Smyrna times., 1883-04-11

strength and patience to overcome al |
his.
Dec. 24th-To-morrow is Christmas |
Day. have been to the city and puI-
chased suitable gifts for each member
Of my family. For Gertrude, Norman
and l decided upon new piano. 1t is
a Steinway, of superior tone and finish.
She is passionately fond of music, and
is already, for one of her years, a very
fair performer. 1t is a gift which she
inherits from her father.
Dec. 25th-
This is the merry Christmas morn.
This is the day that Christ was born"
How the words of that old carol
went ringing through my head as i
went about nay daily duties this morn
ing! l have heard it sung so many
times in the dear old home at Bren-
tham-the sunny home of my child
hood.
Father, mother, brothers and sisters
all will be there to-day, but l will not
be with them. Alas have other ties
to bind me now but my heart goes out
to them with just the same tenderness
as in the days gone by, and 1 know
that l shall be remembered there.
Later.-A Christmas gift came to me
to-day-a priceless gift. l have found
the hearts of my children, and they
are mine!
Going up the stairs to my room soon
after breakfast, noticed that the dOol
of the attic chamber, nearly always
kept locked, stood now ajar Pausing
moment upon the landing, | heard !
sound as of suppressed soLbing, and
the words Mamma, mammal" utter
ed as in an agony of grief. Wonder
stricken, 1 went softly up the steps anC
looked in. Kneeling there upon thu
floor before the portrait of a mos
lovely lady, which rested against tn,
wall, were the two children, Gertrud
and Willie, their arms clasped arour,
each other and their faces swollen witt
weeping. In an instant | compre
hended the scene. This was thei
mothers picture, and here, to thi
silent, inanimate canvas, they had com
to unburden their childish grief.
At this moment their father appear
ed. He, too, had seen the door stand
ing open, and, hearing voices, Ia
come up.
Norman l said, touching til
picture reverently, is this the portra
: of your first wife ~
He bowed a silent assent.
"Then let it be restored to its plaC
t at once," l said, for do not wish an
changes to be made for me which wi
cause moments unhappiness to an
: member of your family"
So we took up the picture, Norma
S and 1, carried it down the stairws
J. and into the drawing room, and hur
t it in its old place upon the wall, abo,
o the sofa.
>. This evening, as l sat there in IL
/ waning freight, heard swift foo
e steps approaching, and in a momeI
b more two arms were about my net
J. and two lips were pressed closely
o mine. 1t was Gertrude, who whispt
Q ed softly
dearest mamma, can you forgi
e me?"
1 Close by her side was Willie, al
-e warmly embraced them both, telli
them of my love for them, while t
d soft blue eyes of their mother seem
n, to look down upon us with benisC
Or Oh, happy, happy ending OF t
Christmas Day! Sitting there, with
ir arm around each, told them of Il
IN night in far-off Bethlehem and of I
ne song the angels sung; and their fail
tn coming in soon and finding us all the
n Gertrude opened the beautiful n
ed piano, and we all sang many Christn
ey hymns, for our hearts were filled W
joy and with thankfulness to Him W
Mt is the "Giver of all good.
ny And thus endeth my first Christr
IT. Day in my new home. May k
ul Heaven vouchsafe us many m
"a. such. EMILY SANBoRN