The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-12-25
!MeNsside.
Hll's Christmas free.

''oANht~9. lDt oIi FfbN
| thonght we'd have Christmas tree 3"
''Oh, yesi lily" exclaimed Jerry, de
lighted.
'Yes, a Christmas tree, in the old
lumber room. aud QUE candle in it, if
mother will givs us some bee ,wax. and
Rosie: your doll, to hang up by the
mo, no. said the little girl, indig-
nantly.
Your doli's head is off, theu," re,
turned the provoking boy.
"She has got head: only lost one
arm and two feet and QUE haud, other
arm. said Rosie. tr nmphantly.
Hal hal'' laughed the boys.
You may have my doll on :he tree
If you will hang her up by the waist"
returned the am'abls child. with wo
mans tact, and 50 the matter was
settled.
To make long story short, the boys
nxed their tree out of the poor little
scraggy branch c,uatry child would
not have 10 ,kea at. Hal contrived his
tapsr with reed, heeswax AMI string;
each brother contributed n wee present
To Rosie. and hnny up conSpicuous!y
their old tex hnives and few sticks
OF mother ) faVorite candy of pepper
mint essenca. and savaral nights before
real Christina had a famous romp
around thar tree. parchel on an old
barrel IN the spare lumber room, where,
Hal declared. 1T was cold enough to
be Christmas, anyhow"
AS Ghrl3tn is-tlde r,llel on. Mrs.
Everts and her diughter Marion w,re
sitting one evening together, and their
thoughts ran mutually upon the Efforts
the boys had madr for Christmas tree
the real pleasure thav had taxed in the
rule attempt aud tlla inexpsctancy of
anything further. The mother felt sad;
1t would have given her tender heart
l)y to contribute more to her children s
innocent enJoyment, and the thought
pressed against her, that it would have
been 80 different had thier kind father
lived. Marion WAS first to speak, and
the buoJancy of youthful spirit shone
forth.
Mother. cannot wa RAISE little
Christmas for the children, Just this
once?' The unsslih girl never re-
membered that she. too, might put a
claim among "the Children" 81 often
had the sa,na desire rolled through the
mothers mind, but meat and bread had
ever come to displace l.. aud other
necessities beside the slaves of life.
How, Marion?' for Mrs. Everts was
fast learning to lean upoa her young
and happy dsulhtsr.
Marion felt there WAS way for ''thls
once.
"Oi, mother, l heard You say you
never expected that little sun from
Mrs Clay. in the big brown house, aud
50 as You do not depend on it, if L conld
get 1t. might not that answer for
50 it was settled, and the next dav
aaw Marion on her way to the hand
somo mansion to solicit the we'll earn9i
d pe,,,,--s0id+sw woman. ..-.t----
Marion was u5hsrsd through the ele-
CANT mansion Mp to Mrs. Clay's window
where that lady recined in easy leisure
on valvat cDnch. The fne surrou1i-
ings certainly made strong contrast
with Mrs. Evort's horna, bat Marion
was prepared for ali this aud mo lestly
selt possessed, declared her errand
Marion observed, too, that the lady was
evidently an invalid, for she appear ell
pale and THU. SO that the elegant leIs>
ure might be a constrained an j after all
Now Mrs. Clay was by no meaus
wicked woman. if she had thus far de-
fraudsd widow OF her snail and
rightly earned wages: Not wicked, but
inoonsiderate; born, reared, and mar,
ned III wealth, never experiencing
want long enough to understand the
meaning OF the word; of mind not deep
suffi ,ientIy to scan the whole world and
its varied states. Ms. Clay could not
but b. ST ti1h.
Dear mel rajoined the laly in res
ply to Marion. land have I never paid
your m )ther? l forgot it, and to- day
[ have no mouey." This surprised the
young girl, bat shs remembered her
mother had said the ricl were often
without sutll change. Marion glanced
around the elegant apartment aud said
nothing. while the lady careIessly babe
her return another time.
Passing down the wide. softly car-
peted staircase, merry voices met
Marion's ear. aud caught glimpse of
children arranging beautiful Christ,
mas tree. Marion paused-she sight
was pretty, aud Marion loved beauty,
was mers child herself,
though so early bearing woman's
part.
Just then a kind-hearted little girl
Marion. aud simply beckoned
her in. The stranger entered aud ad.
mred the tres TO the content of the
owners. Soon Marion anl they were
on very good terms, through that elec,
tricty of tho heart, whca true aud
loving natures are often aware of,
"Have You tree, too, at home?"
asked one OF the children.
"No, dear
You not got any little children
there" explained another, interroga.
lively.
Yes, we have several"
"Husn, children" said voice, and
there stood the lady. Mrs. Clay, who
had come down unpsrcsived, and saw
how the whole stood
mamma the big girl has no tree in
her home, and they like Christmas
tree, too. for she says ours is beautiful;
thus spoke ous OF thu group.
Marion turned to depart. AMI Just
then happy thought struck poor Mrs
Clay for once, and the thought found
expression in offering Marion a basket
Of festive articles. and the offer was
made in such way as in no wise
to offend the young girls delicate fssl>
ings.
The end of it was, that Marion left
the grand house we'll supplied with
such things as she had intended to pro>
cure, and her honest nature led her to
inform the lady of the whole matter,
now disclaiming the money payment.
But Mrs. Clay noblv told Marion
the debt should be paid while Marion
inwardly resolved she would never come
again to ask for it.
Con does not want any drafted men
in heaven. If man is waiting for a
peremptory invitation, he need not ex-
pect to go at all.
The eyes of the christian should be
like snnfloNers, open to no blazs but