Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-12-24

down, looking into the windows and
watching the lights, No one seemed
ia uatlce the little one except Jack
Frost, who BIT the bare toes and.iin-
gers, and. the North wind, who almost
- ought tears 20 the child's eyes with
his blow ing. 1t was cold, oh, very
cold that night.
Up aud down the street the little
child passed, aud the walks were all
snowy and icy. The child had on
neither shoes nor stockings; but
Thought il was cold, the little
one was glad, for it was Christmas
eve, ana the whole world seemed glad,
TOO.
Everywhere the light was stream
ing out OF the windows, and If one
louked in. there could be seen.the
beautiful candles and the Christmas
trees In some OF the houses the
trees were loaded with PRESENTS for
The children, and in one place, into
which the little child looked, the boys
and girls we're playing and skipping,
and their merry laughter rang so
loudly through the house, that 1t
could be heard through the thick
walls and doors. out in the street.
The little child was glad with them
iuI clapped its hands and said: 80,
hey are 50 happy in there Surely
hey will share with me, aud let ME
ONE into their warm, bright room
,ud sing and play"
And the little feet tripped up the
.reat wide staircase, and, without a
ear, the child tapped s0ftly at the
oor.
And the door opened.
There stood the tall footman. He
lad on gloves and shiny shoes, and a
iuge white cravat: he looked at the
hid. hut sadly shook his head and
aid: 500 down off the steps. There
no room in here for you" He
yoked sorry when he said 1t, for he
rubab remembered his own little
nes at home, and was glad that they
ere not out in the cold.
Through the open door light, oh,
such bright light, shone. and IL
vas so warm! But the child turned
way into the cold and darkness not
showing why the fOotman spoke So,
for surely the children would haye
loved to have another little compan-
ion to join in their joyous Christmas
festival
But the children did not know that
the child had knocked.
The street seemed colder and darker
TO the child than before, and the
bright windows we're not nearly Sc
bright, because the child was sad.
But all along, on both sides of the
wide street. the light streamed out,
and it was almost as bright as day;
and the beauty all about made the
little child glad again.
The great city was full of happy
homes that night. and the cold out
side was entirely forgotten. All re-
membered only the happy time, and
no doubt that every single person in
the whole world was happy, too.
Farther along, down where the
homes were not quite so large or
beautiful, the little child wandered.
There seemed to be children inside of
nearly all the houses, and they were
dancing and frolick ng about; there
were Christmas trees in nearly every
window, with beautiful dolls and
toys; there were trumpets and picture
books, and all sorts Of nice thngS;and
in one place a sweet little lamb made
of white wool was hanging on the tree
for one of the children.
The child stopping before this win
dow, looked and looked at the beauli
ful thing, and creeping up to the glass
gently tapped upon the pane, A lit
tie girl came to the window and looked
out into the dark street and saw the
child. But size only frowned and shook
her head and said, "Come some other
time, fer we cannot take care of you
now," and then she went away.
The little child turned back into
the cold again, and went sadly on,
saying, "Will no one share the beau
tiful Christmas with me ? The light
is so bright and ! love it SOL" The
child wandered on and on scarcely see
ing the light now, on account Of the
tears,
The street became darker and nal
rover; farther and farther the little
one travelled 1t grew late. Scarcely
any one was out to meet the child as
it walked, and all the outer world was
still and cold,
Ahead there suddenly appeared a
bright, single ray of light, that shone
right through the darkness into the
child's eyes, The child smiled and
said, ~ will go and see il they will
share their Christmas with me-"
fastening past all the other houses,
the little one went straight up to
the window pane from which the
light vas streaming, 1t was such a
poor, little, low house, but the child
saw only the light ia the window, for
there was neither curtain nor shade.
What do you suppose the light came
fromY NoUhi"g but Il tiny tallOw
candle! But it seemed to the little
wanderer almost as bright as the sun
That was because the child was glad
again. The candle was placed in an
old cup with broken handle, and
right in the same cup there was 1
twig Of evergreen, 'and that was al
the Christmas tree they had,
And who do you suppose was in the
house
a beautiful mother with a baby OF