St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-25

| and CHASTITY in the dim light which fast.
| burning-out tallow candle casts over the
scene. The wife kneels at the head of the
| coffin. with a tender babe at her breast.
Her face is drawn with anguish and tears
| stream down her cheeks as she gaZeS at the
/ form before her. In different parts of the
room are numerous little children, scantily
| clothed looking half starved One bursts
| into fresh tears and the woman arises and
| takes the little lad to her bosom, after lay
| ing the baby on an apology for bed.
Don't cry, darling" says she as she hugs
the shaking form closer and kisses the
masses of matted hair. Don't
| cry any more. l know it's
a sad Christmas for us, but the
| good Lord above will not let us suffer. No
more will father be with u.s. and play with
YOU" And the poor woman herself gave
way as the thoughts crowded in Oh her
dazed brain. 1t was indeed sad Christ
mas eve for her. Her husband had gone to
work in the mill early in the morning, full
of life, and with promise that in the even
| ing the little ones should have Christmas
| tree. But cruel wheels in the mill had
| caught him, and an hour later he was
J brought back cut and bleeding, and the
vital spark extinguished.
~
| Down the road hundred yards the
| sounds of joyous laughter issue from neat
! looking house. which is somewhat larger
I and more aristocratic looking than it's
neighbors. From the windows the light
| shines brilliantly. and the visitor stops and
gazes long and earnestly at the happy scene
within. Near a glowing stove sits an old
| man, whose silver locks and wrinkled face
| show that it was many long years ago when
he participated in the festivities such as
were going on around him. He was evil
IDENTIFY the grandfather, and little boy, with
| dark hair and large brown eyes
climbed fearleSsly over his knees and
pulled the long white beard. In the
center of the room stood small Christmas
| tree. with its strings of pop corn and
blazing wax candles. Around it, gazing in
| expectant wonder, walked five children,
| their eyes wide open, and shining almost
as brightly as the little candles which
| illuminate the Christmas tree. They cam
not keep quiet, and their little hands clasp
and unclasp nervously as they watch the
treasures Santa Claus has brought. By
and by the father and mother, looking sim
gularly happy, step forward and begin to
| remove the presents from the tree. The lit
| tie ones crowd closer and closer, and even
| the grandfather joins in the general excite
ment, leaves his arm chair and walks slowly
| forward as the children undo the strings Of
the boxes and parcels. As eaca new box
comes to light the Dlerry shouts and laughter
| breaks out anew. and continues until the
| fond mother removes the gifts aud trundles
| the little ones off to bed, there to dream Of
the feast in store for them on the morrow.
| 49,
| On the opposite side of the street stands
| a One-sUOry building, seemingly not large
| enough for any one to stand upright in with
any degree of comfort. Inside the place is
4 ,ct,, Ixy foro ortic t In nf hn
dimly- lighted, ill-smelling room stands a
small wood stove. but no friendly heat does
| it give forth. Some of the window panes
are broken out, and in other places have
| been stuffed with rags. On bed lies
woman, whose sunken cheeks and eyes tell
at glance that consumption is doing its
deadly work. Near her sits her daughter,
a girl of II or 1S dressed poorly and lightly.
Around her shoulders she has flung shawl
| to keep out the bitter cold which was steal
| ing in at tile windows and the cracks in the
door. An unsteady step is heard outside,
and the door trembleS and shakes as heavy
body falls against it. The woman in the
bed coughs nervously and draws the tat
tered clothing more closely around her, hid
| ing her head from view. The
young girl glanceS up appre-
hensiyely, and with shudder
draws closer to her mother. around whom
| she throws her arms. Then dropping her
head on the bed she bursts
into fit of weeping. A man,
| or rather the wreck OF one. enters, decidedly
under the influence of liquor. His legs are
unsteady, and as he staggerS toward the
| bed he mutters curses deep and low. This
] is the husband and father. What Christ
mas eve for the mother and daughter. Not
a morsel to eat in the house, no decent
! clothing to wear, the mother slowly dying
and the father in beastly state of intoXca-
| ton.
The visitor turns away sick at heart, but
| half block further Oh new scenes of a
somewhat similar nature await him. There
in brilliantly lighted house can be seen
through the windows the forms OF three or
four men and several women. all engaged
i in drunken revels. Four or i've beer kegs
ornament the table. back of which stand
half dozen children Quarrelng and fighting
among themselves. To them Christmas
means a time when their fathers and
mothers gather at the largest house. and
with large supply OF poor beer proceed 10
make night hideouS with their YellS. The
beer in the kegs grows lower and lower,
but the spirits of the wretches dancing
around the room rise to a corresponding
degree. Soon fight begins and then the
scene becomes indeed an animated one.
The women are the first to fall beneath tha
heavy blows that are struck Oh every hand.
and as they depart with bleeding and
swollen faces the men renew the battle with
increased fierceness. Soon a knife is
drawn and the man nearest the holder re-
ceives a terrible stab in the shoulder, from
which he sinks to the floor in an insensible
condition. This appears to bring the men
to their senses, and in few moments the
wounded man has been cared for and the
house Is in darkness.
~
Passing along down the street. the visitor
sees young man approaching. His step is
light. and merry whistle issues from his