St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-04-20

bought me to danma. My nam.
mas dead lon time ago and las
summer my brack nanny Cosy die,
too, and baby want see danma."
Another moment and the grand
mother with the thrilling cry of a
woman's soul to an answered prav-
er, lifted her grandchild to her heart.
oh, the dear contact Was it real
the firm, warm, little hand she
clasped, the pressure of the smiling,
rosy lips?
Where is papa2 Oh, my dear,
where is papa?' she cried, while the
deacon looked as one raised from the
dead, and Katrine gazed on the new
found treasure, and thought of the
stories she had read in Dutch folk
lore of the angel of the Christmas
tide.
Papa DON" cooed the little one.
"He tum for baby after while.
Take dis" and searching the recesses
of her little pocket she produced
letter.
The grandfather with shaking
hands and faltering tones read
Mother, Dear Mother-I have
brought you my motherless and
only child. know that you will
love and care for her as your own,
and don't think even father will be
hard to her. When want her
will come for her, but it may be long
years first, il ever. lead an honest
but wild life, and Texan ranch or
Rio Grande camp is not the place
for her For my child's sake | part
from her Be good to her, mother.
Your loving son,
WILLIAM +. MARSHALL"
A moment later an old man was
struggling through the snowdrilts
toward the village as fast as his
rheumatic legs could carry him.
Too late He only heard the echo
OF the coachman's horn as the horses
tore down the turnpike to New
York.
Baby Marshall was in her grand
mothers lap and smiling brightly in
her face.
Katrine piled the table with hot
, griddle cakes, fragrant tea, sweet
butter and golden honey.
| Farther and farther the stage
carried the wauderer from the ole
| home
: Christmas bells ringing over the
; land Christmas sunshine glintins
i the reaching carpet Of snow, anC
picturesque tree boughs hung will
e icy diamonds. In the churches musi
n and song swelling out on the clear
j frosty air.
Unto us a son is born.
0 Unto us king is given,
. Christ, the Lord
|. Old Mrs. Marshall always wake,
r to church Christmas morning, an
q as she listened to the sweet tide [
y song her head bent lowly down an
v prayer welled up from the poor oil
V mothers soul: Lord, | have wal
ed so long. Let me see my boy
J. face again before die !"
- In that moment, as she recalled a
lie terward, peace spread its whit
d wings above her, and an angel yoiC
e. seemed to whisper, "All is well.
$. When she returned the family ha
d assembled for the Christmas Dime
is There was Rube, who had goo
m farm in the highlands-Rube, II
,r steady going-a broad shouldere'
lie sturdy Saxon, with his pretty, dar
1t eyed wife, dressed in new black ST
Il, with a real lace collar and cuff
a Marianne, the belle of the famll
III and the youngest, lass OF eightee
ID blond, debonair and rogush, wit
I'd her good looking fance lowering
~ side her, the son OF a well-to-d
farmer in the vicinity, whose daug
n ter Marianne had just been vislti
in for few days. There, too, was 4
IN fred, the doctor, a portly, W.
n meaning man, and little OF dane
Y. in his dress, as became physicii
and bachelor popular among t
a. invalid ladies of Westchester,
at The deacon trudged in from /
n, own meeting house, where mnist
he and deacon had been holding
oh private session of two hours over t
ng backsliding of some poor soul p
Of doomed according to their belief
Mt damnation. There was a genei
.er handshaking of father and kissing
he mother. The deacon did not belle
nd in kissing or indulging in the p1
fame luxury of smile on the So
pc bath day, but Christmas, even
Dr. cording to his creed, was made
rejoicing.
ed Among all the family that day
III. queen had been enthroned-the w
re. who had arrived the night beto
,li- A big box had come for her by 81
or Dolan the carrier, and its contel
co. showed that the wild Texan ro'
had not spared expense on his 1T
nd daughter. Gay in blue silk and Ii
IT'S and ribbons, the little thing tos'
re her curls and beamed delighted
,ut first on one, then on another, c.
,rs scious of being the object of eve
ew bodys admiration.
At last she cuddled up in her gra