Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-12-24
before they had eaten breakfast and begged

before they had eaten breakfast and begged
they would excuse his haste and the absence
Of his ncckerohief, but lie must see that
child. saSes alivcl they'd excuse anything
Of him that morning, and no must needs
stay and have some breakfast and offer
| thanks afterward, for Ezra said that on that
occasion thanks mustb be offered by one more
thoi Jugh In the business than himself; he
wanted It done up brown, he said-tho curl
OTIS fellow. I'D sllr. icnlai. ..atr.N
Then came the children trooping back
again, bringing little presents and things;
| and soon nftorward came all sorts OF older
people bringing larger presents and other
things; and they all made so much OF the
babe and declared II was the most wonder
| ful little creature anybody ever did see in
| that part of the world, or anywhere else.
And the good minister over In the corner
said IL all reminded him Of that beautiful
scene In the stable OF Bethlehem, when the
wise men came and gave their gifts TO our
new born Christ. He wanted to know, too,
| II all of them could teach by example the
| great lesson OF forgiveness He taught; III all
could forgive their repentant debtors rs He
| forgives us our debts. And Ezra, laying his
| hand on the good minister's, said, with
streaming eyes, "Praise the Lord, ycsW
But such presentsl Rattleboxes, whistles,
all sorts of dolls, wooden horses and candy
dogs, and red soldierwith a blue gun, and
real gem of cradle from old 1saac's, the
cabinet maker, and Squire Phelps gave 1t a
body was so happy, too. Ifeach resident OF
Connyvillc had had just such baby given
them they wouldn't have been one bit hap
pier. No, indeed! Ha,
II in their arms and kissed and talked to II
to their hearts cOnient-the baby, by the
way, being in the best OF htmor and seeming
to enjoy 1t all--it was taken up to old st.
Johns Church TO be christcned. That
church had never known such festival like
that bpfara Tho yillaup Girls had hrOl1Nht
all the flowers the town afforded, and fairly
filed the chancel full; the evergrecns were
so profuse 1t seemed as II one had somehow
strayed into fairy's grove; and the bells
its loudest, and the choir sang their sweetest,
and it was surely joyful Christmas morn
ing for all the happy village folk.
What do you think they named that little
girl? Christmas Funny, wasn't its
though ever afterward she was known as
Crissy. Hl ftii
When the service was fairly over with the
good parish minister took Ezra off one side
and asked of him-he wanted to make sure
OF it-if his heart was really full OF unfeigned
forgiveness for all who had done evil against
him, and IL he had peace and goodwill In
his heart for everybody, which brought the
tears to Eznn's eyes and made his voice
tremble as he cried, Eyes. yes, Lord helping
mew .ei. ,saca.i ,uti,t
ing to his eyes and his voice trembling, too.
Ezra broke right down at this and sobbed
rs though the flood gates of his heart were
broken, as though he was sobbing for JOY
instead of anguish. II he would forgive the
wayward, repentant girl and stretch out his
arms and bid her come home again, how
much more Christ-like would be the great
ness of his heart, how much happier would
be his Christmas day!
"Everything," Ezra murmured, in brok-
.Ns.. q n q. .s,vnz b..
"Amen!' cried the minister. "What n
merry. Christmas this is going to be-" And
he had to wipe his eyes very hard again to
keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks.
And then the minister led Father Potts,
and good Mother Potts with little Crissy, in
to the vestry where-yes, their daughter
Kitty is in there, and they must be LETT alone
a little while. ,t
Poor repentant, wayward child she has
come to be taken back into the fold again.
The rugged mountain paths of life are very
bleak and dreary, and home is warm ana
bright and loving, and she wandered back
again to be sheltered, and loved, and for
given. i--..a.. s.tfi -,t.I-5.-
In little while they all came out of the
vestry, and. getting into Squire Phelps s
great, comfortable sleigh that was waiting
for them at the door, they went straight up
to his large, well-furnished house and had
the greatest jollification that was ever heard
of in that town. And such Christmas din
ner! We'll, you may be sure IL was DiS
one, for when the company WAS all mustered
Mrs. Phelps must needs send over to neigh
Dor Browns and borrow just dozen plates
to make up the sixty that were needed to
set the table with. f
Ephram Bates! Oh yes, he was there,
clear, honest fellow! He had forgiven Kilt,
long ago, and was biding his time with pa
tience when she would come home again-he
knew she would ere long, and he could wait
and when their love would be made new
and more enduring, for the great crucible
through which it had passed had cleansed
and purified it.
But Ezra Potts was happiest of them all.
All, If on each Christmas morning men
would forgive all their repentant debtors as
He forgives us our debts, how much bright
er, merrier the day would be, not only to
him who is forgiven, but also to him who
forgives! Ezra Potts will tell you that, and
Ezia Potts knows.
1t was told afterward how the good parish
ministtr-bess his dear old heart drought
all this happiness about; how he brought
Kitty and her babe up from the great city by
the sea; how he had her bundle the little
creature up and lay it on the granite steps
of old st. Johns, that Ezra might find it
there when he had chmed the merry bells OF
Yule-Ezra did not know that she had a
babe, though the old fellow knew the min
| ute he put his eyes on 1t that 1t was kitty's,
the likeness was so perfect-for the parish
minister-and bless his heart again had
stroIg faith the little child would lead them
ba TX, and in very pleasant places, too.--
Bafalo Erpress.