The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-25

down on a bank of snow and wait for him.
Would not the good old saint see her if she lay
with her face to the stars} Would he not rein
up his swift team, and, taking her into the
capaciOus sled cover her with the warm robes
of furl And if he had forgotten the lamb, and
the guinea, and the doves, perhaps she could
tell him about the old house near the orchard,
and they might drive that way and get them.
Her eyes were growing heavy now. If she
should 60 to sleep she might never see him.
The thought gave her new courage and she wan
dered on, almost ready to sink down in the soft
snow
Suddenly she saw two great, motionless
deer standing on the lawn of stately house.
Her senses were numbed with cold, but her
childish fancy imagined that that must be the
team which the kind saint drove. He had been
chilled driving so far on that bitter night, and
! had Embarrassed his team, while he warmed
| himself by some hospital Preside.
| Lena ventured up the steps between tall, white
pillars and ran along the porch to where she saw
the red glare of fire through window. She
| pressed her face close to the pane, and tried to
make out the figures in the semi darkness.
| There was a sad-face3 lady with tears in her
| eyes, and beside her kindly generous man.
| They were seeing visions in glowing Goals, OF
! happy Christmas ewes, so many years ago. when
little girl made the house merry and they
! kept the joyous Christmas festival with her.
But The visions always ended with snow GOV
cred grave on the hillside at Mount Hope
1t looked so warm and comfortable in there,
where in the room. So she pressed her eyes still
| closer to the pane The fearful woman, sud
denly looking through the mists that filed her
| eyes, saw a vision of golden hair and wlstful
looking eyes. 1t startled her, it was so akin to
her thoughts just then Lena beat with her
| soft hands upon the window and cried:
rs Santa Claus therel Please let me IN to
see him, I'm so cold"
The grave man quickly lifted the sash and
the little one walked confidently into the
room, expecting to find her gray-bearded
friend and tell him all her troubles Her teeth
| chartered, and her tears were falling fast she
| had been so brave till now, but her last hope
was gone, and her heart was breaking. They
| comforted heras best they could, gave her warm
food, and brought back the color to her cheeks
Then they heard the little child tell the story Of
her quest so simply, earnestly and naturally that
| they loved her.
They told her that the friend of children came
in the dark hours after midnight, when sleep
was deepest that he was already on the way
and if she would go to sleep on the soft couch
| they would prepare for her, in the morning.
| when she opeL ed her eyes, she would find the
gifts which he had brought her. They did not
think that such a kind hearted man would bring
her pet lamb and doves on such bitter winter
| night; but when the warm spring days came he
| would surely send them back to her
The weary child was satisfied, and calmly
| went to sleep with a smile of expectancy on her
face.
Long-closed closets were opened and dark
| ened nursery explored. The treasures of the
dead child were brought out to gladden. the
heart of the homeless Lena. Noiselessly they
piled them around the bed, and over it, and in
all the hooks and corners of the room, until it
seemed to be the very bower of Santa Claus
While they worked their sorrow grew lighter,
for the spirit of the blessed Christmas was in
| their souls. In sympathy they clasped each
others hands, and stood looking at the sleeping
child, The innocent smile, the golden hair and
the flushed cheeks were not more beautiful than
on that morning when Lena slept on an humble
bed in the murderers cottage But the crime
had never touched her pure life.
Out of the mire a lily had raised its tender
stem, and now it had been transplanted to bloom
| in lovely garden watched by tender care
Not far away the cathedral's midnight chimes
were ringing Good will to men," and into the
room where the child was sleeping came the
melody which the choir was chanting-"Con-
slider the lilies of the field