Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-22
HOW JAKE FOUND HIM.

The bells were ringing, and the people were
going into the churches in the upper part OF
the city, the same as on Sunday. A ragged
pale-faced boy loitered around the door of one
of them, and finally plucked up courage to
slide into the porch and gradually to edge
into the door and slip unobserved into back
seat. He was little fellow, with auburn hair
and light blue eyes, and if he had been
washed and combed and well-clad, would
have been pretty boy; but he bore the marks
of ill usage and had the forlorn air of that
most pitiable object, neglected child.
He looked cautiously about him, and when
the organ began to sound seemed utterly con-
founded. And no wonder, for Little Jake had
never been inside church before in all his
miserable life. He was nobody's child, and
lived down by the river with an old man who
starved him to make him beg and beat him to
make him steal. This morning he had been
driven forth without breakfast and forbidden,
with curses, to return until he got some
money. He was feverish and i'll and shivered
in the piercing air. and with dull indifference
had taken his way aimlessly from the filthy
and poverty-stricken quarter where he lived
toward the broad avenues and beautiful homes
of the prosperous world, and in the same dub
way had drlfted into the church.
Wreaths of evergreen and scarlet holly and
exquisite flowers made the place beautiful.
The organ pealed, the singers sang joyous
strains, for it was Christmas morning, the
gaddest time of the year to the happy, but
nothing to Little Jake, who had never heard
of it, but a bitter, cold day when he had no
breakfast
By and by the minister rose and began to
talk. His voice was soft and pleasant, and in
a simple way he told the story of the first
Christmas. Little Jake was all ears. He en-
larged on the fact that Christ to whom Won
derful star guided the wise men was the richest
and most generous of beings; that one had
/ mt IN ak ha
treasures. So simple and gracious was hisla lam
guage, so hearty his assurance of welcome,
that hope sprang up in the heart of the child
and he felt if he could only get to Christ he
would have plenty to eat and some money
given him so he should not be beaten when he
returned home.
The service was soon over the people began
to go out of the church and Little Jake went
out with them. He hung around the door until
| every one was gone, hoping to see the soft
voiced minister, but he went out by the vestry
door on the other side of the church. Little
| Jake meant to ask him where Christ lived
After shivering around long time he was
I forced to give him up and make up his mind
/ to ask some one else. He was timid child
and met with 80 many rebuffs when he went
out to beg that he shrank from approaching
| people on any errand and he passed great
many persons as he wandered up and down
the streets before he could summon courage to
make his inquiry Finally, however, pair of
/ young girl friends came along, arm in arm,
| walking slowly and deeply absorbed i'll conf,
Dental conversation. Little Jake approached
them.
"Do you know Christi" he asked, timidly.
They gave him no answer, but with startled
air hastened their steps, turning once or twice
to look at the child. He sighed and wandered
on. 1t was very cold and nearly every one
walked briskly, and Little Jake was too timid
tn thnIr An nIl mo laa ,f,,nrn
a cane seemed likely person to listen to and
answer his questions, and the child plucked up
| courage to ask him where Christ lived.
s'Speak louder, little feller, he said, putting
his hand on his ear.
Little Jake repeated the question, accenting
the name. An expression of rebuke appeared
| ON the aged face.
"Youre bad little boy, I'm afeared," he
said. Don't you know it's wicked to swear2
And on Christmas Day, too, and he shook his
head and went sorrowfully away.
The short winter afternoon was wearing to
a close before he made another attempt He
turned the matter over in his mind and con-
cluded to vary his form of address. A stout
| German woman's honest face emboldened him
to accost her.
"Please ma'am, be you acquainted with Mr.
Christi" said plaintiff voice at her side She
paused at once.
"Christ, Christ, she said, with an effort to
remember "Would he be German?"
Little Jake didn't know.
what would you of him, mein kind2"
"He's agoin' to give me some money" said
| poor Little Jake.
~ not know him, but give you one penny
nd she gave ii and hastened on.
A finely dressed lady dropped her handker-
chief he picked it up and ran after her.
Plucking her cloak to arrest her attention he
held out the handkerchief.
| s1Tt's yours ma am ~ he said sinply
She felt in her muff. "Why so it is; I'm
much obliged, little boy"
'Please," began Little Jake, timidly, could
YOU"
"Of course I'd give you something if l had
my portmonnaie," she said impatiently "but
haven't and you have to take the word for
the deed" and she hurried away.
Tears came to Little Jakes blue eyes.
~ didn't want nothing only to ask where he
lived, he thought.
Night was falling, and he had neither begged
nor found Christ, and the dread of re-
turning to his wretched home empty handed
/ cmboldened him to make another appeal. He
put his question to two prosperous looking
men, and the pleading voice and little wan face
ought not to have appealed in vain, whatever
the question might be-
"Get out, you little vagabond," said one and
the other "What are the police for I'd like to
know, and their angry voices were soon lost
in the distance.
1t was night, and the stars were out in the
frosty heaven. Little Jake looked up the long
street, and above where it seemed to come to a
point in the sky shone the mild lamp of the
evening star. HIS head throbbed with pain,
his weary limbs ached, his feet and hands were
benumbed with cold, but the star filed his SOU
with fresh cour age.
'Its his star, was his glad thought 'The
man said it stopped over the place where he is,
Ill go there" and he started oil up the street
Block after block was YEARLY passed. and
still the star was far, far off. Poor, patient
Little Jake was very weary, wandering all day
without food and the porch of church he
was passing looked like refuge from the wind,
where he might rest moment. He climbed
the steps aud sank down-a little huddled heap
in the corner.
ssCouldn't find him tonight" he muttered.