dizzy sight, and seemed
nodding its strange, bright burden
above her head. She wondered why
the babies upon it hung by the neck.
and where they got such beautiful
clothes why the horses did not prance
about, and what ali the strange, fine
things were for.
After time tine ladies went into an
other room, where she could still hear
their voices, and the lights were lowered
so that the long room was quite dim.
Then the child fell asleep, and a dream
came to her.
In the dream white-winged angel,
with the face of the kind lady who had
taken her from the curb-stone, bent
over her and said
"No more pain, nor cold, nor hunger
after tonight, Dot"
And she felt soft kisses on her lips,
and ell faded away into long, dream
less Sleep.
Two or three times Miss Russell went
softly to Dots corner. Once to put
folded shawl under her head, and settle
her comfortably upon the cushioned
seat once, when no one observed her,
to press her lips again upon the poor
little face, and whisper prayer. You
see, she was one Of the wOman-and
God be thanked there are many-who
went into the Mission School with heart
full of mother-love, pity, and Christian
charity. One who thought of each neg
leoted little one as one of the children
Christ called, and who might answer
the call, if tender, helping hand was
extended to aid stumbling feet. Every
sore upon Dots little pinched body had
sent pang to this noble heart every
tear that fell from her great, wistful
eyes had drawn the mother-love closer
TO her.
And as she stood covering the little
sleeping figure, putting the soft pillow
under the weary head, no child had ever
had gentler touch than vas given the
little street waif.
"CanDct eat," she thought, seeing
the I'LL tasted bun held fast in the thin
fingers "that is bad. ! will have q
little warm milk for her when the sup
per is ready. We must get her into
the children's hospital for while
She breathes as il her lungs were dis
eased."
So with good wishes floating like
blessings over her, Dot slept till q great
burst of music Weakened her with a start.
She stood erect, her eyes dilated, her
whole figure trembling. Little children,
two by two, neatly clad, and singing 9
hymn, entered by wide open doors, and
trooped past her in seemingly endless
procession; the great organ pealed above
her, shuddering with its mighty chords
of music.
Beyond, in glory Of light, such al
the child had never seen, was the Christ
mas tree, a thousand darts of frt
| spriDSiug IrOm us DIdncue5, anu TIT
colors flashing in every direction. Still
the music, the organ and happy voices
of hundreds of children filed the air
and the glorious tree blazed before Dot
eyes.
The pains and sufferings of her Who'll,
life faded slowly from the child's mem
DRY as she stood looking and listening
her whole being absorbed in her &c
stacy. She forgot the wretched cellar
the loud-vo:ced mother, the bruta
father; forgot cold, hunger and pain.
Over her whole tiny being foated tn
divine incense of the loving atmos
phere, wrapping her in a deliciou
glow, stilling every fear, every doubt
absorbing body and soul in the Christ
mas warmth.
When the children sat down, stil
singing. little Dot slowly sank bat K int
her corner, nesting there very wearil
with the happiness closing around hel
I drawing her into warmest embrace
l Softly fell upon her ears the voices cal
/, rying the gratitude of the children
! the Savior's feet; the great tree SCENE
r to bend again over her and cover he
with its brightness, and Dot folded he
s hands AID Law quiet. never Coubtip