Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-10-20

"And cross as bear, and,
"Mary,"
Mother :" and Mary's eyes twinkled.
ii never knew you to speak so OF your
father"
But wish had spoken long ago, and
l'm going TO speak now. I'm going to tell
him wha, think about it all Think what
a doleful, forloru Christmas We had :"
Bat Your father never kept Christmas.
When he was Young the people of this sec
tion thought more of the first day of the
New Year. and | doubt If he ever had a
present in his life; and when your brother
used TO want to hang up his stocking. he
" would tell him what hard times he had as a
child; that he was glad to get enough TO eat,
without asking for presents. OF course,
even when had saved up a few sixpences
to buy the child gift, such a remark took
the pleasure out Of IL; so as he grew older
ve said nothing about 1t TO his father, but |
used to manage TO slip a new handkerchief,
or a neck-tle, or a pair of mlttens into hls
drawer"
YES understand 1t, mother. for even
now. If he looks at me when have on a
new dress. feel suddenly guilty and a. il
the old one ought TO have served another
wear"
We'll. be has great many cares. child.
and be cannot help selng angry whenever
he j. in debt. He's growing old, daughter,
aud mustn't mind his WAYS. Tonight he
vas specially a2Xious to get off early, and
everything went wrong. You know he j.
never late to church. added the loyal wife.
anxious to say all possible good
"A.i that may BE- true, mother. and out IN
the world he bears things like a man and a
Christian. I've no doubt be will give a.
good testimony To the mercIes Of the past
YEAR a. any one n the meeting tonight. but
he Slli fret just a. quickly II the breakfast
Is two minutes late o-morrnw morning.
don't uani hs kind of religion. mother. \
faith that won't help man 10 Keep hIs tenn
per isn't worth having" And the gIrI', face
flushed with The energy Of her words.
Stop. stop IN, child You don't know
~hai YOU are SAYING Your brother Harry
>AlI that before he went away Don't lrt
ne hear II from another child. There. uo
fault IN the faith. There's no fault IN the
precious Christmas GJit, sent us from God.
II We take ~ spar,ngly and Use 50 bhndll
that We miss the hlessedness that i every
Christians b, riiage the fault is not Ia the
GlSor or the Off Your father, faith i,
your mothers. MaFN and She tells you It Ia.
been her oulN strength and comfort and de
hght You vail come 10 knoN H. some
time, FOR Yourself and | belIrSc my bos, ii
hc lNes. will come tu knnW I, too"
Seeing her mother, agitation. the gItl .aId
no more. but gently led her on to taiA ~
jhc brother Whn had len home al The axe N
sixteen. aud had never breu heard from
since. A. the time OF hl. departure. MAil
nuS ON the verge Of WomauAuOd. IA, -four
Wears Of age. aud al. through her childhood
aud Youth her imag nation had PLAYED
around her FAINT memories OF HIM, catching
eagerly at whatever her mother could tell.
Her father never spoke Of hun, except "a
upbraId his de>srlIon OF III parent, and his
duty. Whatever had been ms otcnse. the
Deacon had not forgiven, but MaIV kurW
how the mothers heart yeaTncd and SAIched
and waited for her boy, and she understood
what secret spring OF sorrow vas draining
her mother strength lie had left them on
the last night of the year and a. the wears.
one after another, crept onward. Mary al
saNs felt the ieSersh FAINT hope IN her
mothers heart, and tins night of al! nights
She did not like 10 leave her alone. but a.
the evening wore on, and the mother aud
daughter sai in the freight, talking over
all the story of the BOYS Young life, Mrs
Frost grew restless. She arose and went TO
the window, and looking up and down the
white road. over which bent the boughs of
naked trees, and away across the snowy
hclds, she seemed Ia ASK the earth, which
sOmew here Ind his grave or felt his fooistep,
and the stars that must have seen his wand
ersngs, for tidings OF her boy As she stood
there, the clock IN the church tower struck
eleven.
Il here's only one hour more in this year,
Mary. she said, turning to her daughter.
Who sat gazing into the fading fire, 'onl,
one hour IN this Year. lie vail not come
tonight, and ever since he went sWaN
have watched the old year oat, waiting for
hlm. Tie went away while We were at the
midnight service. Your father insisted upon
his gong with Us, but there had been hard
words between them that day, and for the
FIRST time he openly reDelled He would
not go and when | knew il, | wanted to
stay with him, but feared it looked like
sanetioning his disobedienee So | went,
and all through the diving hours Of the year
my heart was with my child. God only
knows how the moments dragged. how dis
cordant seemed the praises, how impossible
10 freight the prayers with my heartache.
AT last, against your fathers wishes, | crept
out and came home. You were safely asleep
IN your little crib. and had said to Harry,
as | went out, Take good care of your little
sister
"A strange fear had taken possession OF
me that he meant 10 90 away Once, when
angry, he had threatened to CO. and his
father answered, You will be glad enough
to come back to me for your bread :. and
could not forget that the thought OF going
had once crossed his mind. This recollec-
ton and this fear made me bid him watch
over YOU. tie was very fond of YOU, and
| tried, as | walked home, to believe that he
would not leave YOU alone. But | went
from room TO room in the lower part of the
house; passed with trembling steps to his
chamber. He was not there | searched
Tor some message, some word or line to say
he loved his mother, and ! found at last,
what has been a comfort all these wears, a
little note pinned to your night-dress as YOU
lay IN the little crib. have it now. kept
II near me till wore il out, so that | feared
| could not read the words i am going,
mother, | know not where, nor for how long,
hut | shall never come back to father TOR
my bread But love you. mother, and if
live | will come back to YOU = | have
waited for him ever since, Mary, aid since
that day have never been once to the mid
night service"
''Onee there came TO us the story of the
wreck of vessel bound from South Amer
ica to New York, and among the names of
the lost was one like that of my little boy.
But did not believe he was dead. | can
never believe him dead. | wait and watch
for him still, and your father knows 1t, and
think it irritaies and disturbs him, for every
year he urges me to go. l have felt that |
could never do it, but somehow tonight
feel as if should like to try again. Let us
walk down together, child, and have this
last hour of the year with the people of
God :"
Willing to do anything to soothe her
mothers agitated feelings, Mary wrapped
her warmly, and together they walked over
the white road to the church door. The
notes Of hymn came out TO greet them on
the still air. The vestry was filed, and the
two women slipped quietly into back seat.
When the music ceased, they sat with bowed
heads, each thinking her own thoughts for
the dying year, when voice broke on their
ear so changed and softened that they hard
iy recognized, at first, the voice of Deacon