Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-24
TONPs CHRISTMAS.

"Now, TEDDIE, be a good boy,
there's a darling, and, little Clover,
dom { tease Daisy. Please let mamma
90 away to church and know that you
are all sweet and lovely and clean as
new little pennies tonight"
Splash went one little body into the
bath-tub, and splash went another, and
again third; and then, like 80 many
roses after a shower, out they came
dripping and laughing and screaming
with glee. The little mother was kept
busy enough, for it was Christmas-eye,
and the carols and anthems were TO be
rehearsed for the last time, and Mrs.
MortOn's clear soprano voice could not
be spared Indeed, her voice was all
that kept Teddie and Clover and Daisy
in their neat little box of house, for
their father, brave fireman, had been
killed more than two years before at a
fearful fire, and since then their mother
had strIven hard TO maintain her little
family by sewing and singing, and do
ing what ever work her slender hands
could accomplish which would bring in
food and clothing for her children.
BE dOOd, Teddie,n repeated Daisy,
after her mother, as she shook out her
little wet curls at him, and Clover SOL
EMMY raised his finger at his bigger
brother, with the warning:
Remember Santa Claus comes to-
night"
"Yes, and the stockings must be
hung up" said Ted, who forthwith
proceeded to attend to that important
duty.
There! how do they look?-one
brown, that's mine; one blue, that's
Clover S; and one red, that's Daisy's.n
They were pinned fast to the fender
with many pins and much care.
but, mamma said Clover, 1.-THE
stoves in the way. Santa Claus can't
get down with that big black thing
stopping the chimney"
"Oh, the fire will go out by and by,
and then he may creep through the
stove-pipe and out of the door.
He'll be awful dirty, then," said
Daisy.
"Well, 'he was dressed all in fur
from his head to his foot, and his clothes
were all tarnished with ashes and soot,'
so that is to be expected. But really,
dear children, you must jump into your
beds, and let me tuck you up; it is time
for me to 60"
Very quickly the rosy little faces were
nesting in the pillows, and Mrs. Nor
ton, after kissing them, put out the
lamp and left them to their slumbers.
Hastily putting on her cloak and bon
net, she paused at the door of her sit
ting room to see if the fire was safe.
The room was dark but for the gleam-
ing stove, the chairs and table were all
in order, and in one corner, under a
covering of paper, was the little tree
she had decked in odd moments to de-
light the eyes of her children. She
could not afford wax candles, so the
morning was to bring the tree as well
as the other gifts. Sure that all was in
readiness, she tripped down the stairs,
locked her door and sped over the snow
to the church, the two tall towers of
which stood out against the starry sky.
AS she entered the church, her mind
full of her duties and her heart tender
with thoughts of her children, she
thought she saw a dusky little object
crouChing in the angle made by the
towers; but she was already late, and
had no time to linger Up she went to
the choir, which was full of light, but
the body of the church was dark.
Without any words, she took up her
sheet of music and began to sing.
Never had the carols and anthems
seemed so sweet to her, and her voice
rose clear and pure as a birds. The
Organist paused to listen, and her COM
panions turned satisfied glances upon
her; but she went on unconsciously, as
a bird does until the burden of its
theme is finished, and its exultant
strains are lost in silence They went
over the whole Church service, the glo-
rious Te Deitni, the Beneiictus and the
anthem for the day, Unto us Child I
is born, unto us a Son is given" and
every delicate chord and fugue had to
be repeated until the desired perfection
of harmony was attained. It was really
a very long and arduous study; but of
all days Christmas demands good
music, and they willing to do their
best. AT last all were satisfied and
somewhat tired; but the organist
turned to Mrs. Morton, and asked her
if she would sing one hymn for him
alone, as he especially desired to hear
her voice in this one tune. Of course
she could not refuse, and to an exqui-
sitely harmonious air she began.
Calm on the listening ear Of night
Come Heavens melodiOus strains,
Where wild JudPa stretches fur
Her silver-mantled plains.
" Light on thy hills, JerusalemI
The Savior now is born!
And bright, on Bethlehem's joyous plains,
Breaks the first Christmas morn"
Only the first and last verses of that
exquisite hymn; but like "angels with
their sparkling Tyres" her voice seemed
to have lost its earthliness, and scared,
as if it were winged, up to the very
gate of Heaven. When she ceased
singing, there was hush upon all, as
if they had been carried near to the ce-
lestial portals.
One by one they pressed her hand in
quiet congratulation, and with "Mer-
rs Christmas bade her goodnight.
Mrs. Morton was little excited with
her unusual efforts, and while the old
organist was locking up, thought she
would run down and warm herself in
the church. AS she hastened toward