The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-12-26
ThR cHRIsrMAs PEI YER.

: TIE CHRISTMAS PRAYER. y,
D ,sasa esa3 I-'st, s.,at ~
The winter day was growing old,
The evening breath came hard and cold;
Great iocks Of clouds. with wings OF gray,
nsa Ans aii lsais The sty ssscess AMONG 'H
a troupe ef breezes danced and sung:
And though the air was biting cod, Trt
a thousand Fayly stepping teet -. SOS 4e
A tho6sand hands, with pressure tight, 81
a thousand hearts were hasting home
For wondrous giadness filled the air,
And Christmas-eve was everywhere.
Sweet Christmas-eye. serenely sladi
When all the love that Jesus had
For little ones as, smiling, He,
With bending head, In kindness said:
Forbid them not 90 come 20 Me-;
When this sweet love, with little lack,
Seems all at once reflected back,
Against the clouds In splendor crowds.
ARd s leaves az ,s ,e trace .gy Of giSEy yet y,h .r
Each leaves the day wherein IL lay,
Aud 20 one blessed time draws nearl
So s. I'm many a !, is smiies % OF happiness:
II days and nights could feel and see,
How happy christmas-ete would bel
But IL has not so sweet a sound
In homes where children are not found;
A wife and husband hand IN hand -
Were sitting by the fire-light,s glow.
And gazing on the streets below,
And. with sad hearts unreconoiled,
Were thinking Of a long-lost child.
Grief can its heaviest hand employ
When all around Is heard the sound
OF silvery mirth and golden Joy;
And hearts that mourn oft heavier woigh
When hearts that laugh are overgay.
So on the Christmas cheer without
This lonely couple gazed about,
While hunRerinz once again to greet
The reckless rush OF childish feet
Unstudied ease was all abloom
About the richly furnished room:
The coal-firs's soft and langu.d glare
Wrote " Comfort" ON the tempered air;
Unto the walls great pictures hung, s.
High mirrors free OF stain or flaw,
We're telling over what they saw;
No place the pleased eye could explore
But wealth had fingered there before.
And yet, In many humber room-
warmsr comfort fought tue sloom'
Felt more ut home, and longer stayed
Out In the country, near a wood,
The little old brown schoo-house stood,
And waited, while the winte. day
Looked darker from its eyes OF gray,
For the rough door 70 open wide,
And no sy youngsters rush outside.
Awhile Az came ssarPly , from within hin.
Then With glad ssouts the children strode
Through the dim day fhsi, winding way
Along the whine hard -bo item road,
TO where sarm.nouscs cheerel the sIsht,
And lam snlreahy giimmered bright
With unassumed. unconscious grace,
Aud pleasure dancing on each face,
They brought the presents all to mind
which they that eve were 20 receive
| Or in the early morning ind.
"Oli Santa Claus. that famous King
OfchildiSh lore. was handled o'er,
And all the treasures he m ghs bring.
But looki with shouts and faces gay.
| They passed a poorhouse on their way,
And a sweet homeless looking child
| From out window Razei and smiled
| To see tho other chi d rcn glad;.
But her poor wlstful noart was sad.
You children who. with laughter gay.
And Joy that giea ms eel through youl
Have pre- senis on each festal day,
i A vi, guarded By the efforts true
Of III zee W % love an cherish you,
Look forward 20 the winters primo
| Az 20 a sweet d Joyful time,
| Till In your calendar enrolled,
| Each christmas-iay Is markod with gold.
Pity poor ehildrea wn1 must grleye
| They look at yours with wistful eye.
| They smile to view zach tokon now,
But In their hearts they moan and sigh.
That night our little fricn less one,
| when her poor ovening meal was done,
i Bowed low In grief her childish head
/ Upon the rngvo1 poorhouse bed.
| And I'm sweet a1d pleading tone
She made q shors prayer. AL he: owns
| The little les. OF whom they tell
Tha. when theso came TO You one day,
| You would not have then sent away:
You sald 10 all those who believe.
lfthey would ask thoy should receive.
1 . Jesusl please for me TO find
And ask them X they viii not spread
| some little presents by my bod,
That they my heart may cheerful make
To-morrow mornng when wake,
/ Aud be made as happy 80
As.thSr AZ @ children thet . know" 49,.
/ Clos-d her blue eyes, and sank asleep.
SIN sat tho chlldless couple where -
The lights OF luxury were fair,
And still. with thoughts ali tempesttossed.
Upon the chilli that they had lost.
| But listenl with q sudden clang.
/ The loudly-spoaking doo>bell rang,
i And detectives face they viewed.
With patient lines deep marked and shrewd;
And scarce the parents questioning eye
ii fc come @ At last With vi iH tidinSsn ssn new.
The caild I've sought 50 long for you.
Has S iised. and M live lives. % Her ri place know.
| The beggar who. with Satan's aid,
Stole her to help his piteous trade,
| Died In a country pOor-house, where
| He left the child, and she is there.
MistaSe or doubt can not befail:
Here are the proofs; have them all.
She Is not very far away;
And you, II bold 20 bear the cold,
May see her ere another day."
"sTo bear the coldr What has she bornof
| she shall not 20 lgcr friendles3 mourn.
1 The hors es--Quick! Aud soon, I'm spite
| or cold and sleet, the chamDing feet
| or swift steeds dashed into the night,
Until they halted Just before
| The great DO Dr-houSe's dingy door.
And soon the parents softly crept
Into the g.oom of one small room,
| And watched their darling while she slept
| And, weeping. listened to the prayer
| Which she that night had offered there.
| dor the old matron overheard.
And told IL to them. every word.
| Her sleeping face appeared 70 them
| As some fair flower at evenings hour
Low dropping on its weary stem:
| But that soft prayer-in Heaven now
| Had left its touch upon her brow;
4 Its grief and comfort they could trace
| Upon the well-remembered face.
The mother yearned the child to press
In ali her piteous loveliness,
But would not yet her slumber break,
And said: g Ny darling shall not wake
Until her prayer we answered see
As well and nearly as may be-"
| And soon the seek swift horses flew
Back where proud presents. rich and now,
Hung in the lamp ignt's brilliant rays,
The envy of all children's gaze;
Which, ere another hour had fed,
Hands softly BORE and placed before
The little sleeper's lowly bed.
She woke at last; and wondering, threw
A swift glance keen upon the scene
That burst upon her startled view.
A vast amazement filed her face: