Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-12-23
A Christmas Message.
From the Detroit Free Press.
t was Christmas eve.


1t was Christmas eve.
The streets were full of people all
their hands; some were carrying tur-
keys tied up in paper parcels, their fierce
feet sticking out like weapons of de-
tense. One man had little rocking
horse, and another a drum, while a
woman toiled along with q go-cart big
enough for her crippled boy, and two
little girls carried high chair between
them. They were going to have it at
the breakfast table in the morning for
their beautiful baby.
One wholefamily, 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.
81 expected to be at home an hour
sooner" the mother said. "I know
Christmas eve must be a lonely time
for father. I'm sure it used to befor me
after poor Sam was gone"
Turkey tomorrow" chimed in the
brave boy of six, who was almost lost
In q small forest of celery he was car
rying.
can 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.
"He'll be lookin' out'n the window
an sayin' what keeps them childer go
long," said his little pet, Barbara.
"He'll 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
came across under the street lamp,
which was lighted so early that it
shown 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 wav-
cred from that and sought the sky,
where
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, radiant 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 their frst-born, that lovely
babe-his first and only son. Then
two children were at his knee, and the
young mother lay with sweet smile
on her lips, where the weary are at
rest. But he only saw his boy-his
dear, dear boy-now merry youth
then the helmet of q soldier shading
his frank, blue eyes-then a soldiers
record, promotion-the epaulets of
brave officer, and so proud to wear
them and have his father walking with
him, and hearing how be fought this
battle and won that, and what he
meant to do when thewar was over.
"And they had unseen company
10 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.
The 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 dying alone on the field of battle
and it was Christmas eve. No hand to
give him even drink of water, to raise
hat beloved head, to wipe the death
foam from the pallid lips, only the
pltlless stars and the cold moon to
note his dying agonies
But stay. 'Heshall have 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 sweet
est comfort-that the pain and mem
DRY and longing of earth were not
swallowed up and forgotten in the
foreshadowing of the bliss of Para
disc.
The sky changed; the old man saw
only the tinted field of heaven. A
chime OF bells rung out soft and clear:
Light on the 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 shin
ing star.
'"Tis the star that shines on Bethlehem,
Shines still and shall not cease.''
Grandpa, grandpal Wake up,
grandpa" cried the children.
'Dranpa, I've got sumthin for 'ou,"
said pet Barbara.
Then the children ali went crying to
their mother and said they could not
waken grandpa.