The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-12-21

you'll look after your things | kind o.
calc'late I'll manage not to lose you on the
way Dear Martby-seems as if l could
you now, with you tangled hair a.
BLOWN in the wind, your eyes all bright
an sparklin', an your cheeks as red as
apples. Seems, too, as if I could hear you
laughin' an calm, jist as you did as I
tolled up the old New England hill that
Chris mas notwithstanding Joel, Joel,
J%oel-ain't ye ever comm, Joel9' But the
hill is long an steep, Marthy, an Joel
the boy he used to be; he's old an
gray an feeble, but there's love an faith
in his heart, an they kind O. keep him
totterin' towards the voice he hears
a~-callin' Joel, Joel, Joel!'"
81 know-I see It all" murmured Santa
Claus, very softly.
son, that was so long ago." sighed
Joel; 80 very longl And I've had no
Christmas since-only once, when our lit
tie one-Marthy's an mine-you remem-
Der him, Santa Claus?'
''Yes," said Santa Claus, "a toddling
little boy with blue eyes"
Like his mother" interrupted Joel;
an he was like her, too-so gentle and
lovin', only we called him Joel, for that
was my fathers name, and it kind O. run
in the family. He want more'n three
years old when You came with your Chris
mas presents for him, Santa Claus. We
had told him about you, and he used to go
to the chimney every night and make a lit
tie prayer about what he wanted you to
bring him. And you brought 'em, too-a
stiek-horse, an a picture-book, an some
blocks, an a drum-they're on a shelf in
the closet there, and his little Chris mas
stockin' with 'em-I've saved EN- all, an
I've taken 'em down an held EN- in my
hands, oh, SO many times..''
"But when | came again." said Santa
Claus
Ellis little bed vas empty, an | was
alone. It killed his mother-Marthy was
so tender-hearted; she kind O. dropped an
pined after that. So now they've been
asleep side by side in the buryin' ground
these thirty years.
That's why I'm SO sad like whenever
Christmas comes = said Joel, after a pause.
THE thinkin' of how long ago makes me
bitter almost. It's so different now from
what it used to be-"
"No, Joel, oh, no." said Santa Claus.
.'Tis the same world, and human nature is
the same, and always will be. But Christ
mas is for the little folks, and you, who
are old and grizzled now, must know it
and love it only through the gladness it
brings the little ones"
True, - groaned Joel; "but how may l
know and feel this gladness when I have
no little stockings hanging in my chimney
corner-no child to please me with his
prattle? See. l am alone"
mo, you're not alone, Joel, said Santa
Claus. There are children in this great
city who would love and bless you for
YOUR goodness if you but touched their
hearts. Make them happy, Joel; send by
me this night some gift to the little boy in
the old house yonder-he is poor and sick;
a simple toy will fill his Christmas with
gladness."
"His little sister, too-take her some
present" said Joel; ''make them happy
for me, Santa Claus-you are right-nake
them happy for me-"
How sweetly Joel slept! When he awoke
the sunlight streamed in through the win
dow and seemed to bid him a merry
Christmas. How contented and happy
Joel felt! It must have been the talk with
Santa Claus that did it all; he had neye
known a sweeter sense of peace. A little
girl came out of the house over the way.
She had a new doll in her arms, and she
sang a merry little song and she laughed
with joy as she skipped along the street.
Ay, and at the window sat the little sick
boy, and the toy Santa Claus left him
to have brought him strength and
for his eyes sparkled and his
glowed, and it was plain to see his
was full of happiness.
And, oh! how the chimes did ring out,
and how joyfully they sang their Christ
mas carol that morning. They sang of
Bethlehem and the nanger aud the Babe;
they sang of love and charity, till all the
Christmas air seemed full of voices:
Carol of the Christmas morn
Carol of the Christ-ehild born
Carol 10 the l~ist'ning sky
Till it echoes back again
"Glory be to God on high,
Peace on earth, good will tow I'd men,"
So all this musie-the carol ofthe chimes,
the sound Of ehildren's voices, the smile of
the poor little boy over the way-all this
sweet music crept in Joel's heart that
Christmas morning; yes, and with these
holy influences came others so sub
lie and divine that in its silent communion
with them Joel's heart cried out amen and
amen to the glory of the Christthas time.
-ENgene Field.
When Baby was sick, we gave her castoria,
r. q. = =