The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-12-26
Written for the Journal
Nettie's Christmas.
BY CHAS. MONTNESOR BROWN.

their cosy beds and 90 pattering over the floor
iii search of the treasures Santa Claus has
brought down the chimney with whirr and
rush, while they We're dreaming of his coming
and adults, too, eNpectanty look forward to its
| advent wondering who will remember them.
and also for the sake of the surprises and hap
pineSs they can bring to others. Truly, it is
one day to be remembered in the year about to
be gathered to its fathers, and 'tiS fitting it
should be so.
Yet while thousands spepd happy Christ
mas. rolling i'll afluence. able to bestoW their
gifts with liberal hand, it is sad to think that
many may be starving for just one crumb, or
living from ''hand to mouth" too poor to pre-
sent their loved ones with even a penny's
worth. upon this beautiful morning of all 9TH
er>; still, it is even
To some life is pleasant dream--a fitting
from flower to flower extracting the sweets,
seeming only to realize that it was naturally
all theirs; but it is not with such that this little
story has to DO.
Nettie iba>ford was young girl of seventeen,
luSt budding into glorious Womanhoou. Two
Years before both her parents We're stricken
down by disease and she was left with the care
of brother. one year her junior, and two little
sisters of eight Years, twins. For girl of tf-
teen it was. indeed, IA burden, but bending
herocally to her task She braVely batted for
the staff of life, with the small Inheritance left
10y her father, house and one acre of land
near the suburbs of large city. He was
gardener. maintaining his family from the pro-
ceed> of the acre, which he as>iduously culti-
waited, and She, with the help of W lille, at
tempted to carry on the same business, and was
succeeding fairly We'll when calamity fell
upon her like thunderboIt from clear SKY
Willie came home intoxicated. 1t was sad,
sad blow, and required all her mental powers
to sustain the shock. Willie. upon whom she
had begun to lean for support, her fair-hared,
hlue-eyri darling brother a drunkard. 1t was
terrible, With no father to guide and couri-
81. no mother to plead with her crIing boy. he
steadily went down the awful precipice of
ruin. led on by associates in vice-Went from
bad to wor>e-w whired round and round in the
vortex of the drunkard'> >eethng bowl!
One year had been painfully dragged away,
with their finances gradually diminishing, and
one day, TO zap the whole Willie returned no
more to the home into which he had brought
50 much suffering. lie had di,apprared-gon
u" one knew whittier, and again had he rent
hi> sisters heart almost in twain; for had She
not rather knew where be was, though steep
ed in vice. than to think that perhaps he was
lroW ued OF murdered iu some drunken de
baucA: ~uch i human loye--a dear Sisters
love tor an erring brother.
! lmc wore on aud sht managed to Keep her
Self aud little sisters from starving, but ON
Kind iltaN en-. what life, and What fortitude
for one Young in years. Gradually tie
awful strain upon her nerves began to lessen.
Time WAS >laokeuiug the tension, Vet there
WAS the haunting thought of NIie> down
ward cour>e and his m. >teriouS disappearance
ever arising before her in her waking or >etp
jug moments. and the great big world seemed
dcaI 10 the cries of her heart to give him back
alive or dead.
We tiud her thu situated on the evening be-
fore hri~tlna~ was TO dawn upon the world;
and buidin4 into a glorious Wumanhood, be
cause She had fought the battle Of life and >or-
row for two years single handed ana gained
the NirtorN-htem crowned bY Virtue qtiecn--