The Indiana State sentinel., 1880-12-29
HOW BEN AND NELLIE ECELEBRATED
CHRISTMAS EVE.

CHRISTMAS EVE.
A blue sky, glorious sunshine, clear cold
air, and a snow-white coverlet laid over the
bare. frozen ground, to hide all the city Is
uncleanness. For it is the third day of the
Christmas week, and everything is in holi-
day attire. The sleigh-bells jingle 'merry
Christmas" ''merry Christmas" as the
horses dash along the streets to the exciting
music. People hurry along with their arms
full of boxes and bundles, each of which
proclaims a merry Chrlsmas for somebody.
The boot-blacks on the corners sing cut
with a new vigor, "Have sinner ten centsp
as they hold their boxes between their
knees, and swing their arms to warm the
half frozen fingers. To be sure, they may
not expect any great share in the merry
making, but happiness is contagious, and
throws big shadow which takes within it,
sometimes those who look the least for it.
1t is with one Of these that our story has
to do. and we will make her acquaintance
now if you will look with me toward that
slight childish figure which wearily climbs
the steps Of an oid-fashioned, but handsome
house on one Of the principal streets of Bos-
ton. She pulls the bell, and while she waits
for an answer to her ring we will pay lit
spectacle tenement house far from this fash
ionsble quarter, very poor and plain, but
with an air ofrefnement about it in spite
of its poverty. The floor so spotlessly clean,
is made almost picturesque by the bright,
braided rugs which cover it In places.
There is a bed, a small table, an old-fash-
ioned dresser, "a wooden settee a stove, a few
chairs. That is al, save the human Occu-
pants.
Half reclining on the bed is the mother OF
our heroine, busily tashioning all sorts OF
pretty things from the bright bits of velvet
and silks which surround her. Pin-cushions
needle books, emery cushions, cunning hats,
bonnets and shoes for dolls, and innumera-
bic other articles of the kind, which form the
stock in trade of her little sales-woman.
There is q gentle, patient expression on the
pale face which makes it very lovely, and
which plainly tells of many bitter trials with
nothing to depend on save the proceeds OF
the knick-knacks which she makes, and
which Nellie disposes of at the store AMI at
houses as best she can.
This Christmas week, they had hoped,
would be good one for BUSINESS and each
had some little plan for the gif-day, but
both were doomed to disappointment. Peo-
pie were too busy now, to pay much atten-
ton to the child and her wares, and this
day in particular had been such a discour-
aging one, that it was not strange If feeling
of bitterness and discomfort crept into Mel
lies heart as she stood where we left her.
AT length it was opened, and lady in
walking g-dress stepped out and was about to
descend the steps, when she saw Nellie and
inquired her errand "I have some little
fancy things to SELL" Nellie replied. "Will
you look at them7"
81 have very little time now, my child, u
the lady answered, "but if you will come
some other day 1 should be glad to do so. -
Then, as if struck by the care and disappoint-
ment shown in the face so childish, she con-
tinued, "I believe, though, that will look
at them now, if you will step in; perhaps l
may find something to help me on my
Christmas tree" and Mrs. Lester led the
way through the wide hall into a lovely
room, where an immense fire of logs was
burning, and placing a chair by the hearth,
bade Nellie sit down and get warm while
she examined her stock.
Nellie did SO, and as she FELT the grateful
warmth and heard the expressions of pleasure
which escaped Mrs. Lester as she turned
over the pretty things, the discontented.
unhappy feeling died out of her heart, and
she was once more the bright, hopeful child,
who had been such comfort to the feeble,
suffering mother.
When Nellie had first entered the room,
her attention had been attracted by group
of children, girls of about her own age, who
were engaged in stringing popcorn, pink
and white, and she at once concluded that
this was one of the preparations for the
Christmas tree, of which Mrs. Lester had
spoken. This was indeed the case, as the
conversation of the children soon proved,
for they grew more and more excited as they
talked. As Nellie heard them plan the
position of the tree, the arrangement of Its
ornaments, the friends who were to be
present, and the music they would sing as
they circled about it before the distribution
of its contents, her breath came quick and
fast, deep flush burned on her cheeks, and
a great longing to see this wonderful thing
of beauty filed her heart to the exclusion of
everything else. How light and warm it
would be in berel How lovely ell the
children would look, and what wonderful
things would hang on the treel o, if she
and Harry might have Just one look at it
when it was all donel Poor little Harry,
who was sick so much and who saw so few
pretty things. She wondered what this lady
would say if she should ask such a thing.
OF course she would not ask it, for that
would be rude, and her mother wanted her
always to be lady like. q deari Why did
she and Harry have to be so different from
these children? Why did her father have
20 die and her mother have to be sick and
everything have to be so hard7 She sup
posed Christmas was meant for rich people.
But her mother had taught her that Christ
loved the poor as well as the rich, and
Christmas was His birthday. ''She should
think He would want everybody to be glad
on his birthday" And so the child puzzled
on over the question which has muddled
older heads, and the bitterness crept back
into the little heart. and tears which she
would not let fall filed her eyes.
Meanwhile Mrs. Lester had made her Sc
lections, and turning to Nellie, was about TO
address her, but seeing how absorbed and
excited she was, and guessing at once the