Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-12-23

themselves close as they pursued their way
Everybody they met was hurryiog aloug, try
iog to escape from the biting, searching, oumb
ing cold. The streets were choked up With th'
| hyiup mists, which were whiskcd by the gal'
in eyery nook aud crsuuy. The very lamps
| in their glass covering hared and hickered IL
the gale, and the congealing frost deadcued then
eleam, and made the lights look like waving
| waning torches.
From the closed doors our party passed camc
| sounds of happy voices, aud the shadows ou
the blinds showed the family gatherings; 10
side all was mrth aud rsveIry; outside all was
cold, bleak and wiutry. Those who were 10
the streets hurried aloug to gam their shelter'
| those who had to 60 out did so reluctantly,
With many backward lingering glance at the
bright scenes they we're leaving.
Edith passed up oue street and down the
next, and then ran into crowd OF gentlemen
who were hurryiog on 10 an opposite way Inc
glare of the lamp showed her several faces spc
kuew-meu who softened their voices, and
wreathed their faces 10 smiles ~heo with her.
She hcsitated moment but it was too late
to retreat; back ward glance showed her that
her trusry friends were uear. ln real meao''
cant whine she began, 'klnd gentlemen re-,
nem Der the poor [ have seen better days !!
Give me something to keep me from starving J.
They shutfl d her rudely aside, one saying lc a
brutal vvlce-you won't get cent FROM this
crowd, and then disappeared through the
gathered gloom.
Next. with fear and trembling she went up
the marble steps of one Of the houses OF paia-
tial block. Io response to her tlmId rlog the
door was oppued, aud, as soon as her erraod
was made knowo, shut abruptly III her lace.
Dowp agao aud up another, aud yet anoiner.
a.d the whole block was g0ae through, out 10
lis ening ear, nor softoned heart did she meet.
Through the opened 'ors cuu'd be seen the
brilliant lights, the garlaDds of holly. IVY and
nistletpe; inside looked SO bright, SO sparkling
aud 80 utterly mirthlu outside was da!kuess
aud despair. From the psrlor Of one MANSION
she caught the holiday refrain
God bless you, gallant gen,lcma",
MAY nothing you dlsmay.
Oh ! that sopy. the burden Of which is sung
by ,huusar ds of lips on the Christmas eve. III
the dwelllug places among the rich lis chaut
ed amid laughter. warmth brlIancy and col r.
Among the poor, God help them, there is no
song 90 that night The iamlshed lips canoOt
sing a stave we're they to try, there 10 20 uirh
or comfort with them. They do DOT dwel! IN
stately houses, but among lhe by-wayS, dirty
aud meao; their dwelling places are Od hous;s
tumbliDg duwD, surrpuoded by archways aud
alleys reekiug with filth and mire The pour
are low and ignorant, but they are humau, ana
as they come together like animals TOR
warmth, and draw the catered rags to-
gethcr over their famine strlckcu bodies. 10
ioya soogs are suag by thetD, nut onI}
hollow and bitter curses are uttered. ihey are
halt uaked aod filthy, it may be. but they nave
souls, nay more, they have bodies: the blasts
of gpter chill them, and hunger aitiicts them.
aud all the pain, all the uuutteraole agony, OF
suffering is theirs to nsht. when the woTiu -
rejoicing for the comlug OF the L3rd.
Who feels for them God has toTgot,eo
them, they tbiuk; they are lshGiaeis aud arc
LET, TO freeze aud starge aDd die 10 the midst
of plenty, In the midst Of Christian cry;
In the very sound OF the ringing bells of Tods
churches.
Alas, Tor the rarity
OF Christian charity
is the chime the bells sing TO them, and inc
music of the church bells il but L bitter mock
cry. -,
Edith had to 20 TO but one more house.
It stood opposite, in yard, sheltered from the
driving wiud. 1t was wuere Ray Tratford lived,
and her heart beat nigh as she mounted the
steps The door was opened by Ray 10 person.
He was enveloped in a huge dressing gown,
and curling volumes of smoke issued from his
pipe. -, -.
bowed figure replied for the love of Heaven
give me something to keep me- from starving.
I have seen better days. and l am suffering for
food.
The young fellow. shading bis eyes with his
hand, replied
Its hard case, and its deviiish cold, come
iu the passage old woman, and | will give you
something Are you really iu want at such
time as this
Am really in want? Oh, sir, can you ask
such question. Do you think the poor are
doys, or stock and stone To.oigbt, when one.
half of the people 10 this CRY are teas'lng, the
other half are starving. There are tamlshed
meu and women all around you, aud children
crying for bread they caDoot get.
He looked at her very earnestly aud Nudly;
her tones stirred him strangely. thought d
uiuute ago was the most unhappy man 10
the broad limits of this city, he sald, but you
teach me lesson. Here, take this, and be
gave her bank uute. aud il you need more
come to this house, aud my mother vii! aid
YOU.
Her 6ugers cIasped the uote, and she bent
her head low to hide the gathering tears ln
her teigned tones she asked him to write ms
address; he did 80, and banded II to her. Der
voice was almost iDaudibIe as she thanked hln,
and with the courtesy be always showed 70 tue
bumbest Of women, he helped her down the
steps. She turned homeward, aud 5000
was safe inside her doors. Io few minutes
afterwards mission was dispatched to Ira,'
ford, bearing the magic words, Come to me,
apd tbeo toe chimes commenced TO rlog, aud
they sounded to her ear With inettl able sweet
oess. By degrees the melody filed the streets,
the highways and byways, and was walled
TO the vault where the stars 10 ked pity
iogy down as they did one 10 Bethlehem.
he spirit of the bells rang clear;
through the world, filing the ears of all, and
the hearts OF mauy, with the glad tdloes OF
he birth the Saviour of man, and the "spr
it of the chm,s" answered back in Its many
voices; large bells aud small bells, all jo'oed IN
the melodious strain of that noble anthem OF
Peace on earth, good will towards mao.
How r ~ Traff rd ever reached the Aytoun 8