Omaha daily bee., 1882-12-30
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
ANNIE RoBsRrsoS ScSoS.

'0h, joy-it snow,l" cried the rich
mans plump little girls, popping out
of dovny beds on the morning o
Christmas eve, while q hsndmaiden
stood by to deck them in purple and
ermine. The rich mans house stood
like q winter palace behind magnificent
hemlocks, heavy With %icicles, and the
merry twitter Of we'll fed spsrrows on
the polished marble courtyard, made
one think of building time in spring.
"oh, goody, goody, it snows! What
larks wen have to-day oossting and
s~nowbslling the milkmenl" screamed
q flock of boys who dashed around the
corner, ell 10 oomforters and Jolly big
mittens, glad that Christmas eve had
had tho grace to fall on Saturday.
ut SHOWS" said the postmsn, blow.
ing on his purple fingers, and dread.
ing to think of his dreary rounds. He
had some dainty little parcels in his
bag which were certain to make him
welcome somewhere; but, alas, he had
also a few black. bordered letters to
deliver which would sadden the al.
ready aching hearts dreading to hear
his ring at the door. How strange 1t
Is that grief should come to visit grief,
and happiness to joyl The dainty
parcels were for those who needed
nothing on this glorious Christmas
eve, while the mourning envelopes
were for the poor who already had too
much black around them.
at SHOWS; it SHOWS" said the mer.
chant, rubbing his hands gleefully, as
he saw the coal black horses dashing
down the street jingliug their silver
harness, while the smoke of their nos
trils CONCEALED in a little flimy cloud
like q muller on their shaggy necks.
"Trade will be brisk to-day! This
will be an ideal Christmas, sure
enough; people always buy plentifully
when the snow falls"
cit snows," said the farmer, Jogging
to town behind . fat grey horse with
q monstrous load of turkeys and geese,
whose pleasant voices bad all through
the happy autumn days hailed his ad-
vent into the barn-yard clamorously.
How could they toresee this cruel
time, when cold and starks, "browny"
and "whity" and "speckle," lay with
glazed eyes upturned to the thick grey
sky.
II can stand out for my own price
In such weather as this" said Farmer
Jacks, with a satisfied smile, sand 1
reckon mothers mince meat will 90
off slick enough, too. Git up, Jerry!
You're a tarnal sight lazier'n you was
in fytime. I shan't git to town till
the market is glutted with fowls, like
as not. I'd oughtsr started at four
o'clock"
Away went Jerry at q stumbling
trot down the hill, past doing farm.
houses and snowy hsy-ricks, under
the shelter of which q few ferlorn tur.
keys sat looking with fearful eyes after
Farmer Jacks and their murdered
kinsmen.
"It snows," said the widow, as she
sat by the barren hearth, wherein lay
smouIdering the embers from her last
fire. The wind, which whistled so
merrily through tops of the naked
naples, blew bleak and chill through
the orevices in her hovel; the door
ratified on its Kings and the windows
trembled at every gust. The wan
light which passed through an OPEN
Ing cloud fell on an empty cupboard
and shone ~plaintively on the meagre.
ness around. "It SHOWS like all pos
ssst, said the big policeman, pausing
at q windy corner, where instantly the
heavy flakes settled On his bulgy COL
lar aud giant arms, until he looked
like a funny scare with a very
red nose. "There hain't been such q
deep snow for ten years or moro at
| Christmas time. Thlsll be q tough
night for old Mother Casey and q
few of her kind. I hope I shan't
meet any of EN-; they puts me clear
out of all patience with the blesaed
yarn about their son in the hospital,
and no light or bread In the house.
It's the moral truth that them jolly
thinks a policeman's.pay ought to 60
their corner grocery. I'm blest If they
don't. reckon I'll have to step around
ameng EN- though tonight and leave
a few things. I couldn't sleep last
night for thinking of 'em. Lord,
Lord, If the rich people what's down
yonder this mint a buying big cakes
and diamond necklaces could just take
a nice little walk with me tonight to-
wards the river, l don't think they'd
have the heart to shut themselves up
In their carriages and roll away to
their grand suppers and their lowery
boodwoirs without laying out q little
money for the poor. They'll be to
church on Sunday and Christmas
morning at that, and will look that
sanctiied as you would think they was
ready for heaven afore they died, and
all the time the church bells are ring
ing in the very cara of poor dying
sinners, actually perishing for vittals
and drink. It's a queer oneve world,
this here is--it gets worse every
Christmas. More diamonds up town
and sealskins, and more hunger and
dipthery down town."
"What are you standing here get
ting frostbites and lecturing me for2'
said the street lamp, fiarirg up In a
squirt of yellow fame, which gave his
one eye a sinister expression. 81
amt got anything to do with how the
world goes on; why don't you hire a
hall and tell them all about it, and
much good 1t would do and many
thanks you'd get from all c%lasses2
Don't they want to cut down police
mems wages and charge you for
every day you're sick2 You go and
h~arangue corporations officers and lot
me go to sleep. I've half a notion to
90 ont and have the city down on the