Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-12-24
CHRISTMAS EVE.

Christmas Evc-and how tho wind did
blow, To be sure bob Armstrong said %
himself M he bent his head and plunged
along through the deep drifts, that he never
knew Il 10 blow No hard. Not that Rob could
remember very iong-only fourteen years
hut IL seemed To him ns II he had been living
In this beautiful world of flowers and snow
storms great while and, as said, ho was
sure no never knew tho northeast wind 10
whirl him about SO furously, nor the slect
10 sting 80 sharply, M on this particular
evening. Aud Bobknowsomething about Frost
and snow for like every other healthy hoy,
tho skate and tho "slCd' were MS chioi
winter enjoymeuts
lie tried to whistle, hut the wind mlrly
blow the tune back between the rcd lips,
puckcrcd up intoa round ., ana no could
only pull his cap down further over his ears,
and plunge on, into the storm.
Now Hob was on his way 10 Sunday
school Christmas testiva Land IL would havo
taken very fierce storm TO have kept him ut
home, or to have driven the shine out of his
ewes, or the chccrfulness out of His boysh
heart. They didn't often have festivals at
this little Methodist chapel, whore his father
and mother sat In n straight hacked pew each
Sunday morning. and he took his place after
wards In the row of sturdy little follows who
were his classmates The older mombcrs of
tho church had talked the matter over, the
brethren rather opposing the plan, and the
sisters favoring II. until at last Il had all been
settled In the chorricst manner possible, and
IL was announced that on the evening before
Christmas, the chapel would ho lighted aud
trimmed there would hc q tree, and u small
present for every ono who came The tickets
of admission were accordingly given out u
week before hand and how many times
Bob Armstrong had taken out that piece of
pink pasteboard and read tho print upon II,
during those seven days. wouldn't attempt
TO say
The chapel with its tiny bclfry wa. In sight,
and Bob's eyes grew still brighter, under
tights tbrouVh The nrcbed windovs In n
moment uore he was standing an the donr
step and Kicking The snuw from his bnn,s
when he caught sight of n small figure bcl
meath ono oT ,hc vIndnya A. hc innlscd a
,noyeJ s,iyhtiw and he saw that i, vas n gi,
with faced shawl thrown over hor head
and long paunt wrists. clinuiup to the win
dow sill She was standing on titAtoc,L and
looking with wda-npen eyes a, the pny scene
within.
Rob. like the irur little knight hc yas felt
n surun nf nifty come nypr him ,t ,br si,,bt nf
the poor creature lcft outside while bo vns
going i'm 10 All that warmth nud comfort he
n toy and sbe a Girl Uo Iumncl down into
the snow again and npSrnacGed her hut
either The storm rnareJ "a loud. or She MAS
so intent ON tho yi,,y thruuoh die Tiudov
that She did not SOC him until hc was close
nj her sidc lilo nut rut n rcd milton npd
touched her shouidcr
The girl, whom hc guessed To I've of about
his own age shrank back like a frightened
cat under his touch and locked up at him
without moving farther. watching 10 SEQ what
he would do
.IIolloar' said Bob. s.wbat Won 'rrnid oCp
p'rhaps YOU took me for a policeman 80 and
h, straiphten,d m ns no sp6ke.
The riri shiyered, clu,ched tho handle of n
basket, which bob now saw for the first time
and drew the shawl tightly over her chest
aim goin'," She said b0arsely. ~ aIn't
,loin' uothin'. What diver want o'me Y''
"Why-I-you see" stammercd Bob. re-
ally confused hy the odd sound of her voice
II wns 80 unlike that of the nice girls he knew
on his street.-The ones Inc caught sight of nj
that very moment, through tho window.
"Wcli I'm poin'," she nuttercd again.
turning away.
"Iioid un-I sny,r cried Bob. nut;iur ont
the red mitten impulsiyoiy. The girl stopped.
Bob glanced toward the window. He could
see the iestoons OF evergreen as thev hung
gracefully arros. the pane inside. and hcvond
them. the topmost twigs OF the tree. At the
same instant n chorus of child voices arosc,
arcompanicd hy the sweet notes of tho little
organ, such as Bob had always Thought the
angels must have in heaven now-a-days, in
stead of harps IL was Christmas carol they
We're singing, the first Of the exercises on the
programme. Then would come the lagS of
candy