Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1888-12-27
For the Ellsworth Americs NJ
The Three Christmas Shoes.

TRANSLATED FROM L'ErENDAKp or MON
rKFN.. BY MRS. II. A. DUNN, BIUEHiLL
MAINE.
Who does not remember those Christ
mas nights. when in the golden, or rathe
snowy starlight, the bells rang out thei
Christmas chimes, when hearts beat tim'
to their measured sound, and when th'
little shoes in line before the blazing
J Christmas log. awaited the little presents
from the good st. Nicholast
but uo-what is the use Of tellin.
once again those recollections Of th'
! Christmas log. and the Christmas goose
the maugcr in the church, the visit Of th'
three kings, the joyful surprise Of tht
I children, the pleasan. family gathering
what could tell YOU: You could tell m'
more if YOU wished TO open your hearts
and let me look and gaze as into precious
jewel case. on the precious recollcctions oi
. childhood. which are there stored away
A. among the most sacred Of life,
How then shall speak TO you Of Christ
mas in order To interest you< Wei, >hal
tell YOU story and true story No"
listen
Uuy Christina, eve, delicious listlc gir
rosy and fair took her httls shoes, as i
The custom IN France, and placed them un-
der the mautvl u a vast chimney in a
>umptuou, parl"r OF magnificent man,
sion.
She wa> called Marqu.>.tte Her parents
were very rich, and the little girl was very
much spoiled The little gold-colorcd
shoes. like the wings OF q Maybug, had
each a row Of silver buttons shaped like
the cunatngc>t little bells; in word, a
pair of handsome distinguished, coquct-
t.>h little boots. which the andirons of the
fireplace must have found superb, judg-
ins from the way they talked about them
al! that night
At dawn. when Marquisetie, in her
ni.ht-sonn. ran from her bedroom 10 the
fireplace, >hc gave CRY Of delight. Santa
llau, had indeed shown himself generous.
The little shoe, were dllcd 20 oyerhowing
with hon-bon, plaything>. &C. A lovely
doll Il ITaua street toilet looked up at her
from bi4e cuamclcd eyes and face framed
ia blonde hair curlrd in the latest style.
With cry Of JOY She took the doll in her
arms and called her endcaring names, for
she d,Ain ip>c5 to play the littlc mamma
with her dullie>
Many Chri>tmasc> followed this one.
The twentieth saw Marquisette the bride
Of a year. in luxurious bedroom in her
Paris mansion. Her Young husband placed
her shoes a. Of yorc, before the spacious
fireplace She rewarded him with a
smile. pale and suffering a. She wa>, This
time. her shoes wcre OF blue velvet. - eIe-
can't ami rich that you would think them
Jewel cases containing valuable diamonds
All thi, happened. as sad above. iu I
beautiful Partisan mansion, ti!cd with the
choicest furniture and where every call
was answered by q servant in livery. All
night long the lights burned while the
N"' >'''''> ''i'N - ''S 'A''- oN' '''' i''u'' =
a the snow fell fast
A'''" ''''' " "''"' p'>>e'' 'u' "''" ''A'
light appeared, whltcr than the snow
which covered the roof-tops before the
( HI' -P'a'e' "h'lo S''''u 'ii' HA'i''eo"''
''' N''''> d" '''''' APPo'
/ f''N '''' u pa ''''N ~ = .
i"' o"'e ""9 ''''''' ''''7 N-'
'''''' 1''' '''' APP
''i'''''S am ''' '''-'' ~ ~
mas ',,'' w 80 ''''
"ei uol49 u '''''' N''
/ sun ''i' i'''''' '''' Ne' A''
HA- III '''''' "'-"' VI. J'!> anu P'''Nu''
Il" ''' 'A'''''' -
IT N'''' an ""''
a!as we gro" oi''eF Win every returning
\ m iN'ii"9 '''' - II "HPPeHeu ''i"' -hal
I qu'>e''e' young "oIiah at twenty WIS
I au y" ""u'hn i'i'f years Ad'et' u" h''
l 91l al oIN ''"4' ioi po'el'! al" se"'i''!
are not synonymous hut an oid woman
, INih9 III 'he 2atFet Oh 'uihoie-uo"h tehe
4 htht hou>e' III ihlseraple street IN ratis-
Misery had come death followed ne
/ poor woman Poseessed neither means nus
"and' nor son. lheir possessions were
swallowed up IN disastrous spccuiatlohs
the husband ana not survive the calamity
ana ihe niue christmas ooy' at the age OF
twenty years fell victim to an epidemic
/ fever
he unfortunate woman remained ALONE
III the world poor desoiate ana despair
ln2. She passed her days ana nights cry
ins' suffering ana praying Aho'hei
Christmas eve, and she asks OF God tt
have pity on her- Memory carries hel
back to the wonderlul Chrlstihases Oh he'
childhood ana her young hiarrieu me- 1iie'
sorrowfully, almost insane she makes vi
her NINA 10 piaoe her snoes again DeAo''
'..,o ,.h ,na ,,,a
"a -, - ooIon r.a
o,oa - %
49,;
rs >, - ,oasu s.ons ~
auaa ,,o,.lf .oross h,, ,,isarabIe li,,l
- Nov r,,ohad,.ss b.r ,on.,;n.ss he
u "e'
sickness ana poverty no" coio 1t wa
that night The clocks in the great cit