Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-27

said kind-hearted Betty, with tear in
her bright black eyes, although her
lips were smiling.
The church in the valley was thickly
hung with greenery. From arch and
! spandrel, beam and cornice they
dropped, long garlands of {" the fir, the
box and the pine;" the shining leaves
of the laurel, the crimson berries of the
holly, had been carried to decorate the
sanctuary. From the reading-desk the
venerable pastor read the lessons for
the day, and the whole congregation
! turned their eyes toward Gilbert Paine
as he walked up the aisle toward his
long-unoccupied seat Those who knew
his story, and theys numbered many,
gazed still more curiously when the
clergyman gave out his text: "Glory
to God in the highest; and on earth
peace, good will toward menW
But Gilbert Paine cared nothing for
those curious watching eyes; astrange,
humbled expression had stolen upon
the once naughty face, and the awak-
encd soul was drinking in the living
waters of the Holy Gospel of Peace. -
And from distant corner pair of
eyes had gazed fixedly upon the sad
dened countenance, until Jasper Paine
could look no longer, and had bowed
his head into his hands, while not un-
manly tears forced themselves between
the strong mans fingers. For him, too,
the "glad tidings of great joy' had a
message of peace, he, too, had cher
ished bitterness within his soul; and as
he watched the pale face and feeble
step pass down the aisle after the con-
gregation had dispersed, all the strong
ties of blood called out to him to grasp
that trembling hand and cry out:
" Father, l am not worthy to be called
thy sonr'
None ever knew what happened un-
der the Christmas garlands of the emp
ty church. Only the organist remained;
the grand notes were still trembling
and rolling through arch and chancei
the musician, absorbed, never noticed
even had he known-the figures of
the two men who, with clasped hands,
stood looking into each others faces
beneath the western window. And
when Timothy Kelly, the coachman,
held open the door of the hall carriage
he never recognized in the tall, dark
bearded stranger, on whose arm his
master leaned, the slight, dark eyed lad
who, fifteen years before, had stood that
snowy, winters night on the great ter
race, discarded and disowned.
Much excitement was caused in the
servants hall when the carriage re-
turned from the neighboring hotel with
gentle, fair-haired lady and lovely
babe seated beside the master; and still
more, an hour later, when summons
came for all the servants to appear in
the great east parlOr, where fires had
been kindled, and where, with a peace
full content on his aged face, Gilbert
Paine introduced them to their beauti-
full new mistress.
Then the old man turned toward his
son, and bade them, with trembling
voice, to rejoice with him, " for this my
son was dead, and is alive again, was
lost and is foundr'
1t was not long before old Mrs. Blake
and Timothy Kelly recognized the
features of their boyish young master
in the tall, handsome man at Gilbert
Paines left hand, and when the old
man lifted the beautiful babe from It's
mothers arms and placed it in those of
Betty, the housemaid, declaring that
she alone should be its nurse, the girls
bright eyes filled with the grateful tears
that her tender heart had sent there, as
she bent over the child and cried out:
80, the bonny, bonny boyr'
Ring out anew, oh joyous Christmas
bells, under the moonlit sky! Softly
fling afar the notes of peace and joy!
Far and near, near and far, over hill,
over dale, through wood, through void,
to hearts of men long parted, recon-
ciled. Peal the glad tidings! peal the
glad tidings!