Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
A Christmas story.


Iell III DlnulnB sneete, every seVeral
fake sharp as razor's edge and hard
and brittle as diamond.dust. Hark---
what roaring of the woods away up on
the mountain ridges as il the Titans
had built q huge blaze among the rocks,
and were covering and crouching around
down the long bare slopes, cleared by
the woodman's axe, like fiend ques,ing
for prey, and tossed up the snow in
whirling clouds, higher and higher, till
the twisting eddy broke, and the snow
cloud came sitting down upon the white
expanse again. Everywhere the blind
ing gale and the binding snow-no star,
no path, no beacon or guide for the
benighted wanderer in such night and
| such storm.
Yes-there is a single light. Feebly it
glimmers through the mist of driving
snow. now almost quenched, now beam
ing for moment bright as summer
evening star. 1t is the light in old Cas-
par Mason's house, far up on the dreary
white side of Bradnock Mountain. His
is the only dwelling beyond the village,
eastward. 1t lies on the SCARED and des-
olate side of the old hill, Just where he
built it fifty years ago, when the forest
around was unbroken, and the valley had
never seen the smoke of n settlers CHM
ney The house is of hewn logs, dark
and old and weather beaten, but strong
and stately still for Caspar had built it
well in the old square colonial style, with
the great chimney, and the broad porch
in front, and the massive doors and win
dow frames let into the logs. Here he had
lived, with his faithful wife, for half n
century. and brought up family of stur-
dy sons and comcly daughters but,
alas they were all gone now from the
old nest, and Caspar and his wife were
left to spend their Christmas Eve alone.
The light in the storm was not what it
might have been, perhaps, had the gold
! en-haired children been around them, MS
=, in the dear old time, and the fireplace
heaped high with the oak and maple logs,
and the candles set in row, for the girls
to bind on the Christmas tree, when the
young men should drag it in. with merry
shouts, out of the snow.
The aged couple sat together in front
of the fireplace. The logs were dry and
well-seasoned, but, for some reason or
other, they failed to burn MS they ought.
The flame sulked, and flickered, and
crawled around the logs instead of eating
into their ruddy hearts. Perhaps it felt
the atmosphere of sadness which linger-
ed in the quiet room. Perhaps the wind,
driving down the chimney and choking
the draught, was the reason the !, 1s did
not burn. At any rate, it was not che, ry
blaze, such as an old-fashioned fireplace
should give out on a Christmas Eve
Caspar Mason rose from his chair, and
stirred the refractory logs with gigantic
iron poker which leaned against the wall
II don't know what makes the fire burn
so poorly tonight, wife," he said. at
must be the storm-ugh ! it's an awful
night out" He walked to the window
and stood peering ont into the blackness.
"Christmas Eve-Christmas Eve!' he
muttered. "Well, have known happier
ones than this y
''Caspar," said his wife, "never mind
the storm. The fire is beginning to burn.
Come, sit down, and let us talk about the
children. l can almost see them around
us now-just as they used to gather in
the good old times, on Christmas Eve,
whispering about old st. Nicholas and
the wonderful reindeer"
"Ah, Mary" answered the old man,
with sigh, as he came back and took his
seat in front of the wavering fire, ~
fear we shall never see any of our loved
ones again in this world. Think how
they are cattered-William in California,
Henry in the South, Robert at sea, Min
ME and Rhoda married, and Bessie"
The old man buried his face in his hands
and groaned aloud. "Would to God /
night Poor child-I sometimes think
Perhaps we we're too hard with her per-
haps it was all for the best that she went
from us us she did. But oh l would
give the world to clasp her in my arms
again, and tell her that all is forgiven and
forgottcn!" The aged couple wcpt to-
gether, as the memory of their wayward
but dearly loved child came back to them
in this hour of tender reflection. 1t was
the old, old story Of parental affection
wounded and cast-off and despised, but
clinging still with the mighty grasp of
love to the image of that innocence and
tenderness, which even the finger of sin
lcould not soil.
"Wife," asked the old man, suddenly,
raising his head, while the tears still
glistened on his furrowcd cheeks-"Wife,
do you believe that God would grant
Christmas prayer that He would give us
Christmas gift, if we should ask it for
His dear Sons sake"
"Why do you ask that, Caspar Do
you not believe that God answers true
prayer at all times-at one time MS well
as at another?"
"Yes-blessed be His holy name I" re-
piled the old man, tremulously. "But
does He not himself teach us that there
are special times when the prayer OF faith
is answered in special manner We
cannot always play, as l feel we might
pray tonight, for the granting of n
special blessing And cannot help feel
ing that our prayer would be more ac-
ceptable to God, offered on the eve of the
,, Christ .child's birthday, in His namc, and
asking n special gift as the glad memo
rial of this season of rejoicing"
The flood of freight now rushing up
the chimney cleaned with strange
brightness upon the uplifted face of the
old man, and flame almost like that Of
inspiration seemed to burn in his deep
blue eyes. His gentle wife gazed upon
: him with sort of wondering awe. She
had always bowed to her husbands will
and wisdom in all things and now he
| seemed to her grander and wiser than
ever before. Next to her faith in God
was her faitl in her husband and when
G the one rested upon the other, with sucl
. sublime confidence and hope, is it any
. wonder that she bowed in humble, CRATE
full acquiescence ? "Oh Caspar !" sh,
II murmured, "if il only couM be so! 1
y God would answer our prayer tonight
s for His dear Sons sake, and give us oul
darling daughter back ns His Christina
gift p
"Let us pray" said the old man revcr
emily, knceling down in the glow of thu
freight. Then, while the wind howle,
without, and the storm beat against tn
windows, and the flame shouted in tn
chimney, the two aged saints knelt in tn
presence of the great Father and Savior
and nrn yel ns only trinl and gu GerinI