The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-24
and halt g dozen other things which taste
good on Christmas. 81 Il

and halt q dozen other things which taste
i good on Christmas. .S-s}
This time they all began to laugh.
Mrs. Burton laughed more than she had
in four months, and Mr., Rurton smiled
and smd, she'd like to know who had
dared to send them these things" and
somehow the words came into his mind,
''Good-wi to men, 'sPeace on earth,''
"There's some goodwill in the world at
! ter all.'
When the third man knocked and said
he brought load of coal, there was such
laughing, and talking, and hopping
around of children it would have blessed
your heart to have heard them.
II knew that lady was fairy, or a
princess, or something" said Maggie.
"Sle has sent these things, for she asked
where we lived, and said: "Dear heart, y
when l told her about you all, and that
we hadn't only enough coal to last few
days, and how hungry we got"
Mr.. Burton went to get the coal in, and
said he never was so glad to work in his
lite; and Johnny filled the CRATE and made
such fire as they had not seen since the
winter before.
II wonder what1l come next said
Maggie, clapping her hands and jumping
up and down in her gladness.
t'My child, don't expect ANYTHING
more. I'm afraid all this will provo
but a dream" said Mrs. Burton q
But romething more did come, and
this time it was the princess herself.
| She shrank back a moment when she saw
the dirty floor, the ragged bedstead, and
| thought of six people crowded in this
little room. Her daintiness and elegance
had never before come face to face with
such squalor, but she had been passing
| through great experiences lately, and
she Was brave enough to meet this.
Sand this is the little girl who told
so touchingly her sad story last evening?'
she said, stroking Maggie's golden locks.
"And this your mother, and this your
father" she said, shaking their hand.
and smiling 81 sweetly that Mr. Bur
ton said atterwara it was just like an
angel right from heaven. ~.
II thought would drop in and wish
you Merry Christmas she said.
MIR Burton wiped the tears on his
sleeve and began thanking the lady.
1.-THE good Lord has sent us help in
our Distress" he SAID.
"It He has shown me how l can be
good for something, I am glad" she said
with smile. ''Your little girl tells me
you are in trouble and I have come to
see if l can help you out of it,
"Now need not tell you, my reader,
how they talked till Mr.. Burton said 'sall
the trouble seemed lifted off their hearts;''
and how after she went away, they set
the turkey roasting before the fire; and
how they were so hungry they only wait
| for one side to get done, and sliced it off
and ate 1T while the other side was cook.
ing; and how the children ate nuts and
candy till they couldn't eat any more,
and carried some to all the children IN
| the court; and how Mr.. Burton said he
never saw such blessed day in all his
life: and how he tended the baby, and
kisssd Maggie half dozen times, when
she put her arms around his neck and
Rugged him so hard, he couldn't help it;
and how the Children in Anderson court
came in to see the beautiful doll in the
red silk dress; and how they squeezed
the rubber doll till it burst; and how the
boys wanted to beat Johnny's drum s.jest
two times;'' and how they stood and
CAPPED at Johnny as if he had been hero,
and not poor ragged little boy like
themselves--you can imagine all that,
but lam going to tell you little about
the rrincess&bersel
| She was tie only child of very wealthy
parents. She had been pctted and near
ly spoiled by too much happiness.
Miss Princess had come to fancy her
self the special favorite of providence,
not dreaming that God and all sensible
| people saw that her life was poor and
| mean. .......t - t.{s:
But our princess had been having sad
troubles of late will not tell about
| them, for it would take whole story
book to tell it all, but they had been
| working great and excellent change in
| our princess. Trouble is good for us all
If we are strong enough not to be crushed
by it. ~t
Her father, anxious to cheer his child,
and believing something to wear was the
best comfort, had given her great deal
of money, and told her to select for her
self handsome set of iewelry for a
Christmas present. She felt it was alb
| surd to soothe her sore heart with Jewels,
50 she did not select them till her father
urged her again and again, and the after
noon before Christmas she had driven
out to purchase them.
And just as she stepped from her car
rage Maggie and sher brothers were
thereto step into her life and save her.
Their strange words about their poverty
caught her ear, and something urged her
to wstch them. She would once have
| disdained to notice such wretched chill
dren, but now their very rags drew her to
| them. D...r.
1t seemed to her it would be sweet to
deny herself the jewels she had come to
purchase, and to help this family in their
dark hours. So she stepped into her car
riage and drove away to purchase provls-
ions instead of pearls, and toys Tor I'm.
blessed little children instead of trinkets
for herself. =
! And il you will believe it, this proud
| princess, who had scorned the humble
and fancied herself better and more
blessed than others had q hammer hoor+