The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-12-12

ana nave not relhtlfc tnht KNOW o
in this world Of sin.
This is the riddle Of my life, as /
passes through my mind this Christina
Eve. walk along slowly az ! mediate
am alone in the midst Of multitude
The streets are thronged with happ,
faces, that are swiftly hurrying 10y me ii
] modify wander TO my home that is NJ
home. Alone in the midst Of multi
tude A homeless man can find NJ
better place 10 realize that than III,
streets Of great city on a Christmas Eve
Well, as | pass along, | feel a Sigh
pluck at my elbow, and ! hear a voice
saying: "Please, mister, can you hell
me to get something to eat?" This is 0
common salutation in the streets. ] have
often responded to il, and have often
watched the recipient Of my coin disap
,,car in the nearest low GROCERY in
search Of something to eat"
This time il was childish voice that
articulated the words. II was boy who
was at my elbow. His face and hands
were clean, his hair kempt and his clothes,
though worn and numerously patched
were tidy. In short, his appearance was
that Of child that WAS reared in poverty,
yet well taken care Of, and the idea i'm.
mediately flashed through my mind that
the entcrprising boy was seeking to raise
funds TO buy tin horn, to torture the
ears Of suffering humanity.
"Bnb, said /, looking down at the
little mcndicant, "why don't you go home
and get something to eat?'
The child's clear, pleading eyes had
been turned mp to mine, but they imme
diately fell as the tears welled up into
them, and he started to move away, while
low sob escaped from his lips. ]
caught linn by the arm and led him on,
Of the thronR.
"Now, boy" said !, ~ know You
lon't want anything to eat, so tell me
what you were begging for?
"Please, mister" replied the little
atom, ISIS has been wishing all week
that Santa Claus would bring her II doll
and ] know that mamma cant afford to
buy her one, ~ Thought IL"
Here the answer was broken and rcn.
dered incOherent by childish sobs Int
] knew the rest. A few moments he.
fore ! had been looking with sulcn
anger at the people who were passing
me by, because they Ind some one to
think o. and had none and now here
vns chance for me to play the benign
part Of Santa Claus myself.
II took but II short time 10 buy n nice
doll for Sis and nvclocipcdc for Harry
The little mendicant was n Damcsnke Of
mine-and good supply Of candy to
III tho Christmas stockings. had
lrrad il SAID there il sweet delight
comes to the soul OF the doer Of good
or benevolent deed. Heretofore / had
not realized the fact, because my heart
was too much embittered against my
fellow.man to lead him into paths Of
philanthropy: but now that l had
started in upon this little adventure
something urged me to keep on.
There might be, ii occurred to me,
something more substantial than TOYS
and candy needed in order to insure Il
Merry Christmas" at this chld's
home. So, laden with parcels, | went
there. Away from the glare and crush of
the thoroughfarcs, away through narrow
back streets, into II diugy tenement.
house, up two flights Of steep, dark
stairs, into n rear room, and here is
"home." The room is small and poorly
furnished, but it is clean and neat. A
kindly neighbor, who looks after III,
children while the mother liz away NJ
work, has lit the fire md the lamp; Sis
II bright haired little girl of AK Ow,
years younger than her brothcr), is
there, looking shyly out Of her blu,
eyes at the stranger, and we all sit and
wait for "mothcr."
We wait and talk the innocent inlk Of
childhood, until rough voices are heard
IN the stairs, and then there comes u
sickening tramp, tramp of feet that aro
carefully carrying cumbersome bur
den. The door IL opened, and pile
worn woman is laid unconscious npol
the bed. There is M ngly cash across
the forehead, from which blood flow,
copiously, and there are other wounds
and bruises on the body.
''linn over at the corner" it in n com
mon tale. You read it in the papers
every morning. The blood il washed
away, the clothes removed and the doc
tor makes his examination. He shakes
his head; the case liz hopeless; and then,
M the full glare of the lamp falls across
the face OF tho injured woman, gaze
for the first time in all these years ON
tho features of my first, my last and
my only love, Annie Campbell.
The crowd has gone, the children are
asleep ina cot in the corner, and | nm
sitting with the nurse and the DYING
waiting for the end The injured
woman stirs in the bed, then she opens
her eyes and raises herself up. There
IL Wild, vacant stare in her eyes, for
she is utterly unconscious, and the doc.
tor has said that she will never again be
conscious in this world. Yet her ewes
rest h1edly on mo, and she says, in n
low hut firm voice.
Harry, forgive mel I never meant
to wrong You. ! loved You all the time,
but he was rich and they forced me to
copy their letter. was wrong, | know.
toRive way but, oh my God have
paid for my weakness since" Her
strength gives way here, and she falls
bnck upon the bed. | raise her ND in
my arms and lay her head upon my
breast. After moment or two OF silence
she speaks again, hut in broken gasps.
Harry for the sake of old tines nv
children" There il silence again, then
once more the limp hckers up, and |
hear her say "I-henr-sweef-
lts-8rowing-very-light. Heaven
then the lamp goes out.
y
II is New Years Eve as I sit writing
his. ] am no longer alone in the world
From where sit ] can gaze through the
loor into an adjoining chamber and see
wo little faces peeping from beneath the
'ovellet; henceforth they must be my
l'nIge. The clock indicates that the
New Year is at hand. / throw open nv
,ihdow, and ms the clamor of the bells
ONE across the midnight air / look up |