The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-12-31

| and the violin; but 1 was tired and
could not keep with the others. and they
scolded me, oh. SO sharply and | was
weary and cold, and crept in here where
the angels sing, and it was So beautiful
l could not 20 away
The organist muttered, Police" at
which the child again sobbed violently.
L es, to the station house of course, he
must 60"
But Mrs. Morton remembered The
three faces asleep on their pillows al
home, and as she looked at this lear
stained, dirty little gypsy, she said to
the organist, Il will take care of him to
night" So, under the stars, the Christ
mas stars, cleaning so brightly, she led
the little wanderer home
All was still and safe in the little
house. Not \ creature was stirring,
not even a mousse The fire still
cleaned in the kitchen and the sitting
room, and 1t was the work of only a
few moments to divest the little must
clan of his uncouth garments, to pop
him into the tub of hot suds, to scrub
him we'll until his lean little body shone
like bronze, TO slip him into a night
gown, to give him slice of bread and
butter, and then 10 tuck him up on the
coy lounge.
The children slept like tops, and the
tired little mother was glad to say her
prayers, aud lie down beside them.
The stars were still shining when she
awoke; for Christmas day would be
busy one, and there were no moments
to lose. Alaeady the milkman was at
the door, and the hand of the kitchen
clock pointed to 8.
"Hark what was that?
A long, low, sweet sound, like a voice
real TErrr l,nv
came. "Glory, to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward
men," so it seemed TO breathe Then it
rose in gay carol, sweet gushing
thanksgiving, and the children came
tumbling down in their night-gowns;
they rushed to the door of the sitting
room, and there beside his imprOvised
bed stood the young musician, playing
on his violin as if the world were his
audience. His brown eyes flashed now
with light, and then grew dark and ten
der, as he drew the sweet sounds out.
The children gaZed in wondermeDt:
where had this child come from? had
he dropped from the stars? had an angel
come among them? He played on, and
on, until from sheer fatigue, he put his
instrument down. Then Teddie and
Clover and Daisy came about him they
touched his hands, his curly locks, his
violin, to see If all were real Then
they whirled round the room in a mad
dance of delight, for the mother had un-
covered the tree. and it was really Christ
mas morning.
All, what happy day for poor little
Toni! How nice he looked in Teddie's
clothes how gentle he was with Daisy
how he frolicked with Glover and when
Mrs. Morton came from church, how
softly he played all his pretty melodies
for her! 1t was day of feast and
gladness; and when, TO her surprise and
pleasure, committee of church peo-
pie waited upon Mrs. Morton to give
her a purse through the meshes of
which glittered gold pieces she said
then and there that Toni should never
go to the harsh and cruel Padrone
again.
Perhaps some time as you listen to a
sweet voice singing to the accompani-
ment of violin you may think of Mrs.
Morton and Toni, and be glad that the
world bestows Its applause and its gifts
upon them, and that the vision of his
mother and love that came to Toni on
that Christmas eve has been made to
him a reality.-Harper's Young People.