Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-12-24

In chant and supplcation.
Yet would we know the thrilling JOY
OF ths sweet Christmas story
Then let us pray that through it all
We may behold His glory
| Bachelor Rogers Christmas
Party
Perhaps YOU can tell as we'll as /,
why Bachelor Rogers sighed, as ne /
pushed away his halfempued cup /
OF Mocha, and took his station be-
side the fire. He cast a glance ont
side, where the snow was slipping |
Whitley adown the December twi-
light. A poorer man might have
shrunk from the outlook. The fire
underneath the sculptured lilies OF
the marble mantle showed the clear
red of anthracite. and silken cur
tains intersposed a purple simmer
between the freight and the fall
ing snow. Bachelor Rogers, thus
looking without, sighed again. lie
was manly fellow; had wrestled
with hard fortunes in his day, had
conquered against heavy odds. l
call him Bachelor Rogers because
that was the name he was apt to 20
by. do not know why he should
thus have been distinguished above
the rest of his fraternity-unless,
indeed, that, being such a manly
fellow, people had come to the con-
clusion that bachelorhOod was his
misfortune, rather than his fault.
"To-night is Christmas eve" So
| liloquized our friend, looking hard
at the fire. "Well, we'll the years
come and 90, and somehow every
wear gets duller-the gold was
rubbed off OF life a long time ago,
the silver is going fast, and now,
| suppose, must soon look for the
iron age" The prospect seemed
doleful enough, and TO cheer him
self our friend looked into the fire
-gazed at it very hard, indeed, as
if those cheerful, leaping, cracking
flames were guilty in the matter,
aud could help il. they only would
This was a Christmas Eve fire,
mind yOul Shifting pictures began
to come and 90. First, a little child,
in bare feet and night-dress, reach
ed ont a dimpled hand to hang up
a dangling stocking--borrowed
from mamma for the occasion-in
an Old.iashiOned chimney corner.
Then the little child, growing older,
danced around Christmas-trees, re-
spleudent with glanclng lights, and
the sparkle of bOn-bons, and the
glitter of trinkets and tOys-danced
around the festive Christmas trees
! that bear such charmed frultage
from the fairy-land of Santa Claus
with other children as joyous as
himself. And the boy.child made
love to the girl-children. But there
vas one he kissed Slyly in the cor
ners. when no one was looking.
Her curls we're long and shining
her eyes clear, and her rose-6dd
mouth had a tempting little pout
born with it, that said, "Kiss me
kiss me evermore y And the boy
. child was fain to comply with the
request-only he die it shyly in
corners; aud if detected in the act,
b blushed exceedingIy-much more
r so than the girl, indeed; but then
d she was used to be kissed, on ac-
! count of that tempting little pout
that had such a knack Of asking
, the question without saying q
word
Was il Bachelor Rogers sitting
now beside the fire, bronzed will
, the weather-be had been a sailo
before nOw-wOrn by hard fights
with hard fortunes Gould it b.
Bachelor Rogers that bad blusheC
so once : More pictures ! The boy
child, grown older now, dragging
the girl-child-a demure little maid
, en- now, but the same mouth still -
over the crisp snow IN a tamou
J. crimson sled barred With gilt, AM
on it written for a name, "Aiice.
That was the name Of the demur
little maid, you see, who sat up0
- Ii. And thSboy SaStsery tende
of the girl, ana wrapped her clOs'
ly in her cloak and fnrs,iwben Il
started for a run; for Pboyel n
- stars shone clear with the cold, an
o the winter winds plew keenly' es b,
Then came ansadr picture wal
A tears in it. The boy ard Che 81
i. were parting, He was going
scaLcomfng back ricb,ydu -kfio'
.Will .yOunRarrg me then, Alie
dear r. OH no one elseAfiohe b
him Then Alice gave the boy .Ol
OF or Of her longest curis, and he'hi!d i
OF his breast, and went awaye Att
va ward there was a storm at sea, al