The Newtown bee., 1880-12-22

counter took me down from the shelf COhf' thought I. it's whisky l hold, is itp wonder what that's good for p, wrapped me in white paper, and handed me to the pleasant faced young man, who put me in his overcoat pocket and hurried home. That was the beginning of it."
 "Ah, indeed" said the feather duster l; " so that was the beginning of itp Bly, the-bye, may l ask the beginning of whatr
 "The misery and unhappiness in this house" answered the bottle.
 In this houseP" echoed the many little voices.
 Yes," said the bottle. wasn't 8 welcome visitor, I assure you, for as John--our master, you know-tcok me from his pocket and set me upon the table, Agnes-our mistress, you know said: 'Oh. John, John, I wouldn't But he only kissed her and baby Lou"
 Bless her little heart!' parked the bronze dog.
 And said, Nonsense, my dear.' And Johns friends came. and the punch was made, and that was the beginning 1 of it; and l began to find out that very night, not what whisky was good for, but what it was bad for.''
 What ?" asked the ivy.
 For mems heads and hearts," an- sweered the bottle, solemnly. "It makes, them silly and crazy, and unkind and selfish. It brings pover- ty, tears and disgrace to the hap piest home, takes all the sunshine out of little children's lives, and clouds even the blessed Christma day. After that night l was scarcely empty. John drank every day more and more, T pale and shabby, and the children couldn't go to school, their clothes were so patched and their shoes were go broken. As for the baby"
 Bless her golden curls!'' parked the bronze oog.
 &s~She battered about the house in her tiny bare feet, because she had no shoes at all, and everything grew dark and torlorn, and at last there was scarcely money enough to buy bread Christmas eve came. Agnes-our dear mistress--sat before the small fire in the grate, holding baby Lou"
 Bless her blue eyes!" parked the bronze dog.
 Upon her knee. and the other children were gathered around her. John was lying on the lounge asleep. Mamma, said May. in old times we
  mas eve.' Did weP' asked Tom. T don't member. What forP' Why, Santa Claus used to come and fill them with nice things,' answered May. 'Oh, Santa Caus,' said Tom; the boy next door was telling me something bout him to-day. Why won't he come here to- nightP We've been good chilluns, and mamma is the honeyest mamma in the world May made no reply, but Maud, glancing up where l stood on the man. tel, said, in whisper: I guess he don't come where there's bottle,'
 In 8 short time their papa awoke and went ont into the street. Mamma looked sadly after him, and then the little ones knelt by her side and said their prayers, every prayer ending with God bless dear papa!' and bade her good night. If bottles had hearts, mine would have ached, am sure, when I saw that sad, lonely woman bury her face in her hands and cry-oh, so bit terlyl-as soon as the children were gone, and heard her sob out: 'Oh, save him, save him, dear God. and bring back the light and happiness to my dear children, for the sake of the Christ Child born on the holy Christmas dayn And IS she sobbed ard prayed the door of the room opened, and John came in.
 
 and a bright light in his eyes. Down on his knees he fell before the sweet mamma, and held out his arms to her while he cried, in 8 broken voice, with the tears running down his cheeks. Never again, my good, patient wife -- never, never, never again."
 3tOh, dear!'' said the bronze dog, 1T wishI could move my tail far enough around to wipe my eyes with it.''
 " And the small stockings, "continued the bottle, '' were hung up after all, and few toys and candies put in them; and John, who hadn't been asleep on the lounge"
 "I knew it!' screamed the feather duster, jumping straight up and down in gifts lee.
 But wide-awake, and listening to what his children said, has kept his word, and never, never"
 .'I'd like to drum,'' interrupted the drummer boy on top of the match h-safe, J but my arms are so stiff, holding them in one position so long, can't.''
 And" said the bottle, looking up at the ivy, "you were brought here with the autumn leaves and grasses, and from that Christmas to this the parIor has grown prettier and prettier, and the little home happier, and the baby has
 
 Bless her dimpled cheeks!n parked the bronze dog.
 And May and Maud go to school again, and are getting to be fine scholars. and Tom is jolly little fellow.'
 But there's bottle in the house yet" said the feather duster, slyly.
 That's true," said the bottle, " but it has joined the temperance society, and that makes all the difference in the world; and in consequence cf it's taking to water, tomorrow will be-
 Stop a moment,' said the clock. Tomorrow is here Pm going to strike twelve;;" and it struck with a si.very sound.
 E. Three cheers!" cried the feather dus ter, waving it's feathers about so wildly that little bits of them flew all over the room.
 "A merry Christmasrn chimed in all the other little voices; and then silence reigned in the parlor once more.