Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19


Other In wealth of brightness and color.
dood-natured people crowded the side
walks laden with bundles OF suggestive
shapes-thls long tapering package
| doll; this one, all angles. toy wagon;
TINS square box set of dishes. 1t was
almost like peeping into the bundles
themselves.
A great toy store, its windows decorated
In the brightest. gayest manner, attracted
the boys attention above all others, and
lingering there he became for the time
quite obllvious of pain and cold.
In one window stood tail Christmas
tree, with its gilt and silver balls, its
sparkling candles and wealth OF toys, and
beside II, clad i'll the tinle-honOred furs,
MS pack fairly bursting open with it's
treasures, his blue eyes looking kindly
out from under shaggy white eyebrows,
perpetual smile on his rudy face-Santa
Claus himself. In the other window a
charming interior presented itself -
| richly furnished apartment, glowing
nre behind the polished CRATE. a kitten
| ourled up on snow-white rug before the
blaze, a stocking OVERLOOKING with dainty
toys hanging from the carved mantel and
glimpse into the hall where a rosy
| checked little maid was descending the
| softly carpeted stairs, lifting her white
| nightgown that she might not stumble,
and intent on the pleasant surprise be-
! fore her.
Surely, Dave thought, the Christ Child
would come by that store, and be turned
| from It's temptations to watch the passers
| by.
Children passed him, not a.few, but the
| Child was not among them. He would
nave ring OF light about His head, and
! after the picture the teacher had shown
| them Dave was sure he could not mistake
! Him.
The lads eyes grew tired and his head
whirled from watching the ever-moving
| thrOng, but he did not stir till blue
coated officer told him, not unkindly, to
''moye on"
With a wholesome fear of the law Dave
passed on with the crowd, not daring for
some time to stop to look into the alluring
windows, till one more beautiful than all
| the rest, more beautiful even than the
| Christmas window, riveted his attention,
In the centre was great pyramid of
| roses, red and fragrant, and all around
were massed carnations, red and white,
| dewy violets, purple pansies and creamy
| lilies. There was something strangely
| comforting to the boys heart In this
| florists window, at first he scarcely knew
why. 1t seemed to bring the Christ Child
nearer to him, and he remembered that in
the picture the Child held in his hand a
lily.
The dark eyes glowed anew with hope,
and he looked so longingly at the flowers
that lady who was standing near asked,
Would you like a flower, my little
| man?'
Dave looked up into the kind face and
smiled by way of answer, but his friend
seemed to understand his silence, and
said, cheerily:
"What shall it be-a rose. pink or a
hlyw
sob, ma'am, a lily, please" and before
he could fully realize his good fortune he
held tightly in his hand a great white
lily, and the sweet-faced lady had hurried
| on. rg1 .'s.s.r
81 will give it to the Christ Child"
thought Dave, and again he began to
watch for boylsh figure In flowing robes
and with riag of light about His head.
Another weary time OF unavaillng walt
| ing and Dave grew so chilled that he was
forced to move on.
| From basement restaurant a Whit of
warm air and a smell of savory food came
| to the half frozen lad, tempting him TO
pause once more. and as several men de-
| scended the steps Dave ventured to go
with them and to enter the warm and
brightly lighted room.
A white-apr0ned waiter caught sight of
| the forlorn little figure and came forward
| to order the boy out, but the spirit of
| Christmas seemed to be in the very air,
and the man could not find 1t In his heart
to turn such remembering atom of hu-
manity out into the snow.
"Come into the kitchen, my boy, and
| PIl warrant the cooks will give you some
thing by way OF supper" aud Dave, won
| dering at the kindness Of people. followed
| the waiter into still warmer room, where
| half a dozen men in white paper caps
were flying about. Still, to his wonder,
he WAS not told roughly to get out, and
| one OF the cooks-a jolly, red-faced man,
| who had no less than six boys Of his own
at home-gaVe him seat in warm cor
ner, and hastily filling plate with frag-
| ments of daiDties such as Dave had never
tasted, handed 1t to the boy, thinking as
he hurried on about his duties, "Poor
little chapl Suppose my Joe was as cold
and hungry as he isP'
The delicious warmth, the sense of
| hunger satisfied, thrilled the friendless
| lad with happiness, and he watched with
bright, pleased eyes the deft operations
| of the men about him till the thought
flashed upon him that in thus tarrying he
| might miss the Christ Child.
l AS he rose to go he timidly thanked the
| man who had given him the food, and a
| moment later he was on the street again,
] so warmed and comforted that he felt he
| could watch long time without becom-
l ing weary, -
The lily, still grasped tightly, had with
cred in the heat of the restaurant, but for
moment the frosty air seemed to revive
it as Dave looked at IL anXiously.
Only late shoppers were out now and
| every moment the crowd was growing
| thinner. A clock near by chimed out the
hour of 10, and still Dawes quest was all
| in vain. A little recess, where hight OF
stone steps led down to shattered door,
| suggested to Dave that ne could curl him
| self up there and still watch for the Christ
Child, and knowing nothing OF the danger
| OF resting in such an atmosphere ne
quickly acted upon the thought.
The recess was sheltered somewhat
from the wind, but the piercing cold could
| not be kept out, and as the minutes went
| by tears stood in the boys eyes, brought
there by the bitter pain in his hands and
feet, but still he watched on. lie could
not bear TO give up the thought OF the
Beautiful City, and he dared not go
| home.
ELEVEN" chlmed out the bell, and the
street was getting comparatively desert
ed. For few moments the crowd was
even greater than in the early evening,
as theatre goers hurried homeward, then
all at once every one seemed gone. shop
keepers were rapidly closing. and where
all had been so brilliant gloom began TO
| reign.
~, hoor+ aank Thara nAnmad No