, 1885-12-25

Christmas dawned. white and wintry.
Snow covered the earth and chung to the
bare trees like garments Of white fur. The
air was full OF whirling crystalets and the
earth WINS full Of music. II was the kind Of
Christmas which nature intends shall L.
merry: when every sound clinks through
ihr air. when the horses feet ara heard
o. hiding the gritty snow half a mile away.
wusn bells ring out crisp and clenr: whoa
laughter is heard far out upon the hills; when
JOY is spontaneous and sorrow forgotten:
when the north wind bring courage and the
day brings peace on earth and good will to
men.
Dayy was brighter than usual that morn
Ing. Tn hope which had not before been
strong enough 10 tighten his heavy heart
beamed over his wan face like sunshin. His
eyes were very bright aud very eager.
I'm going home. were his first words.
spoken with something like gladness in his
voice. Az sight Of John Keller he jumped
from his chair with his old-time a~lacrity M
handed him the last black bean Of the seven
which had stood between him and parnlise.
He gathered together his small possessions
"A few glass buttons. n lame top. the fox
hat had not barked since il became an in
mate OF the p~oorhouse, a whitfield wooder
monkey with hollow eyes, and similar giftf
" the .ympathizing but impoverished friends
who surrounded him, and placed them ia a
row on the window sill Sitting down he
side them, with Lizzie Ann in his arms. he
announcedt that he was ready.
How could they tell him that he was not to
go; that all his patient waiting had been use
leSs. that he had been cheated with lies; that
the home he longed for had shut its doors
against hint
A. I..t tha~ t.fI 49,. A. a.. .
not understand and answered everything
with the decisive assertion. .Tm gninr
home as though that were the sum OF ali
wisdom, solved all problems Strengthened
all misunderstanding, and settled all difi-
culties But when the truth was made plain
to him and he understood, he RAISED his arms
TO his head in sudden agony aud. With a cry
that had In Il all the despair Of his chnnt@i
soul, slipped from his chair to the floor.
When his eyes opened after he had l-en
lifted upon his bed they -.s,nl.d L. have lost
all recollection Of his disappointment. and
were strangely bright and glad a smiling
soul looked out from them in peace before ID
started On its noiseless journey. Those eyes
saw something others could not s-.. Tor
Days sick face became radiant, transigurrd.
expressive, beautiful. His lips moved and
BIO whispered joyfully, I'm going home "
IN hnotheI moment ne htd Eune-nut To hat
home be had pinned for and which had shut
him out, but to thRt better one, which Is
away from all sel1shness aud above all
cruelty.
Like many wiser mortAls his spirit had
gone into It's new life, loving and trusting
those who had done him to death.
As the Carson family was sitting down to
dinner with the friends for whose sake Da1v
had been excluded, John Keller ratified up 10
the gate in the alnshou-r wagon. lie deli,-
ered this message with uncovered head ai tho
door
f'Your brother Davy Is dead. When W,
told him this morning that he couldn't conn
home to-day, as be- had expected to, his heart
broke. He wac weakened and Worn Will
homes rkness aud the disappointment kir<i
him
rs cooke with calm simplicity and without
rprOssh IN hi voice HIS knew that thu