, 1881-12-25

Held higher in esteem than he who nad. -
From out the goodness OF kind old heart, p.
Turn'd from the genial pleasures Of his home
Upon mission that all worthy was,
and one that In that great. dread book Of life.
Would be shining record 'gainst his name. -
| As thus he sat fore Margery's pleasant fro '~
| His very presence held comfort rarc H..
To one whose heart heavy burden bore, .
| Aineft, that by neither word nor LOOK :-.. !.
Did her sore grief give sign. "Good Mistress
! r Allworth,
Is she wefi?" she asked. Is and busy too
l dare to say. for we'll VIC women folk
Know all there Is TO do at Christmas tide.''':
'Aye, aye, she's well and fitting bout the
AS gay and happy as a lark at morn, r:
And laughing in her Ren'rous heart, good soul,
| Ger sundry treasures sIord away from sight
To be deposited, when all ia still, 4 ::t =
In certain socks and stockings, which, forsooth
Must grace my parlor mantel for the night
| You know our daughter Julta's with us now,
With all her brood, goodly flock Of five,
( Who thfuk, With grandma, that this Christmas
- time "a -. ' :. =
The parsonage and I'LL who dwell therein
Should be converted to their special rule. :.
| Well, well,'' he adds, We once were young our
p. selves, !. -
And no man should, methinks, 80 let the world
Incrust the natural kindness OF his heart -.
So as to warp those fral and tender chords, ;.
by which the Present and the past are bound,
Fen tho the last passing cloud should hold
Whose lining yet the darkness might dispel." -
"somefolk ther be. sur shortly answered Giles,
Who d just as lief let bygones so remain
Tut, tut, friend Giles; If that indeed were so
Then that man never has d childhood known.
Among good men, he is no less the man, =.
In that for one brief space he can forget,
and be with happy childhood once again ..
A child. And tho In Seeming true, yei still
How oft does gen'rous human nature seek T.
Below the surface Of an action :
Kindly done 2 And indeed SO true It IS,
That all our minds are SO much more inclin'd
To 1akeimpresslon from surrounding things, :;
Rather than those which better might portray
Our souuder Judgment, that do declare !: ~
That " hen those rascals, Tom and Dan, tonight
Did to their puuy strength my viii succnmb,
In that their Liliputian force had made,
Ne conquered GuIliver, and when in most.
Iguoble straits that puissaut hero great
Doth find himself to terra titma pinn'd., T."
would not have one little finger rnoy'd . :
To spoil their triumph and ny own defeat,
Had our good Dean himself stood In the door. :
And when 1t plcas'd them my release to s{gn,:
lfound Us prs' 'uer Of war, alone =: -'
I'd been exchanged to serve another cause+ -:
Rhoda, that sprite Of ev'ry mischief which
Within the house is plann'd, did then assume
Of government the undisputed pow'r r. 49,. -. >
And much In earnest and in truth good friends,
These fair and prosperous Kingdoms Of our
.~- homes, .-..
Do never: such despotic rule endure :.
As when those Lesser sembtance Of ourselves,
With grasp Of steel, the household sceptre
p: WELD. -: .." - ...'. p.
And you-it scems indeed, but yesterday. :.
Since little footsteps echo d thro' this room, ::
So quickly have the wheels Of Time gone round
Have yielded to the autocratic pow'r. r..
Why. let me thtnk-just twenty years tonight,
Your little Bertha" Now perhaps 1t was ): j,
The mug WIS all too hot to hold, or that >: -
Margcry's nerves sudden turn had ta'eu,
But this It is it had speedy fall -:
And being filled with egg -nog, freshly brew'd,
The spicy current ripplu DER the board, =
And ere he could prevent, its fragrant source ::
Had quickly wended to the parsons knees. :.
AN sarv'd ye roight, old lass. Had let yer
j.. tolls .~. ' = = -:-'.$ +
But net1d1e only wi ger present care ...~.
The parsons trousers had the better far'd."
And here, not needing that it was his best, -.
And MarKery's gift, and silk at that, he with
His kerchief briskly went to work, Until "a !: -
Tbro' yiEor Of his rubbing-a strong right
Hand had Giles-our good parson mentally
Made note that even kindness might be oft =.
Iu theoretic instances preferrd .-'.
With much more pleasure than he nov. w..enioyd.
"Tut, tut" at length he quickly interpos'd,'
Indeed the friction had become so warm =.
Tne good man thought it might be nothing lost
To give moments heedng-not to CLOTH -.
But to the natural GOV ring OF his limbs ,---,
/" There is no harm, friend Giles, save waste Of
Good beverage, which would grleve me sore in
= deed, . - 80 .'.:.~s'
Did not know that Mistress Margcry's skill :.
Meier yet was daunted By unlucky fute.'' ~..-
and that the parsons trust be not di5peird,
and Giles hopping to an end now come +: -:
tSave the removing Of that wholesome dew
Which honest labor to his brow had brought},
Another brewing was ut once begun,a ..<..,
And this with such success as to indeed ~
All former efforts Of the Kind surpnss-
And them her husband started on the crops"
theme to last him for good long hour.
And Parson Ailworth much inclined that way, |
Margery drew apart, aud thEo' the quaint : II
Old lattice looked, with saddened, wistful eyes,
Far out upon the snow-white covered ieas- :: II:
WHY had he spoken thus? She tried to think. ]
No; ne er, since first their trouble came, had he
When Giles WAS there, made mention of that |
: name. ... :: =,
he was too kind and thoughtful Ger to touch
4 half-healed wound without there Was some |
T. cause. -..'>>. -. 80: -
An! Margery, did your short sight ever look
Beyond the smart Of little Ills to find i 49, <'.>
i greater and a grander promise kept =
70 those who shall most patiently endure? = |
Dr. view the 1cnden n1ists that veil the dawn ~:
TO snield the glory Of the young days grace -:
7rom shrub and low'r, and all that, living, lives
IN God's s sweet sunshine? Ah, If you have,
Then have you ere the noon Of day WAS past +:
bit seen that misty curtain drawn aside
And WARM and light and glory greater still, ~
Than ever promise OF the morning gave, ~:
Burst forth in vivid spiendor o'er the earth. !.
And then across the ocean OF tho years !: ~
There came rnem'ry Of childish face f.: I
4 little face with golden curis enframed,: -
/ little 1ispng voice which at her knees <-*.* i
The first short pray rs at morn and eve had said,
Ind woke within the desolate mother heart
he tender, loving, suf1' ring, patient heart,
/ great, tho SILENT bitter cry Of pain. 50
q God! this Christmas Eve, in all the world, l.