The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-01

|, she moved ike sprays OF silver bells
and her tiny feet were encased in tn
cunningest little slippers that locke
like glass, but were nothing but clea
crystal ice, in reality; and they mad
queer little clack rs she danced abou
over the hard wooden floor.
Jack was inclined to be afraid, a
first; but the expression of the littl
lady's face was so sweet, that he sool
forgot his fear in admiration and de
light, as she waved her beautiful gilt
tering wand, and laughed gayly, max
ing the faintest, sweetest music, us sh,
did 50, that ever was made. His eve
were very wide and bright as h,
watched her graceful motions from hi
low stool by the fire; and suddenly sh,
was before him; and after courtesying
she stood on the tips of her dainty ic,
slippers to look into his face, and said
81 am little snow-sprite, and if you
will wish a wish, will grant it to you
Think what you wish the most, kind
little Jack"
"But where is the little beggar grip
asked Jack, wonderingly.
"Oh, never you mind her" answered
the sprite, laughing merrily. "IlI
take care of her. You were very good,
and did all you could for her. I'll
wait just outside the door while you
are thinking-it is so warm in here !;
and when you are ready, just rap upon
the hearth, and, be it ever so lightly,
shall hear you and COME"
1t did not take Jack a moment to
think what he wished most and it was
what he knew that his mother wished
most, and that was that his father
might come home again alive and well,
and that the story of the wreck
of the Orient might prove to be all
untrue. So he tapped. ever so lightly
on the hearth, and in a breath the lit
tie snowsprite was before him again.
81 WISH" spoke he, eagerly, " that
my father may come back to us again,
alive and we'll"
"And where is your father?" ques-
toned the small body.
"Alasp answered the little boy,
sadly, 81 suppose that he is at the bot
tom of the sea"
g can not raise the dead, said she,
land l wouldn't if could but, never
theless, you shall see your father, alive
and well, before tomorrow morning.
And now you may wish another wish,
for this, although it shall be granted,
will not be exactly of my giving, you
know; and while you are wishing, l
will wait just outside the door again,
and when you are ready, just tap as
before"
And Jack was trying to think what |
he should wish, when the voice of his |
mother aroused him, and he found |
that he had been asleep, with his head |
still in her lap.
"Come, Jack" said she, "we1l have
our supper now"
''But wait till the little spritc comes
back" murmured he, rubbing open his
sleepy eyes. his dream still unhrnknn-
'FThe little spriter- said his mother:
lifting him to his feet. "Why, Jack,
you're dreaming"
"Oh, mother" said he, now fairly
awake, "and I've had such bcauti-
full dream; and 1 know by the way l
feel that it will prove reality"
And he told his mother all about it,
describing the little snow-sprite with
great enthusiasm. And his mother
smiled sadly, never speaking, for she
lid not wish to crush her little boys
OVAL hope on this Christmas Eve,
though she had not the faintest hope
eft in her own breast that her hus-
band would ever return to them.
Mother" said Jack, "Pm going to
wait until father comes before 1 eat
my supper; and won't you please wait,
90? Oh, it will be so nice to have sup
Der together again.
And he began to dance about the
-oom, he was so wild with joy. And
whenever the wind ratified the outer
atch, or shook the door, as it whistled
past down the lane, he would start, and
ancy that he heard footsteps, and i'm
,gine that some one was surely coming
n at the gate.
But after a while, as the excitement
IF the dream wore away, and he looked
1t his mother bending SO YEARLY and
adly over her work, and the clock was
ust on the stroke of nine, he ceased to
listen for footsteps without, and won
Tered how he could have given himself
Up so entirely to believe in foolish
lream. The old house cat purred
lrearily and monotonously on the
learth, and it was very lonely and 81
ent, and Jack grew as sad as he had
,een joyful.
The doors were bolted for the night,
md Jack and his mother were prepar-
ng for bed, when the gate-latch did in
Iced click, and there were footsteps
Ipon the crisp snow without. Jack
ushed wildly for the door, and Jacks
mother trembled so that she could
hardly stand. She leaned against the
able and listened.
"Oh, fatherT sang Jacks clear joy
ul voice, al knew that you were COM
ng~
And into the room where she stood
topped the sailor, and clasped his wife
n his arms, and it was certainly
ather, alive and well, as Jack had
lreamed on this happy Christmas Eve.
He, with another brave comrade, had
,een saved from the wreck of the ORR
mt, after floating about until they al
most died from hunger, and thirst, and
old, upon some detached spars; and
he ship that took them i'm at last was
,ound to a foreign port. Then for six
months after reaching that foreign
,ort he had lain i'll in a hospital, for
he exposure and suffering he had
'rought on a distressing sickness.
his had been the cause of his silence
nd delay. And if ever little sprite
las come to Jack in dreams since he
las believed firmly in what she has
aid.
A PLEA FOR WILD ELEPHASTs.-l
\ correspondent of Land and Water
alls attention to the slaughter of ele- I