Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-01-09
A Christmas Message.
1t was Christmas eve.


rushing homeward with packages in
their hands; some were carrying turk
eys tied up in paper parcels. their fierce
feet sticking out like weapons of de-
tense. One man had a little rocking
horse, and another drum, while wo-
man toiled along with a go-cart big
enough for her crippled boy, and two
little girls carried a high-chair between
them. They were going to have it at
the breakfast table in the morning for
their beautiful baby.
One whole family, mother, father and
children, were hurrying up the avenue
with their arms loaded full. They were
all little anxious.
''Grandpa will be so lonesome, the
children said.
Il expected to be at home an hour
sooner,n the mother said. 81 know
Christmas eve must be lonely time
for father. I'm sure it used to be for
me after poor Sam was gone
Turkey Tomorrow" chimed in the
brave boy of six. who was almost lost
IN a small forest of celery he was car
rying.
IAN, plum puddin' an'-an' cram
berry sauce echoed his little sister.
i've got grandpa's present." said
Rob, the big brother Of nine years.
Hell be lookin' out'n the window
an sayin' what keeps them childer so
long" said his little pet, Barbara.
Hell be so lonely" sighed his
daughter, hurrying the group as she
spoke.
Was grandpa lonely-let us see.
He was an old, old man, with thin,
shrunken cheeks, a back bowed by
care and trouble and with long, float
ing locks of lint-white hair that was as
fine as silk. He had drawn his arm
chair in front of the window so that he
could see the children" when they
which was lighted so early that it
shone like taper in the yellow and
red atmosphere of setting sun,
and young moon blended with the
fading daylight. The old man fixed
his eyes on the struggling light, but
they wavered from that and sought
the sky, where
In the dim and distant ether
The first star was shining through,
And another and another
Trembled softly in the blue
Soon he had unseen company, and
was no longer lonely. A sweet, young
face, radient with the bloom of immor-
tality, and that light which never was
on sea or land, came close to his, and
he could feel the very thrill of her kisses
on his dull cheek. Then she brought
him their tirst-born, that lovely babe
his first and only son. Then two chill
dren were at his knee, and the young
mother lay with sweet smilezon her
lips, where the weary are at rest. But
lie only saw his boy-his dear, dear
boy-now a merry youth-then the he'll
met of soldier shading his frank, blue
eyes then a soldiers record, promo
motion-the epaulets of brave officer,
and so proud to wear them and have
his father walking with him, and hear
ing how he fought this battle and won
that. and what he meant to do when
the war was over.
And they had unseen company
To make the spirit quail.
But they knew it not, and the proud
young victor rode away to his death on
that dreadful battlefield from which he
never returned.
! he old man saw the troops in the
sky, he saw their gay banners, he saw
his son-the General-proud, hand
some. unspoiled by the admiration Of
a world-he saw-ah. Heaven! he saw
him diving alone on the field of battle,
and it was Christmas eve. No hand to
give him even drink of water, to raise
that beloved head. to wipe the death
foam from the pallid lips, only the pitt
less stars aud the cold moon to note
his dying agonics!
But stay. .He shall give his angels
charge concerning thee His peace
passeth all understanding. Who knows
that he died alone? Who can deny
that his young mother leaned over him
and whispered words of sweetest COM
fort-that the pain and memory and
longing of earth were not swallowed up
and forgotten in the foreshadowing OF
the bliss of Paradise.
The sky changed; the old man saw
only the tinted field of Heaven. A
chime of bells rung out soft and clear:
Light on thy hills, Jerusalem,
The Savior now is born
But what is this? A little child again
"a child with radiant brow, crowned
with wreath of immortelles, and above
his head bright and shining star.
"'Tis the star that shines on Bethlehem,
Shines still and shall not cease
''Grandpa, grandpa! Wake up.
grandpa" cried the children.
"Dranpa. I've got sumthin' for 'ou,"
said pet Barbara.
Then the children all went crying to
their mother and said they could not
wake grandpa