Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-12-25
CHRISTMAS IN LIBBY.
A Strange Holiday Celebration by
Prisoners of War.
Romance Of ChiId's Letter-Merry Making
Under Difficulties Seeking Santa Claus
in Prison Walls-A Christian Din
ner and lis Cost
WEST VIRGlNlANS WHO REMEMBER IT.

P,r,ar,d ror me Reg STR by CN. Frwk 4.
Bprr.
Mamma, DO you krow that its only
two weeks till Christmas? | wonder ii
Nadine will be we'll then? Oh! if she
only was well and Papa would come home
what beautiful Christmas we would
have
\ little twclve-ycar.oId girl uttered these
words almost in breath, aud the mother,
who sat in another part Of the room, by
the bedside of little child some four years
younger, had no chance to respond The
girl who wished 50 earnestly Tor her Sis
tcr's recovery and tor her fathers return,
stood looking out Of the window, watching
the fast.faling snow nakcs that were being
piled into great drifts by the driving wind.
Her long, dark hair irlI 2IreIc ST. over her
shoulders, and few becoming crrls
iringrd the broad forehead that crowned
rather striking lace.
IL was near the end of one o. the most
Cventful years IN the history Ut the lstpIb'
lic. II was December, 1868. NickS5urg had
fai!cn. The pillows Of angry war rolling
up from Virginia hal been broken al Get-
tyshu.". and turned southwark again by
tht splendid hUlW.ri Ol Union arms but
the dark clouds OF 4 dc>prrst. conflict yet
dalkrnCd the ,kiCS OF the land. and the
fierce clash al sword and ntH>hct still
drowned the voices Ui peace. Thousands
of homes were wrapt in sadness and mo Irn-
um for their absent ones. the approach at
I tnrisimaS-tidc. usually - tuIl o! 10Y Inh
lue.ruu,ut. brought - the h"ar'nHt0n'N o.
tie nation only Il vision OF the O.i.ttmr
happinrss in i troubled dream Of war and
GCrh
It Was in quirr. simple home, not far
from .NTarIsr. y. \. thai the scene men
,i,ucd ~ thruprn.uE lincS ol this sketch
occurred. II WIS tn" counterpart Of tnpu.
.uIu, G.. utnarS in every part ~ the !Erd,
in which the hIuc "ura.. .uIIaU!e TO under
siur,d III, strange MAJ. oI mrn, lUJkcd Tor
ward to the holiday Ji.u" with wiStfu' long.
ir,r for the return OF the ah-rui The snow
kent on falling as il il would gladly cover
with u spOtIe.S mantle all the wounds s,riIe
had made. TaC little G,rI sill stood at the
window looking out upUl the dreary scene
leiorr her. while her mother Nat by TIA"
bedside oi her sick child. Suddenly she
lrit tie scene without, aud viking a!OHly
over To- her mother, took a scat ~ her feet.
She wa, silent Il .nomrnt a il in 'h""giit,
and then looking up said almost appeal
ingly:
Marina why DO men 20 I" war
"My child. men 80 to war for great rrin-
ciplCs You wnuld not understand il told
ynu. Your father went 10 battle for his
country because hc loved yuu and me. 1t
wLs las duty. Don't b" sd, darling. lac
will tliuk Of u at Christians, even il he
isn't with us.
ives know he will. hu' i. ia 80 hard
t. re without him. Eat well think OF him,
Won't We r.r.jcd the child, and then, as
if visited by sudden inspiration, she
said: "Why. mamma, I'll write him let
ter and tell him how much We miss him,
and in it I'll ask him I" come home for
Chris mas
The little girl stole away from the sick
room and wrutr the letter. II WAS achild-
message 20 "a father. II told 81 NIlinc'S
Illacss. M hrralLrl hope for hcr rccDY.
erv. 1t pictured the loneliness Of the house.
bold, the mothers anxiety, IN" 'rcarineSs
Of winter and lh" lorgiu. for the return OF
DADA. The mi,,iyr WAS >"rt "l ITS way 10
reach ur father lhr day before the rlIild
- lunvcd 'ur him 20 come home