The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-17
REpUBLLCA SATURDAY.

7 T1em1ng looked aoornYuHy AZ the ola
man who yet held bis attention and i'm.
pressed him.
a-,iAt snch timer" he repeated. "It's
true that It's night, and the snow is fall.
1 ing, but we're not parlor soldiers to seek
| our tents because Of a winter night. %
cts more than winter night, said
the old man stefnly, raising his accusing
finger again and pointing It at Fleming.
"Listenr' n.
The unseen clock overhead began 10
| strike, and Fleming and his men, awed de-
spite themselves by the old man 9 manner,
counted the strokes under their breath.
One, two, three they counted, and on up
to 10, standing In silence and making no
movement, as II some new power possessed
/ them. Nor did any sound come from the
room in which their enemies lay, and
Fleming believed that they, too, had been
listening to the old mans words. Then
he grew angry at himself and sought to
shake off the SPELL
"Did you hear that" asked the old
man.
Yes heard It," said Fleming, land
heard nothing but clock striking mid
HBut what midnight!'' exclaimed the
other "And do you not know what morn.
ing has begunf"
Without waiting for an answer, he seized
a rope which hung by the wall and as he
pulled with strong anti practiced hand
bell far above them began to ring. Its
mellow note, steady and strong, echoed
through the night, which heard no other
sound now, and rose and fell in song Of
Joy Listening to Its music, Fleming for
got for moment the wildness Of the win
ter night and the !ast. Of battle which had
burned 60 feroely in his veips.
Listen, listen, I tell your exclaimed
the old man, his face TRANSPORTED by the
ecstasy which possessed him. SIS not that
better sound than the crack Of rifles and
the groans of dying menu Again, ask
you do you not know what morning has
beguni"
slow can any man who has been march
ing and fighting and diminishing for
weeks keep track Of timer"
"This Is the night Of the Gath of De.
oember, and it's Christmas morning now,"
cried the old man, ''the night when Christ
was born and came into the world to
preach forgiveness and to teach men to
love one apotheri I've rpng that morning
in with this bell every year for the last 50
years, and cane here tonight 10 do 10
again, though you've followed me and
fought In the church itself Stand back,
I tell you'll You shall not fight here with
the bells Of Christmas morning ringing in
your ears. God would strike you dead for
tn
It seemed to Fleming that the mans
manner now had the dignity and force
that we ascribe to the Hebrew prophets of
old. His littleness had disappeared, he
showed no semblanoe Of fear, and his eyes
blazed with the force of the spirit that
was in him.
The notes of the bell rose far above the
whistle Of the wind, and even in the pres
ence of those who carried arms In their
hands to kill told of peace on earth and
good will to men. The sanguinary scenes
Of the night passed out of Fleming's mind
for a moment, and In their place he saw
the peaceful Christmas morning Of his
childhood. Then he looked weakly at
Evans, as II he would seek counsel from
his second in command.
Lower your weapons'' cried the old
man, who never ceased his ringing. II
toll you again that God will strike you
dead If you fight in his house at such
time. What a saorilege, and you but
boys"
The fever in Fleming 8 veins was dying. |
He looked at his men and saw that the |
lust Of combat was passing from them.
In his ears rang the joyful note Of the bell |
telling him that Christ was born and had |
come on earth to teach peace and good !
will among men. He turned his eyes |
from his men to those of the sexton, who (
pulled the rope with regular and rhythmic |
stroke, and thoy fell before the gaze of the |
old man.
"And you purpose to fight herel' fam
ed out the old man. "You should be |
down on your knees and thank God that
you are alive this Christmas morning. |
Listen to my belll 1t is declaring peace,
and no other voice shall be heard in this
place"
The last touch Of the battle fever passed
from Flening's veins, but he looked ques-
tioningly ut the door behind which his
enemies had fortified themselves. The
old mans eyes followed his.
"They, too, shall put down their guns
while the Christmas bell is ringing" he
cried. Come out These men give their
promise that they will not fire upon you"
EYES, we promise" said Fleming me-
Chemically, his mind still wandering back
with the notes of the bell to other Christi
mas mornings.
"Thore Is nothing to fight for here, any
way" said Evans in low voice.
mot now at least, i" replied Fleming in
the same tone.
The door in front of them was opened,
and their enemies, gun muzzles down,
came slowly out, Fleming and Evans
saluted them with military courtesy.
"About face!' said Fleming to his men.
Then with their lieutenants at their
head the little band marched down the
stairway and through the church and out
into the snow and past the smoldering
embers of the houses to their camp. And
above them and around them the clear
notes of tho bell were proolaiming that
Christ was born on earth and peace and
good will should reign among men.