The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-12-25

lCFiff ot&%%t AA@b ttA00%n M~ WAoS uA
dersbod, indistinctly, il IS true, that
som! higher and better life lay beyond
this. .bnd that the birth of the Saviour,
whol praises were still ringing in his
ears jwas the beginging Of that salvation
whil leaves the kingdom free to all who
are Hing 10 enter Il. Terry crept
closd TO the central aisle and curiously
watcI A by hundred<cf pitiful eyes, yet
heed sof anything passing around him.
His e, eager face, his wide, wild and
searksg eyes, the black clustering
curl ltted and dirty about the pallid
brow And soiled, tattcred and almost
thre% Ire garments that hung about
thcy k.Imp. frnre, made ,sa-Afiking
Picfne II. tnaf iUfty room witn1sS gild-
cd chandeliers, softly cushioned pews
and frcscoed walls, where the wealth
and beauty of large city worshippedA
one might venture to say not God, but
Mammon. For from cellar to dome
i. was the rich mans church, for the
poor held no place in it. All ! it was
almost 4 matter Of wonder when a poor
soldier of the cross, who, by his elo-
quence, had won high position among
men, was allowed to address such a
puse-proud audience.
Terry listened to the words of the
young disciple who stood in front Of the
Christmas tree and told the story OF the
Saviour's birth. Terry never heard it
before, and his heart throbbcd as he
was told how the infant Messiah was
born in a stable, cradled in Il manger,
and was wandcrer, poor rs the poorest,
meek, gentle, long-suffcring, and patient
above all men, the son OF God, yet
houseless, homeless, and prosecuted for
The sins of the lost world. His thirty
three years of labor and his sorrowful
death on the cross touched Terry keen
ly, and he wiped his eyes with his rag
ged coat sleeve, with dim PERCEPTION
that this wonderful King was the friend
Of the poor and humble.
"Now, children" said the speaker,
"all who lie, steal, curse, swear or pro-
fame the Sabbath shall never see this
Saviour unless they repent and come to
him with true humility"
Terry looked aghast 4 moment. He
had done many sinful things, and foI
the first time the cross was drawn from
its hiding place. If he kept it would
he be stealingl He knew it was worth
heaps of money, for Granny Dill had
often shown him just such things in
jewelers. windows and he had never
once thought Of returning it to its owner.
Terry went over the ground in his own
simple but convincing way of thought,
and, as the speakers words warning his
hearers to give up their earthly jewel:
fof jewels of a greatervaluc rang through
the building, Terry glanced hesitatingly
at he proud face of the lady whose cross
he held in his hand, then darted through
the astonished group that sat near her,
and laid the cross on her lap.
"Missis there's your cross. ! found
il on the stairs, and / would have kept
it, only that minister says il would be Z
SIM" Terry said in subdued whisper
as he stood meekly before the woman,
whose pale face was growing whittier.
'Who are you?" she demanded.
I'm Terry German, a beggar," whis'
pered Terry with charming candor.
"A beggar? You are the image OF
my lost daughter" gasped Mrs. Lucier
Cray, a rich bankers widow, all hel
pride melting as the dirty hand Of tn,
boy was laid in her palm. The choir a,
this moment broke out into another
hymn, and under cover of the music
Mrs. Gray questioned the boy, who
stood gazing up at the gallery with ;
rap. look on his face. The grouparounC
Mrs. Gray paid no attention to TER!
after his first appearance among them
for he was supposed to be one Of The
rich widows charity children.
"Your mother is dead ?" questioned
Mrs. Gray suddenly breaking up Terry
reverie.
eyes" Terry pushed his matted hal
out of his eyes and looked at her curl
ously.
"What was her name ?"
"Mary Alice German"
"Ah |" the widows proud lips quiver
ed. Her daughters child vagabont
like this
"Havc you nothing that belonged tc
herring, picture or keepsake ?"
al have this" Terry's hand wen
into the recesses Of his capacious pock
ct and drew out the picture.
Mrs. Gray took it tremblingly ant
opened it. There was the face Of he
fair young daughter, Terry'spoor starve'
mother, who had married against he
worldly mothers will, and found to he
sorrow that living on "bread and chces'
and kisses" was we'll enough in the alb
stract bat death in reality.
"My dear daughter" she began, bu
Terry grasped the case grecdily.
"Your daughter? My mother wa
awful poor, Granny Dill says she starv
ed to DEATH"
40, DON'T" said Mrs. Gray, "yo
don't understand. Your mother ra
away with a poor clerk, your father
Terrence German. Is he dead ?"
"Guess so. Never heard Of him." sal
Terry.
"You are my grandchild-my daugh
ter's son." went on Mrs. Gray sadly
"Did you know it, Terry 2"
"No," answered Terry doggedly.-
'T thought nobody owned me. Wha
did you let my mother die for1"
"Because we did not know where I
find her1" said Mrs. Gray, neglecting t
I stsse that-they had repeatedly returne
their child's letters unopened.
"Maybe you didn't try" was Terry
only comment, as he turned to watc
the distribution of the Christmas gift
| Mrs. Gray, in spite of her present h,
mility, felt little annoyed at the glance