Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-12-25
THE HOUSEHOLD CHRISTMAS eIrr.

uI|r UNIV" "III|U wv |NNN VI AIINM|||II
began to shlnei What radiant cluster
Of throne-white gems in the circle of
Christian ages they would makei But
we want them just as they are strcwn,
one a year, along the lines Of our lives.
Like the well and the palm in the
desert, they are places where pilgrims
call halt. and unburden, and lie down
10 pleasant dreams. and rise up with
swceter memories. truer hopes. fresher
strength, nober aspiration, and tendcrer
humanity.
Whoever does not feel angels in the
air on Christmas Eve, though he may
not see the shining Of thcir wings. has
too little Imagination 10 obey the Golden
Rule. To be younger and happier for
the day we must be like them OF whom
the Savior said " For of such Is the
kingdom Of Heaven" Christmas Is
childrcns day. Little and big. let us
all. for twenty-four hours a year. be
children. every one. The first Christ
mas gifts brought to the babe in the
far-away village, who was not born in a
human dwelling. were gold and frank
incense and myrrh.r They were the
offerings Of the wise men OF the East.
But there have been wiser men and
richer gifts since then; faith in things
un.een; hope that wakens through the
night, impatient for the morning; love
that casteth out fear. IL Is not wrath
but lore that makes us brave to dare, to
do. TO suffer; and fortitude Is the sublim-
est of courage. Miles Standish. belted
and booted. striding forth with his stout
heart and swo q to the savage 'front.'
was valiant; but the Pilgrim scomen,
shivering around their cabin fires.
strong to suffer, and waiting serene and
patient for the Christmas, stood there
in that long gone December. the New
World guardian angels Of the virtues
of mankind.
"Wish yer merry Christmas. Gin
me cent? That is what heard. all
in breath. on Gear Christmas morn
ing. when the silver steel air was full of
the Jingle of frost and the tinkle of bells.
and the snow was crisp and resi- as IL
new bank notes foot deep covered the
ground This is what | saw: an eight
year-old in a ragged coat some bigger
boy had shed; cap suggesting
drowned muskrat that never came up;
hands bare; face ripe, unless. like a
blackberry. il was red when il was
green; and with the look of having been
put to the grind stone and sharpened.
Poor little skirmisher. too early on life's
line of battle. whose idea OF happiness
could dwell in horizon narrow as the
RIM of cent TOOK twenty-five times
the amount Of stock in his supreme con-
tent that he asked for. and he went
down the street on the bound. Ike a
snow-bird. shouting: Nov Jenny can
have the jumpin' jack she cried for. and
lots of'-his sentence was rasped in two
as he turned a sharp corner and was
gone. Aud / said to myself, Three of
us-Jenny. Tatterdemallion and land
a quarter goes roundl Joy for two and
pleasant thought for one" II was
good investment. and lost pound of
lead out Of my shoes, and went on
thinking.
thought of another Jenny that died
so many years ago. The little mound
above her has subsidized. and hollow in
| the sod marks the place. as II Earth
smiled and showed dmple every time
she thought what treasure she had
there, and that was all the time. You
know what that hollow means. II means
that. save lit dust and dim outline
like the form hare leaves in the
grass. her shapely body is not there any
more; that Il has gone out into the
bright and living world; that it has en-
cred the green grass and the roses
above It like a soul, that IL may be
wrought into the wing Of sparrow or
the plume Of pine; that In the small
grave there is no semblance of Jenny at
all She was a Christmas gift the year
round. and she lived but twelve Of them.
.or on a Christmas she was born. and
On a Christmas day she died.
II was just as the gates Of morning
were swinging open. Fading like a
flower, fair as any lily, so patient and
accomplishing all the while, the chrys-
ais grew thinner and thinner before our
eyes, until il could hold the immortal
butterfly no longer. and the casket was
empted with little sigh. l. that
write this. watched her breathing
thrJugh the night" She had known
Tor many days that a voice was saying.
Come unto Me-" and she was obeying
rs fast as she could. All along she had
been praying that she might live to sec
one Christmas more. She had her an
swcr. As the dawn grew on she asked.
els IL Christmas yeti"
And tho pale mother rose TO part the
curtains Of an east window. "Don't.
motherT exclaimed sister by the led
side. AZ II sho half fancied the curtains
gauxy barrier might stay the diving girl
. minute Ii was too late The dra-
perry drawn aside, there were the doors
Of dsy set wide. yenny's eyes. so large
and dark. looking out from her pure
pale face. opened full upon the oeles-
tial gates. kindled an instant rs with .
thought. little start OF glad surprise.
. flicker Of a smile. little sigh. the
white eyelids Ike pale rose-lesves
slowly closed down upon those sweet
eyes. whence truth had always looked
out rs from two windows OF heaven;
and Jenny had gone home for Christ
mas unending. which is far better.
There had been six in that upper cham
bor. and now there were only five. and
50 Rachels lament was heard in the
dawn of the morning. But not for long.
There was no need Her sweet inhu-
ence could not be banished from the
home she left Her brothers grew
gentler. her sisters loyelier. The Christ
mas gift was with them still. Jenny
was no perfect child. for there never
soas but one. but she was always fulfill
| ina a ehiIsp dear unixxion IN kan "A the a.