Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-23
now JOHN HOLLAND FOUND HIS
MERRY CHRISTMAS.


by was labeled "Ohristmas gift" Even the
corner groceries and baker shops had green
boughs aud a generous supply Of gingerbread
horses and white sugar hearts enriched with
gilt beading, and impossible pink fowls, pop
ularly supposed to be doves. There were
myriads of dolls and hundreds OF sleds, with
names taking in the whole animal kingdom.
The streets were crowded with fur-clad, smil-
ing women, who we're making the last selec-
tions Of pretty things with which to swell out
the fair proportions of many little stockings.
John Holland, leaving his Office earlier than
usual, made his way slowly through these
waves Of happy womHnhood, carrying his
head little forward watching with sullen
eyes the Joy about him, until the tide OF bit
terness in his heart rose high, and forced from
his lips curse on the morrow that would
bring 80 much happiness to others and so
much misery to him. lonely man was John
Holland, over whose dead past stood no mon.
umental marble with name and date thereon
"A weary man by his dropping shoulders and
uncertain gait-an unhappy man by the visit
full look that crept now and then into his wea-
ry eyes. And so in weary, lonely fashion, he
walked on, leaving the city far behind and
coming at last upon country road that wound
It's rough, snow powdered length through
shrubby hoows and up the hills between
leafess, grey barked trees. Now and then
thin sheet Of ice cracked under his feet-he
did not hear il above his head, close to the
soft grey clouds, fat, inky crows sailed round
and round cawing companionably-h did
not heed them while here and there the bare,
brown fingers Of some shrub o. tree held out
10 him bunch Of scarlet berries, which he
did not see All the grays and browns touch
ed here and there with green and scarlet APP
pealed to him in vain. Tomorrow was Christ
mas Day. He stood alone-he made no ones
happiness; therefore to him the world could
not be fair. He remembered how, not many
years before, he and his wife stole tiptoe
through the house to cram with candies and
many wondrous toys the little woollen stock
ings hanging near the fire. He remembered
how the Christmas sunlight, striking through
the frosted window pane, turned into bur
nished gold the ruddy locks of their sturdy
baby boy: aud now he stumbled up the hill
side, blind with rage and pain. Now, two
mounds of chill, cold earth held all that made
life dear and precious thing to him. AT the
top Of the hull lac paused Involuntary to re-
gain his breath Up there the wind blew
keenly, the CHASTITY CLEAN of ice could be seen
in the river winding far below The wood
was darkened by many slender pines and
st.nted hemlocks-a wintry scene-and Hol-
land thrust his hands deep in his pockets and
turned to retrace his steps, when a sound
broke the silence all about him "a sound that
set his heart'a-throbbing, a sound that drew
his feet from the beaten road and sent them
stridiug through the brown leaves until they
brought him to the very spot where little
Ruth sat sobbing.
strange place to find a child, yet there
she sat, fiat on the ground, her well worn
copper toed shoes stretched out before her,
ous little hand doubled under her arm, as a
bird draws its foot under its wing, the other
hand grasping with all its childish might
branch Of one Of the mauy small hemlock
trees growing about her So notified with
cold were her face, her hands and her little
bare knees, she might have passed for figure
carved in good old CASTLE soap.
John Hollands sudden appearance did not
startle her in the least. She seemed to accept
him rs one accepts things in dreams, without
surprise or fear.
"what is the matter Z" he asked.
"Tm cold"
How strange the childish voice sounded up
there in that chill, bleak place!
"what are you doing here 2"
I'm waiting"
Poor baby - thought John Holland, ''you
are learning the great lesson early. / should
like to know the brute who left you sitting
here while he or she drinks or gossips in the
town below"
"Who are you waiting for, child p
The chill, tear-stained little face broke into
smiles as she whispered
I'm waiting for Santa Claus"
The answer smote him with establishment
As boy he had heard much Of the genial old
man for whom little Ruth was waiting but
he had never heard of his paying a visit or
transacting any business in the daytime. So
he told her but she, looking sorrowfully wise,
answered.
yes knows he goes down the chimneys at
night aunty says SO, and Santa Claus must
come here to-day to get his trees"
ITO get his trees 2" echoed Holland, sitting
down by the side of that bit of childish grav-
ity.
why yes his trees like this, you know"
and after a slow, numb sort of search for
something in the depths of her pocket, her
cold little hand drew out a leaf Of a child's
story book, torn and soiled, but bearing on
one side highly colored picture of the good
Santa Claus.
There" she continued, eagerly, ''see the
trees he has on his arm-they don't grow in
the city see, he must come up here to get
them"
II understand; but why wait here in the
cold for him, when tonight he will come
down your chimney with all sorts of pretty
toysy"
but he wont come he does not know the
house is here he thinks all the boys and girls
live down there in the city so when he comes
togetthis tree I'm going to say, please, Santa
Claus live here on the hill. Aunty says I'm
pretty good. Can't have a doll baby and
picture book 2"
John Hollands voice was very tender when
he spoke again TO ask her name, and then he
lifted her to her feet and said
"Pl tell you what wen do, Ruth. You 90
home before aunty misses you and thinks you
are lost, and I'll stay here and watch for
Santa Claus"
She shook her head.
you'll get tired and 90 away"
No, wont I'll wait until see him"
Truly ?"
Truly"
Little Ruth raised her face and Holland
kissed her baby mouth.
where do you live, child ?"
"Only a little ways back in the woods
there is the path" And running across the
dead leaves she struck intoa faint, narrow
path, and, following it, disappeared behind
the trees. Holland watched her out of sight
tbon tying his handkerchief to the top'branch
of that tree which Ruth had selected as the
very one Santa Claus most wanted, turned
his face cityward and strobe down the hill
Low down in the west he noticed a long
golden rift in the dull gray sky, and it widen.
ed and broadened until the golden glory burst
its bonds and flooded all the scenes with win
try sunlight. Even so had the childish faith
of little Ruth forced its way through clouds
of loneliness and grief to fill his heart with
sunlight More than one woman smiled that
night at John Holland as he stood in crowd
ed store, examining with supernatural gravity
dolls dressed and nndressed A light wagon
carried him and his books aud toys out from
the city and up the woody hill to Ruth's poor
home. After peering into the window like
an amiable burglar he summoned Ruth's
aunt. A few words outside the door, a gen
tie little laugh, tear or two, great rustiinR
of paper, and then the door was closed, and
Holland, whistling softly to himself, made his
way to the tree from which waved a white
handkerchief, and, after much hacking and
digging, succeeded in removing it. Driving