Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-12-22

was in time to catch glimpse of hel
as she entered modest looking cot
| tage.
1t was growing dark but | could
family see, through the half-drawr
curtains before the small window, the
the interior of the room. How chill
and uninviting its faded carpet and
old, worn furniture, the little broken
stove in which was smoldering fire
that seemed to give no heat. A child
stood near the tab e, and there,
bending over twas Ella Moore.
She drew the child close to her
breast, kissed her tenderly, and in
tones SO sad and despairing, said:
l"Dear Nina, this is Christmas eve.
You are but child, but I must talk
to you or my heart will break. No one
in all Martinsburg, I'm sure, is quite
SO desolate and destitute as we. No
coal; no bread; no work; no money
4 What is Christmas to us but day Of
suffering? Why does God leave us
upon the earth2 There is no room
here for the poor. But for you, little
darling, would ask for Death S cold
hand to still this heart that finds no
longer single joy in living
why, auntie, what makes you
talk SO, you who are always so
patient and accomplishing, so
good and true and noble, so unselhsh
and trusting. Have you not told me,
again and again, God will not see the
righteous forsaken nor His seed beg
ging bread?'
''Do you know, auntie, am eleven
years old and feellike woman? You
are tired and discouraged, but cheer
up. l cannot tell why, but l believe
/ we are going to have a delightful
! Christmas and I'm sure Santa Claus
I will bring you nice present. don t
! care if he gives me nothing. l want
to see you happy"
"You are little comforting angel,
Nan, and I'll try to be hopeful for
1 your sake, said my school-boy idol, as
she clasped the child convulsively to
/ her breast, and kisses and tears fell
fast on the little, bright face. stood
like one charmed to the spot. My
/ first impulse was to rush in and make
myself known, but that would terrify
/ them both.
! The nists were cleared. / knew l
/ had never loved but one and all the
passing years had swept, like cold
waves, over my childish fancy and
benumbed my passion, but when MY
eyes once more rested upon my school
mate, that slumbering love burst into
flame, intense and all-absorbing 1t
vas not yet too late to fulfill the proph-
estes of Nina. Coal and wood, flour
and every delicacy appropriate for a
Christmas dinner was purchased I'M
niediately to be delivered at that
needy home
l wrote note. and nuffling myself
closely in my great coat, jumped to
the seat of the delivery wagon, hand
/ ed the boy my note, told him would
drive and help him unload, and he
was to do all the talking. Arriving
at the house, the boy knocked and
told his errand.
This cannot be the place, "the aunt
and neice said. "You have made
some mistake"
NO. insisted the boy, 'this is the
place, and don't you forget it. The
man gave inc this note I s'pose it
tells who bought the stuff and sent it
here"
The note, eagerly and excitedly
read, ran thus: This Christmas cheer
comes from an old friend and school
mate, who will bring, tomorrow at
noon, a large, but not very valuable,
Christmas present which he hopes you
will accept"
No name was attached. Nina was
wild with delight and aunt Elias sad
] face bore look of thankiulness and
hope, SO long stranger there. The
child slept peacefully all night, but
the weary, excited woman tossed in
feverish dreams, starting up frequent
ly and talking incoherently, till day
dawned and both were up soon, max
ing preparations for their grand din
ner All was in readiness at ~ o'clock.
A sharp, impatient knock announ-
ced the visitor, and l, Thomas Mason,
stood in the presence of my love OF
! long ago. "Do you not know me
i Can you not remember the little blue
eyed, tow-head boy that followed you
like shadow and shared his bonbons'
! am he. I am your Christmas pres.
ent. Will you accept me p She did
not speak Would she now refuse
Oh, no! The joy of the moment
had robbed her of speech, but her great
dark eyes, more beautiful than ever
with deep streams of love pouring
from their clear depths, told all wish
ed to know and the pent-up love burs
forth in such impulsive torrents thai
dinner was forgotten and the child
| too, in our new found happiness.
Reader, did your heart ever feel suci
Joy as that which came to one of tn
noblest and purest of woman /? Thei
t you have never suffered! Then yol
| have never loved
/ have but to add that Tom was
S level-headed business man and ha'
/ saved snug fortune which we leav
them to enjoy. LOT.
l .