The Red Cloud chief., 1880-01-15

"-r?oa her knee. ard The oih~r
ehiiiren wer- gssher~s arcansf sr.
John was hing GO the hun<s ssie~P
Mamma. sakd MAY. in obi times ~v
usrd Ia hang up ozr stockings ca thrss-
mas Eve Did wer ssk-a T0n i
dont member. wkAi for why,
santa Css-e u--d to ~ ana AZ ihsrn
With nsce things. ans~ervd May ia.
santa Cas-. sad Ton 'thr boy usti
dour MAS telling me spuss;hing t~sa;
him to-day. HAy wcat be couss ssFv
tonight We've h-~u god chsslsas.
and uamma l. The boneyr<, rnAmuaa ga
the world May made n reply. hs;
Maei. g~l.aring up where | s;o-d On The
msntel. AID in a whisper. I gs~ss be
ddht coms where there's = ho'ti".'
.In n short time ih~ir papa a~oae
and went oa; into the street.. Mamma
booked ssdly after him. sai th.n The h;-
tie ones kneii by hes ssis and sAid ;hei'
prayers. every prayer ending With tod
bless dear papa and bade her god.
night. IL br;tles had hearts. mine
would have srh~i. ! am sure. When !
sax that sad, lonely roma burr her
face in her hand. ard cr-oh. So bat
u.rly,-as ~on ~ the children wrre
zone, and heard her stb ouJ. oh. AYE
him, save him. dear God. and bring back
the liyh, q! happincSst 10 ny dear chldncu.
for the sake IL the Chri-;-Ihtid born GA
the holy Christmas Day And ~ he
sobbed aud prayed The door If the ro'st'
opened. aud John came in. Sol~F. aud
with a tender hook Ia his tA,r, aud =
E bright light in his EYES. Down on III,
knees be- fell b~fore the sweet mamma,
and held u his arms Ia her, while hs
cried. In a broken yoicr, with IA tear
running down his checks, Never again,
my good, patient wiie-neVeT. Heuer,
NEyER again
..Oh. dear" laid the hronz. dog, -
wish | could move NV tail Tar enough
around tn wipe my eyes with it
.And the small ,tovking~,' continue,
the hottie. "wcre hung az, after all. aii,
a few toys and candies pu, in them
and John. who hadn't been asleep oi
the lonnge-"
II knew ill., screamed the feather
buster, jumping straight up and do~i
in his glcc.
But, wide awake. and listening Q,
wha, his children SAID, ha, kept hi
word. and never, never
I'D like q drum" interrupted III,
drummer-boy "n top of the ma'ch-saic
but nv arms are - stiff, holding then
in one position - hong, | can't"
And" said the bottle. looking up a
the ivy. "you were brought here viii
the autumn leaves and grasses. and irpn
that Christmas la this the parlor ha
grown prettier and prcttier, and the hi
tie home happier and happier. aad th
baby has the cnnningcst blue shoes
BLESS her dimplcd checks" baIkc'
the bronze dog.
And MAY and Maud - Ia schoo
again. and are getting to bc fine Sch"l
ars. and Tom j. a Jolly little fellow
"But there's a bottle in the hous
yet" said the feather buster, slyly.
That's true" said the bottle, ''bJi
i; has joined the temperance society
and that makes all the difference in ,h
world; and in consequence Of it, takin
to water, tomorrow will be -"
"Stop a moment" said the clock
Tomorrow j. here-i'm going "a strik
twelve" and il struck with u wcoI
silyery sound.
Three cheersi " cried the feathe
dus,er. waving its feathers ab1u; :
wildly that little bits If them flew a
over the room.
a merry Christmas" chimed !
all the other little voices; and then :
lence rcigned in the parlor once more.