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

I
our Kitty's baby
"PshawW cried Ezra. striking his foot
very hard upon the floor and looking ~ saw
agely NJ bis beloved wife Dorothy a. Il was
possible for him 20 do, Never tax such
indeed, | wouldn'tW
perhaps was wrong In speaking my
| mind, Ezra, but, somehow, ! couldn't help
III and, Ezra, don't you think the baby looks
a little-iust llttle-as she did when she
| was smallW
"Nonsense again" cried the sexton, hit
ting the floor such a second rap with hls foot
| that II fairly frightened the little creature in
his wife's lap half out OF all It's little senses.
II you talk any more such Internal stuff I'll
sling that bundle plumb into the street
mind you, plumb Into the street. "
why, Ezraw cried his wife, "you know
/ you wouldn't would no, babyW And she
| kissed II half dozen times, aud foBdled II,
and made a sight over It, and then held Il up
for Ezra to kiss, which the old fellow did.
mind. ="
my mind, Ezra9" she cried. "Make up
/ mind about whatp
about keeping IT, he answered, point
] ing at the baby, with q very grave face,
though he didntfee graye-not = bit, good,
clever old soul.
"Lord bless us!p cried Dorothy. 'It was
all made up Just the minute you came In, for
| the Lord knew we'll enough where this little
] lulNE OuHul 70 COnb-OI course lie ulus 80
"Oh, my Lordp' cried Ezra. "Oh, my
soul, what womanl My SOUL what a wife
and what a ba-beel Yes, 10 Ezra Potts,
sexton, and Dorothy, bis wife-a daughter
! praise the Lord, daughter" And Ezra
laughed and shook himself, and laughed
and shook the cottage walls, and set Mrs.
Potts to laughing; which, In spite Of all they
could do, set the tears a-rolllng down their
cheeks.
They must have been the happiest, jolliest
folks in COnnyyille that night-or anywhere
else, in fact, But by and by Mrs. Potts put
the bsby away to bed and made Ezra 90 and
sleep In the company chamber, lest he would
! forget himself and crush the little creature.
And, Mrs. Potts's word for It, be came to
visit the bed no less than four times in the
night to make himself sure the child had not
been surreptitlously spirited away while his
! good wife slept.
When the morning came-goOdness, what
VI morning that il to be remembered lit was
such time as was never known before or
since In that house. In the first place, the
good old parish minister came clattering in
| before they had eaten breakfast and begged
they would excuse his haste and the absence
| OF his neckerChief, but he must see that
child. Sakes alive they'd excuse anything
OF him that morning, and he must needs
/ stay and have some breakfast and offer
thanks afterward, for Ezra said that on that
occasion thanks must be offered by one more
thorough In the business than himself; he
wanted 1t done up brown, he said-the curl
GUS fellow.
Then came the children trooping back
again, bringing little presents and things;
and soon Hfterward came all sorts of older
people bringing larger presents and other
things; and they all made so much of the
babe and declared it was the most wonder
full little creature anybody ever did see in
that part Of the world, or anywhere else.
And the good minister over in the corner
said 1t all reminded him Of that beautiful
scene In the stable Of Bethlehem, when the
wise men came and gave their gifts to our
newborn Christ. He wanted to know, too,
| II all Ofthem could Teach by example the
great lesson Of forgiveness He taught; il all
could forgive their repentant debtors as He
forgives us our debts. And Ezra, laying his
hand on the good minister's, said, with
| streaming eyes, "Praise the Lord, yes 20
But such presents! RattleboXes, whistles,
all sorts Of dolls, wooden horses and candy
dogs, and red soldier with blue gun, and
a real gem OF a cradle from old Isaac's, the
cabinet maker, and Squire Phelps gave it a
hundred dollars in sterling silver. Every
body was 80 happy, too. II each resident of
COnnyvillc had had just such baby given
them they wouldn't have been one bit hap
pier. No, indeedl
After all had looked at the baby, and taken
1t In their arms and kissed and talked to 1t
to their hearts content-the baby, by the
way, being in the best OF humor and seeming
to enjoy it all-it was taken up TO old st.
Johns Church to be christened. That
church had never known such festival like
that before. The village girls had brought
all the flowers the town afforded, and fairly
| filled the chRncel full; the eyergreens were
so prOfuse it seemed as II one had somehow
strayed into fairy's grove; and the bells
chimed their merriest, and the organ pealed
its loudest, and the choir sang their sweetest,
| and it was surely joyful Christmas morn
| ing for all the happy village folk.
What do Won think they named that little
| girlS Christmas Funny, wasn't III?
though ever afterward she was known as
| Crissy.
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 Ezra's eyes and made his voice
tremble as he cried, "Yes, yes, Lord helping
mel"
"Can you forgive even your wayward
Kitty" the minister asked, the tears spring.
ing to his eyes and his voice trembling, too.
Ezra broke right down at this and sObbed
as though the tlOod-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
| be his Christmas-da
Everything" Ezra murmured, in brOk-
en- voice; " can forgive everything
"Amen!" cried the minister. "What a
merry Christmas this is going TO bel" 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 left alone
Il little while.
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 dreaTy, and home is warm and
bright and loving, and she wandered back
again TO be sheltered, and loved, and for
| given.
In a 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, wel-furnished house and had
the greatest jollification that was ever heard
Of In that town. And such Christmas din
nerl Well, you may be sure 1t was a big
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
Ephraim Bates Oh, yes, he was there,
clear, honest fellow He had forgiven Kitty
long ago, and was biding his time with pa
tience when she would come home agaln-he
knew she would ere long, and he could wait
and when their love would be made new