Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19
Dawes CHRISTMAS,
A BOYS STORY.
BY ETA f. MARTIN.



cheerless room in gloomy tenement
house-a room whose one dingy window
looked out on narrow, noisome alley
that was Dawes home. A slight boy of
10. with pale, punched face, out of which
two great dark eyes looked fearlessIy, a
boy whose clothing was literally mass of
rags, that was Dave.
There was nothing in the room of that
neatness and cheertulness that Is not in
frequently found, even in the abodes of
poverty-all was fOrbidding, bare, IN
homelike. A mothers loving care might
have transformed even such a room into
a semblance OF a home, but Dawes
mother had died when he was born, and
Dawes father was a drunkard. What
need to say morei
The rusty stove gave out no warmth
that bleak December day. With its
broken crate and litter of dead ashes, it
was but mockery of a stove--the ghost
of comfort. The keen north wind ratified
the dingy window and sent little hurries
of snow through its broken panes, but
Dave was not thinking about the cold.
He was cold, of course. bitterly cold, but
he was used to that and only wrapped
closer about him the one shabby quilt
which served as covering for the mis-
cradle bed.
All over the city, happy, we'll nour-
ished, tenderly cared for caildren were
thinking of Christmas joys, for the short
winter afternoon was nearly gone and
Christmas eve was close at hand. And
Dave was thinking of Christmas, too
not with merry expectation or we'll
Eilled stocking, jolly holiday dinner,
blazing Christmas tree, for these things
were unknown quantities in his brief
joyless life-Dut OF Christmas az the
birthday of the Christ Child.
The previous Sunday he had wandered
into mission chapel in the neighbor-
hood, and the teacher to whom he had
been assigned-soarcely more than q
child herself-had told the six ragged
urchins who gathered about her of the
coming Christmas, OF the wonderful Child
whose birth it commemorated, and OF that
glorious city with streets OF gold, gates
OF pearl, walls of Jasper, and mansions of
wondrous beauty, which the Chllds
hands would open unto all who believed
in Him.
Dawes quick i'm agination was fired at
the picture, and the teacher, pleased at
his eager interest, little dreamed of the
wild fancies and queries she had SET
floating through the lads brain. Why
could he not go to the City Beautiful? In
the long, hot summers he could not go to
the cool. green fields he had sometimes
dreamed OF, because he had no money,
but the teacher had plainly said that the
poor as we'll as the rich could enter those
pearly gates, through simple trust in the
Christ Child. II he could only find the
Child, then the way would be easy, and
surely he could find Him in the coming
Christmas time.
A heavy step on the stairs aroused the
little lad from his castle building, but
hrnl1uht mr. 0laAnpga IntO hIa dark
Child as he was, be had long since learned
TO know from his fathers step whether or
not some small measure OF comfort was
in store for him.
That night Dawes father was in
drunken rage, and as he nearly fell into
the room the boy drew back into the
shadow, hoping he might not be noticed
and that his father would throw himself
upon the bed at once. But the wish was
not to be realized.
Dave" called out the thick, brutal
voice.
The child did not answer, but covered
in his corner as il in anticipation of a
blow.
''Dave, you rascal, where arc you: And
where's the fire? ' with an oath.
There was no wood, dad" was Dawes
tim'd answer.
mo wood Why didn't you find some
iostead OF sitting here like an idiot?
I me hereV
Dad. please don't beat me-" coming
forward, but the pititul plea was UNI
ln id. A cruel hand seized the boy.
- Il blows, thick and heavy, were rained
won the slight form till the man grew
N''ary; then, kicking the boy aside, he
lr"w himself upon the bed.
Dave dared not move or cry, but lay
upon the floor, trembling with pain and
cold, till his fathers heavy breathing told
him there was nothing more to fear for
that night, And again the pearly gates
rose up before his eyes and the longing
grew irresistible TO find the Child who
should lead into the City, into its peace
and Joy. But where should he 20 to md
Himi On the street, perhaps. on that
beautiful street where great store win
dows were filed with color and light and
beauty; whv might he not lind the Christ
Child theref
Stealing down the rlckety stairs the
boy crept forth into the night, catching
his breath as q keen blast pierced his
ragged clothes as il they were so much
Kauze. He faltered moment, then
brayely faced the cold, animated by the
hope that he would soon find the Christ
Child.
Dave was weak from hunger; be had
eaten nothing since morning, and then
but crust, but be pushed slowly on,
once or twice resting on some friendly
step, until he reached the broad avenue
be had chosen as his destination.
The street had never seemed so beautl-
full, for never before had Dave seen 1t In
its holiday drass,. Electric Lights. Some