The Red Cloud chief., 1880-01-22

can not drive YOU out OF his thoughti
After a while. however, old Bullion's
thoughts seemed 20 be running ! n . new
! channel, for his face became . shade
paler, he moved uneasily in his seat,
and his glass remained untouched.
Falling back in his chair be closes his
/ eyes, and remains quiet for some mo-
ments; then stsrts mp suddenly. rubs
bis eyes 10 assure himself that he il not
dreaming, and s,ares into the glowing
CRATE. Oh. old Bullion, there are dimiy
outlined pictures in those hot Goals that
have at last stirred your hard old heart.
Gazing breaiklessly, trembl!ngly. he
saw. a. he had seen long years before,
a little brown house among the New
Hampshire hills. in whose humble
kitchen were seated two persons, q
himself, the other the trusting, loving
girl To whom he had given his heart
when IL was n softer, purer, and more
loving one than now. Something like
q tear glistens in his eye as he recog-
nizes the girls beautiful face, and invol-
unfairly he stretches forth his hand 10
her, but at that instant the picture van
ishes. He looks again and sees q sim
pie bridal party in a country church,
and hears himself taking the solemn
vow to forever love and cherish the on
fding being at his side; then he sees an
humble city home, where she and he
dwell in peace, comfort, and happiness,
but over the little household he sees,
and groans a. he sees, 4 dark cloud
lowering. How well he knows the end
il porfends. As he gazes at the picture
the scenes rapidly change, and show
him a husband growing cold, and stern,
and grasping, and a sweet, loving wife
diving for the want Of that warm, pro-
teciiDg. soul-satisfying love he had =
willingly promised before Gods holy
altar. He is fearfuily agitated
ing panorama from his eyes, but
some unseen power compels him TO
look and to suffer. Again the scene is
changed and something tells him that
it is the last. Fearfully he steals a glance
through the hands covering his face,
and sees, in a lone c~hurchyard, over
grown with weeds and briars, three
graves, one the resting place of her
whom he had killed with his neglect and
growing sordidness, the others the
graves Of the twins-his twins-who, for
the want Of a mothers care, had speedily
followed her.
"Alice. Alicei come back" shouted
old Bullion in agonized tones, but the
only response was the knocking o a Of
the wind in the chimney, and with a
feeble grosn the miserable old man
arose and slowly paced the room.
Joshua Bullion" said a still, small
voice, that seemed To come from the air
above him, and caused him TO stop,
trembling with fear. ''Joshua Bullion,
you have ~wantonly and wickedly wasted
the opportunities that have been given
you; you deserve the seyerest punish
ment, but you have a last chance offered
You To make amends for Your selfish,
wicked life. Go forth and spend Your
talents and means in alternating the suf-
ferings Of others, extend the warm hand
of charity and friendship to your fellow
men, and practice in your daily life the
warm, kindly feeling of this Christmas
season, when there should be naught
save peace on earth, good will 10 men,"
~ will, l will" cried old Bullion,
and bowling his head he shed the first
tears that had dimmed his eyes since he
left the old Granite State. Wept long
and bitterly. but these hot, scalding
tears washed many a bitterness from his
heart, and softened il as it had never
been before.
III.
Merry Christmas season! Making the
blood leap quickly through veins, and
warming the hearts of even the most
phlegmatic of mortals. Sacred Christ
mas season, that gave US a blessed
Savior from our sins and woe. Wei
come, Christmas season, that makes us
better, purer, and happier, and fills our
hearts with loving kindness.
Beautiful Christmas season, too, o
this bright winter morning. The snow
lay like a robe of ermine white N the
pavements and roof, and hung like
fieecy clouds on the trees in the park.
The sleighs dashed along, their bells
ringing out clearly and merrily On the
frosty air, and the snow flying like a
milky foam in their wake. Even the
ragged newsboys seemed to be infected
with the spirit of the season, aud
laughed joyOusly as they blew or their
frosty fingers, or scampered away after
some distant customer. Little Tim
wilkins tottered over to the grocer's on
the corner to purchase his Christmas
dinner. Poor Tim looked wiStfully at
the plump, fat turkeys hung in tempting
row before the door, and sighed - he
passed the little shop in whose window
he saw many articles very much needed
by Susy, but his pocket-bOok was scanti-
ly lined that morning, and, gloomily
purchasing a few necessary groceries,
he hurried home.
But he was determined to make as
much of the day As possible, and there
fore he sat himself TO work Z make a
potpie, Just such a one as his mother
used to make at home; while Susy
watched him from her bed with glad
some, tender eyes. Rap, rap, rap.
Some one at the door. Tim opens it,
and in straggers an expressman under
a load of bundles such as had never en-
tered Tins dwelling at any one time
before.
Haven't you made a mistaken"
asked Tim.
This is Tim Wilkins's house, is it
not?" asked the man; and, being an
swered in the affirmative, continued:
"Then there amt no mistake. These
things are for you," and disappeared
before Tim recovered from his surprise
sufficiently to question him.
And what a collection of good things
there was in those bundles, A turkey,
two chickens, some -four, some butter,
some sugar, and spices, and ~jellies, and
fruits. and a score of other things, until
it seemed to the amazed bOok-keeper and
his family as if a tax had been levied on
all the fruit stands and bake-shops
and grocery stores in the city, to furnish
them. Scarcely had these things been
examined, however, than there was an
other rapping at the door. and another
lot of bundles, and another surprise.
And this time there was 3 nice warm
overcoat for Tim, and q dress for Susy,
and q shawl for the nurse, and two little
red pairs of shoes for the twins, and .
host of good things for them all.
There was a great stamping and clat-
ter at the door, and in come old Bullion.
This was the greatest surprise Of them