Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-23


lestial portals. ~.
One by ono they pressed her hand In
quiet congratulstion, and with.a .'Mer-
nv Christmasn bade her goodnight
Mrs. Morton was Q little excited with
her unusual efforts. and while the old
onpanist was looking up. thought she
would run down and warm hersen IN
the church. A she fastened toward
the great heater, she tripped over some
thing, which, to her great surprise and
alarm, she perceived what appeared TO
be great bundle was in reality asleep
Yes, q child, and little one-a boy
of not more than seven years. with elf
ish brown locks. and eyelaahes which
swept the olive tint of his cheek All
curled up in q hemp, in clothes which .
man might have worn, % big and shape
less were they, with ono arm under his
head for pillow, and the other tightly
grasping q violin. Far had he wan
dered in the cold wintry air. until, At
tracted by the light and warmth OF the
great church, he had stolen in for shell
ter, and then a. bis little ears drank In
the melody of tho rehearsing choir. and
the warmth comforted him, he fell fast
asleep. He was dreaming now. OF the
warm sunny land Of his birth: olive
trees and orchards, purple clusters OF
the vineyards, donkeys laden with
oranges, and the blue sky OF Naples
shining over the blue bay. Then. In
his dream, an angel came floating down
out Of the pure ether. waiting sweet
perfumes on its white wings. and sing
ing-ohl what heavenly strains!-till
his little soul was filled with joy; for the
angel seemed to be his mother who had
died, and her kind voice again saluted
him. and he answered softly, "Madre
MAR
"Poor childw said Mrs. Morton, soft
ly. 'it seems pity TO waken him, but
we must do It; he cannot stay here all
night" The old organist touched him;
but his sleep was too sound for touch
to arouse him, and Mrs. Morton had to
again and again lift his head and stroke
his little brown hand, before, with
amazed and widely fearful looks, he an
swered them.
..Who are you. child. and what arc
yon doing herep" asked the organist
I'm Toni, Toni" was the answer,
and he began to cry. ''Oh, please let
me go; the Padrone will kill me- .-
why will he kill you. and why are
you here?"
He will kill me because I have no
money. have lost, also, my way"
Have you no home. no motherp'
asked Mrs. Morton, gently.
mo. signora, no, madame, no moth
er. We all live. Baptiste and Vincenzo
and /, with the Padrone. We play tho
harp and the violin; but 1 was tired,
and could not keep with the others,
and they scolded me, oh, so sharplyl
and was-weary and cold, and crept In
here where tho angels sing. and IL was
80 beautiful could not go away"
The organist muttered, Police" at
which the child again sobbed violently.
Eyes, to the station house. of course,
he must CO."
But Mrs. Morton remembered the
three faces asleep on their pillows at
home, and as she looked ut this tear
stained, dirty little gypsy, she said to
the organist, 81 win take care OF him
tonight" So, under the stars. the
Christmas stars, cleaning SO brightly,
she led the little wanderer home.
All was still and safe in the little
house. mot n creature was stirring,
not even a mouse" The fire still
cleaned in the kitchen and the sitting
room, and IL was the work of only n
few moments to divest the little must
clan of his uncoutlr garments. to pop
him into the tub of hot suds, TO scrub
him well, until his lean little body
shone like bronze. to slip him into
to give him slice Of bread
and butter, and then to tuck him up on
the coy lounge.
The children slept like tops. and the
tired little mother was glad to say her
prayers, and lie down beside Them.
The stars were still shining when she
awoke; for Christmas. day would be n
busy one, and there were no moments
to lose. Already the milkman was nj
door, and the hands of the kitchen
clock pointed to six.
Hsrk! what was that? l.l .r .rH ...
A long, low, sweet sound. like voice
calling her. She listened, and again IL
came. "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace. good will toward
men," so 1t seemed to breathe. Then
it rose in gay carol. sweet gushing
and the children came
down In their nightgowns;
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 ali the world were his
audience. His brown eyes flashed now
"aNah AaShe, shhu thCu kfcW dhTk anu
tender, as he drew-the sweet sounds
out. The children gazed in wonder
ment: where had this child come fromP
had he dropped from the starsP had an
angel come among themp He PLAYED
on, and on, until, from sheer fatigue,
he put his instrument down. Then
Teddic and Clover and Daisy came
about him; they touched his hands, his
curly locks, his violin. to see IL all were
real Then they whirled round the
room in q mad dance Of delight. for the
mother had uncovered the tree, and IL
was really Christmas morning.
All, what q happy day for poor little
Toni! How nice he looked in Teddie's
clothes! how gentle he was with Daisy!
how he frolicked with Cloverl and
when Mrs. Morton came from church,
how softly he played all his pretty
for herl IL was day Of feast
and glsdness; and whom. TO her surprise
and pleasure. committee of church
people waited upon Mrs. Morton 70