The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-27

DellrY OuBnI 10 Ues - =,
| About this time the gardens In the
lneighborhood of the church became per-
fecLly intested with pigeons. Down,
they would fly, among the grape myrtles
and pomegranates, and jessamlnes, as
mad little crew as ever were hatcheo.
Then the poor birds would 6utter, and
fuss, and fly in flocks to the steeple, ana
cover the giitrering cross until its arms
would change from gold to gray. a
gentleman close by, putting the strange
conduct of the birds, and the illunhna-
| tions, of which the ladies' had Whls-
pered, together, concluded to become
detective, and see what the matter was
He got permi ssion to investigate.
He and friend looked weird enough
that night as they passed through the
dim cathedral by the light of their Ian
terns-w0und up the stairs past the or
gan loft, then up narrow, crooked lad
ders to the tower. What did they see
therep A robber, q corpse, spectrel
Only blanket and comfort, a pair Of
well worn shoes, bottle partly full Of
milk, and some bread and cheese. In
one corner lay the living occupant-a
wee, stupid Guinea pig. Perhaps the
c0nqueung invaders who drove the
nlut-winged natives from the territory
had been let down in basket by taIry,
1
over the walls ot the gray old cnurch,
as the princess long ago came from her
prison tower. The gent men Watched
amt waited, but whltner Lne tenants OIL
| the tower had gone, and how they had
come, they could not lind out. OLly
like birds which discover when their
nest has been handled, Lney returned
not to ella III their property, hut left their
bread and cheese to the clurch mice,
and to the Guinea pig that lay cuddleu
| in his corner.
Christmas Eve was cold and bright.
The cathedral had been open all day,
and at in the evening ladies and gem
tlemeu came TO testOon the walls with
evergreen. Two pairs of bright eyes
looked in on the pillars wreathed with
molly and ivy, ana the brilliant light al
lured the homeless wanderers, wAo en-
tered the open door.
They warmed them by the furnace,
and watched the elegant gentlemen anu
dainty ladies twisting their tenurlls OF
smiIaX and sprays oL fern into letters,
aud tracing beautiful words upon The
walls, Tuen tney wondered now il
would feel TO be clothed in velveLs and
urs, like The little children, heirs to for
tune, VINO came to Off9r CnrIsCma ros es
and lilies Tor The blrtnday Oh the savior.
But, after a while, the light, and the
warmth, and the spicy odOr oi pine and
cedar, and the grand music the choir
was rehearsing, made the TWO pairs OIL
Ieyes sleepy.
Our little friends knelt and prayed as
their mother had taught them. Then
one whispered to the other, and they
arose ana crept softly up the stairs OF
the orgal.-iott ana disappeared. Then
: Ned, as IL was Christmas eve, took oa
1 10
mad always done SO except the Chris t-
mas alter his mother died, just year
ago, when he = s.epG under The steps OF u
great house on Chestnut street.
IL was some weeks since the boys had
slept under ROOF. Tney covered them
selves with thin bed clothes whicn re-
mained undisturDed, ana alter taking
: while in true boy fashion, they passed
insensibly through the horn gate to
ureamland. They were ali unconscious
that the eyes OF the belloWs.boy at the
organ had watched them ascending to
: their airy citadel. When the Christmas
decorations were finished, and the last
hymn was sung, the church was de-
serted. The Bishop only remained ia
!. the sanctuary, and The Dellows-boy by
the railing, waiting to speak to him
Presently ne told now he had seen two
boys 20 up into the tower. Tue Bishop
liste ned, then thanked and dismissed d
him. DO you suppose the boy went in
mediately from the church-yard? Per-
haps he did. 1t would ill become tn
historian to cast any insinuauons or to
write that he loItereu around to see what
would happen.
: The Bishop was for some time unde-
termined what to do. He, too, mad bee
) "a poor boy once, and his heart warmed
| e. brn Hp
candle, lighted it, and proceeded to the
to Aer. There he found The sleeping
children. He stuck his lighC into Har-
ry's lantern, and stood bending over
them. In a lew minutes the clock in the
steeple over their heads chimed 12-
) Christmas morning. Perhaps tue noise
; woke Ned. AS he turned over, and
opening his eyes wider, saw the form
clad in put pie robes, and wearing a
golden cross upon his breast, ana a
flashing ring upon his finger, he sprang
up, and would have screamed, but tue
Bishop spoke SO Kindly to him that Neu
Larry aroused. When he had collected d
mis- wits "a little he sat up ana truthiulIy
told his simple story.
One morning the summer before he and
Ned were passing ana heard The organ,
which drew tuem in. They Wondereu
: what they kept up those stairs, anu con.
cluded to see. When they found that
! nice little room up SO high, it looked SO
pretty and sunny, and hau such narrow
Windows that Ned couldn't lall out, they
thought they would stay there; IL was
! Coos house, and they would have nc
4 rent TO pay, Then he sold his mothers
1 ring and did as she bid hIm; lor nov
tuey had home up higa near ners, and
place to spread their bed.
"fhem stockings III the window are
Neds. He's not as old as me, and ne
thought Nod get sometnIng in 'em, .
continued Larry, apolOgeticaily showing
that he had gained wisdom with years
Their new friend felt his eyes fill with
tears. He tod the boys to come down
into church at o'clock, and left then
: with a kind word The boys were
= prompt. After early service they wen
INTO The episcopal residence, where they
had been told TO come. such a break
last oil hot beeisteak and rolls and but
ter and coffee they had never sat down
to before. Then tnelr backs We're newly
covered and they had new shoes ant
: hats, and pockets full OF sugar plums
and new stockings full of goodies. Tue
= Bishop called them his '.Cnristmas Car.
/ ols." Alter they passed through school
= Larry studied architecture. lie ha.