Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-12-25

| shall watch and wait for J'cn TIL caristmas
| We all send lots of love ana Will he u
| Lappy when you come hone. Your loving
daughter, CbsRA.
A ChristmRs Eve Ira S'edy.
The colonel could not repre- ~ the tears
which filled his eyes rs hc iinisI 'eu readIhS
| the Childs simple letter. He fu. uei IL, rS,
| placed it in its tiny envelope al handed
| it back to the lieutenant, VINO stoC u silent
| and mOtiOnless beside him. II h III Just
been placed carefully III the ownc: ) poCKet
and the two men were standing lookI hS out
upon tie scene neither caring 10 brea y ihe
silence first. cry OF terror from hen cath
relieved them OF the suspense, and looi !ng
down they saw that the fragile ice on 'he
canal bad given way beneath the feet OF ibe
skaters on its surface, and six of the piea3~
ure-scckers, all children. were StreggllnG
in its waters. The scene was an appalling
one The cries Of the helpless children
fighting for life ia the dark icy waters
OF tae canal. and the shouts OF the
excited throngS along the banks brought -
the windows al the prison nearly thou
sand braye.hearicd men whose haads
would have been quick 10 save had they
been free TO act. But the harsh decree oi
war rose like an impossible barrier be
tween them and the duty they would gladly
nave zone lOT uNllliLllN, HlIu tIltN sN'ph
on the walls helpless idle and mute, watch
ing the fierce struggle below. An interval
Of confusion and suspense, and five oi the
imperilled skaters were safely rescued.
The sixth, a fair.haired, manly little fellow.
wSs taken from the water stiff and cold. and
laid tcndcrly upon the bank 10 await idcn-
liiicatiOn. Suddenly wild cry hartIct
the thrOnE gathered on the banks Of the
canal as well as those in the prison.
tiIb tlashinp uTI dis.
hCvcllcd hair rushed throush the crowd
crying: My child my child Give me
my enid.
The drowned boy was her child She in
StiuClivCly ran tO The spot where his huiy
lay, and tie crowd iyll back tu let her pass.
With one long. low moan Sh" clUtrhCi the
rgid form 10 her breast speaking Ia II IN
cndcaring word. and trying hy all the
means known Ia mpthcrhOO to warm il
into life again. AS the twilight isdrn into
the gloamius the dead boy WAS carried
tcud,riv away 10 Iis home. followed by the
n,art.hgol.Cn mother, and the nights al
Christmas eve began IL twinkle ~ lIc win
COWS Of the city.
70 the strong men who had been com
pe,ird Ia stand helpless and view IT, the
scene uf death and sorrow just described
was almost Il turlurv. Alter II Wa al over
Lev iuru,d tu the ,;Iirl Il he PRISON., ..ui
~ !Da voice inr sad occurrence F.rh
man seemed Ir hay,, paril.ru oi the sal
nr.. ,f the scene, Ia, had Witnessed aud the
our WAS mudc deeper still by the thought,
which il .rI,cc.,cd. Hardly "A man spbke
a.oui The silence was like death. ltwr
roiu',ll i'm lis inlau>itv. enable tn endurc
Il " terrible monOtUny any longer some one
finally rose and walking hastily across the
rn,r exclaimed:
.fur ,iod's sake. men. lets do something
I, break this u,onr,ouy. II will drive NJ
m.i Then turuipr 10 a fellow prisoner
hc snid. Met 'uIIlrv. sing for ~"
NrI,ul,y WAS an assistant engineer in
The navy. who hrd been cap,ued in a
naval eunagcmcut some months before
IL. had AN excellent voice and had often
whiInd nwov many an huIir with his SONGS.
and had donr mrIch tn sustlin the spirits
If his CorIr,nious in rri>nu. 4 hundred
,rLcr yorccs united in the request lie
s,ug fnr them the first st.uZ, of Rock
Nr to SIrcu Nnthrr'
Tie tender words Of the simple old ballad
ruuriurou, upou the uuiet air Of the night
touched he bcart strings Of every man.
Oi,r verse was cnuurh The private sol
dirrs confined as prfsonars in Pcmbcrton
vpr.Lnusr inst uCr,>s the street had
car,,Ii the strains of NrCauley's voice,
ana one Of them called TO the singer:
"OlBcer. for Gods sake don't sing an
other line Uf that SONG"
The r,uu,si wa, seconded Nv u half thou
sand others. and the pathetic words Of the
ballad which had brought tears To count
less eyes that had seen the flash 81 cannon
auh tie rlcam of hayOnet without hlnch-
irr were lcft uusuug
Hutthc Sun, hRd broken the spell which
Lung over the prison. and the men became
"nv IN spite Of heir gloomy surrounding.
y dance WAS suggested, and s0on the or
ci.,stra, led by Lieutenant Chandler, oi
West Nir"lnia regiment. struck mp, and
tine shuttle of n thousand feet beat time 10
The notes oi the uuadriile and walt. A
minstrel performance followed later III the
clcn,ng. given by company of officers
wh,- hnd organized their musical forces into
an excellent orchestra and glrc club. When
M, tn,crrninment was concluded. dancing
vas resumed and the fun began anew A
,..- rrrty brOlabIy the most uorcl ever Civ
81 iuiic world hGudrcd, Of officers dancing
Viz, ,I.giuin rey! by the dim Gickcring
rrlt> rl a few old lamps irr gloomy pris.
on in u hostile city on Christmas eve.
III. a.u,u.uhers changed carly in the ev.
.,,,t,,;ud Inc drparlucsS and silence OF the
.yiI,Ir o,y,.. y,,v To- mrrry.making wild
..,u,,..i,I. il, character TO contrast strong
f.. y,,L ,rn u,,rr l,unliur.S of iis sur
rorrdns = Far ina the uioht old m n
,i..,. ,G..t.g rnrn,r! ana danced and stng
,r,i ,,.',r., ,.L =. ,..i,rnl bpv, ,t rlay and
T. - ,.,,,, - ~. ~. triirIirp rho s,n,,
ai.h Tie wand rl a new born dav. an old
,,.,,I,d rigrer aIucarrd among the crowd
aim . wri!.wurL SOCK in his hand. and
,nin. Now. children il il late, and this ~
,,r.s,,un. ,yr. Hang up your StockingS
yI,r -.,rta Clan, will find them. and 20
ro l.t t" The suggestion was aIopted. and
half g Loussnd nIlirers Llypp THAR stock
iprs YIrpg the wall as they had in child
E,nb Iihhv ny;,nn was asleep and dream
i,g M santa Clans
Tho ,.Iii,kir.r b.pun with the ,ay. Men
t;i mot r.ne f., tbiuk OF ,,rinu, things
nCros9,uejIy when their thoughts turned
,,v,yI home and their spirits began To-
U.ur s.,uo new game ws,ild he proposed
and started with a will. When the church.
bell. surnm .ncd the citizens who dwelt in,
the rauit.I of tho CnniRIcracy H. divine
scryire the voice Of chaplain McCabe, oi Ia.
Maryland regiment, called the rOIlickinp
prisoners to divine service. Morning.
af.GrnouE and oveninr. the ministers, who
were also. prisoners. gathered their COIN
? .drs together and invoked the Div;ns