Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-09
The Little Match Girl.

1t was so terribly cold-it showed and
the evening began to be dark; it was
also the last evening in the year-New
years eve. On this cold, dark evening a
poor little girl went into the street with
bare head and naked feet 1t is true she
had shoes on when she went from home.
but of what use were they? They were
very large shoes; her mother had last
worn them; they were too large, and
the little one lost them in hurrvin O over
the street as two carriages passed quickly
by. One shoe was not to be found, and
the other n boy ran away with, saving that
be could use it for a cradle when he got
children himself The little girl now
went on her small naked feet. which were
red and blue with cold-she carried a
number of matches in an old apron, and
held one bundle in her hand. No one
had bought of her the whole day, no one
had given her farthing. Poor thing
she was hungry and benumbed with cold,
and looked so downcast! The snowhskes
fell on her yellow hair. which curled so
prettily round her neck, hut she did not
heed that
The lights shone out from all the
windows, and there was such delicious
smell of roast beef in the sreet--it was
New Years eve, and she thought of that.
She sat down in corner between two
houses-the one stood little more for.
ward in the street than the other-and
drew her legs up under her to warm
| herself, but she was still colder, and she
burst not 90 home; she had not sold any
matches Or got single farhins! Her
father would beat her-and it was also
cold at home; they had only the roof
directly over them, and there the wind
whistled in, although straw and rags
were stuffed in the largest crevces.
Her little hands were also benumbed
with cold. All! little match might do
some good, burst she only draw one out of
the bundle, strike it on the wall and
warm her fingers. She drew one out,
rtch! how it burnt! it was warm clear
flame like that of candle. when she held
her hand round tit was q strange light
The little girl thought she sat by II large
iron stove with brass balls on the top. the
fire burned so nicely and warmed so well
Nay, what was that? The little girl
stretched her feet to warm them, too 4;
when the flame went out, the stove van
ished-she sat with stump of the burnt |
udtCu Ill ucI uiui. huOluol WAS SlluCh
it burnt, it shone; and where the light
shone on the wall it became as transpar
ent as Grape; she looked directly into the
room where the ro2sted goose stuffed
with apples and prunes steamed so charm.
ingly on the table, which was laid out,
and covered with 4 shining white cloth
and fine porcelain service. What was
still more splendid, the goose sprung off
the dish. and waddled along the floor with
knife and fork In its back; it came direct
ly up to the poor girl Then the match
went out. and there was only the thick,
cold wall to be seen.
She struck another match. Then she
sat under the most charming Christmas
tree-it was still larger and more orna,
mental than that she had seen through the
glass door at the rich merchants the last
Christmas. A thousand candles burnt on
the green branches; and motley pictares,
like those which ornament tho shop win
dows, looked down at her. The little
girl lifted up both her hands-then the
match was tinguished--the many
Christmas candles rose higher and higher;
she saw that they were bright stars-one
of them fell and made a fiery stripe in the
sky. Nov one dies" said the poor little
{ irl, for old grandmother, who alone had
been kind to her, but who was now dead
had told her that when star falls soul
goes up to God.
She again struck a match against the
wall; it shone all round, and her old
grandmother stood in the luster, SO shin
ing, so mild and blissful. "Grandmoiherw
exclaimed the little girl, "oh, take me
with you! know you will be gone away
when the match goes out--like the warm
stove, the delicious roast goose, and the
delightful Christmas tree!" And she
struck in haste the whole remainder of
matches that was in the bundle she would
not lose sight of her grandmother. and the
matches shone with such brilliancy that
it was clearer than in broad daylight
Grandmother had never before looked so
pretty, so great; she lifted the poor little
girl in her arms, and they flew so high,
in splendor and Joy. there was no cold, no
hunger, no anxiety-they were with God.
But the little girl sat in the corner by
the house, in the cold morning hour,
with red cheeks, and with a smile around
her month-dead-fro to death the last
evening of the old year.
New Years morning rose over he little
corpse as it sat with the mai ches, of which
a bundle was burnt. She had been trying
to warm herself, said they! But no one ,
knew what beautiful things she had seen
in what splendor and gladness she had ,
entered with her old grandmother into ! !
New Years joys.