Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-12-27
Of finding fanlt with trjaes and holding
somebody responsible for all his discom-

anybody to be delivered from it, sal,
bis wife,
Yes, il they succeeded in making
him believe he had such fault, "laughe,
Mary; but we two, who love him best
have never dared to let him know ",
saw it, 50; he would not be easily con
vinced." >
He's a good man. Mary. a goot
Christian mau, honest as the Iii ht----,'
And cross rs bear. and -:
Mary"
Mother!' aud Mays eyes twinkled
Il never knew you to speah SO o
your father"
q But l wish l had spoken long ago
aud In g:ing to speak now. I'm goins
tr tell him what think about it all
Think what ,loleful, forlorn Christmas
We had!"
But your father never kept Christ
mas. When he was Young the people
OF this section thought more of the first
day of the New Year, and doubt if 1t
ever had present in bis life; and wilel
your brother used to want to hang W
his stocking, he would tell him wha,
hard times he had us child; that he
was glad to get enough to eat. w,thcu!
asking for presents. OF course, ever
when lhad saved up few sikpences tc
buy the child gift, such remark took
the pleasure ont of It; so as he grew
older we said nothing about it to his ia.
Their, but | used to manage to slip a new
handkerchief, or u necktie, or a pair OF
mittens into his drawer"
Yes, | understand it, mother, for
even now, If he looks at ne when ! have
on a nev dress, I feel Suddenly guilty
ana rs if the old ono Ntght to hav,
served another Secr
Well. be has great many cares,
ch11d. and he cannot help being
angry whenever he is in debt. He's
growing old, ,iaughter, snl ".
mustn't mind his ways. Tonight
he was specially anxious to get of
early. and everything welt wrong. You
know he is never late to church" added
the loyal wife. aux'uu> to say ali posi-,
bic good.
"All that may be true, mother: and
out Ill the world he bears things like a
man and a Christian. I've no doubt he
will give as good testimony to the n,.'r-
cles Of the past year ga any ohe in the
meeting tonight, hut he will fret Just as
quickly il the breakfast is two minutes
late tomorrow morning. | don't want
his kind Of religion, mother. A faith
that won't help a man to keep his tenn.
per isn't worth havlng.'' Ard the girls
face flushed with the euergy of her
words.
stop, stop, my child You don't
kaow what you are saying! Your
brother Harry said that before he went
away. Don't let me hear it from an
other child. There's n, fault in The
faith. There's no fault in the precious
Christmas gift, sent It's from God. II
we take SO spa1ingly and use SO blipdly
that we miss the blessedness that is
every Christians heritage, the fault is
not in the giver of the gift. Your
fathers faith is your mothers, Mary,
and she tells you it has been her only
strength, and comfort and delight. You
will come to know it some time, for your
self, and | believe my buy, il he lives,
will come to know it too. -
Seeing her mothers agitation, the girl
said no more, but gently led her on to
talk of the brother who left home at the
age Of Is, and bad never heen heard from
since. At the time of his departure,
Mary, on the verge of wo"antood, was
/ Years ct age, and ali through her
"hillhonl and youth her imaginat ion
bad played around her faint memories
Of him, catching eagerly at whatever her
mother could tell. Her father newer
spoke ct him, except to ul'raid his he
sertlon Of his parents a,!I his duty.
Whatever had been his otecuse, the ,lea-
on had not forgiven, but Mary knew
low the mothers heart yearne.i and
watched and waited for her hoy, and She
understood what secretspring of sorrow
vas draining her mothers strength. He
lad lett them on the last night of the
'ear, and as the years, one after another,
:rept Onward, Mary always felt the
evtrish, faint hope in her mothers
1eart, and this night of all night, she
lid not like to leave her alone. But ms;
he evening wore on, and the mother
md daughter sat in the freight talking
'ver all the story Of the boys young
lie, Mrs. Frost grew restless. She arose
nd went to the window, and LOT king IND
md down the white road, over which
oent the boughs OF naked trees, and
way across the snowy fields, she seemed
% ask the earth, which somewhere hid
lis grave OF felt bis footstep, and the
stars which must have seen his wander
ngs, for tidings Of her boy. AS she
tood there the clock in the church
over struck II.
"There's only one hour more in this
!ear, Mary" she said, turning to her
laughter, who sat gazing into the fading
ire, only one hour in this year. He
sill not come tonight, and ever since
ne went away I have watched the old
ear out, waiting for him. He went
way while we were Mt the midnight SER
ice. Your father insisted upon his 60
ng with us, but there had been hard
words between them that day, and for
he first time he openly rebelled. He
would not go; and when l knew it I
wanted to stay with him, but feared it
ooked like sanctioning his disobedience.
50 l went, and all through the dying
hours OF the year my heart was with my
;hild. God only knows how the mo-
nents dragged, how discorCiant seemed
he praises, how impossible to freight
he prayers with my heartache. At last,
gainst your fathers wishes, 1 crept out
nd came home. You were safely asleep
n your little crib, and I had said to
Harry, as went out, Take good care
Il your little sister,
"a strange fear had taken possession
u me that he meant to go away. Once,
When angry. he had threatened to go,
md his father answered., You will be
Lad enough to come back to me for
our bread!'' and I could not forget
Lat the. thought Of going had once
:rossed his mind. This recollection and
his fear made me bid him watch over
'ou. He was very fond of you, and /
ried, as walked home, to believe that
Re would not leave you alone. But l
vent from room to room in the lower
part of the house; passed with trem.
bling steps to his chamber. He was not
here. l searched for some message,
some word OF line to say he loved his
mother, and I found at last. what has
,een comfort all these years, a little
lote pinned to your nightdress as you
ny in the little crib. l have it now.
kept it near me till 1 wore it out, so