The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-23
CHRISTMAS ]
STORY.
Miss Kitchener Writes OF
One Christmas celebra.
ton For the Repub-
lican.
:,
Good moves In = mysterious why,

rocking 6he Itl0d TO WOO her DaDo TO SUM
bar, but all IN vain. The little one tossed
rsstlsssiy 20 and fro and again she sang;
Huh my babe, lie still and sluinber-
Holy angels guard thy bed,
Heavenly blessings-wi number
Gently fallinG-on thy head"
Here the sweet pale lips began to CULVER
while teAr after tear coursed each other
rapidly down her cheeks Asifin response
to the gentle command tho baby o lids be-
gan to droop.
Hush my babe-lio still and slumber.
Holy an--but here the song ceas6d
and sob after sob shook the little mother's
on the face OF the now sleeping babe,
After tho storm Of pent up sorrow had
spent itself. she rose ahd carried thss..cbild
to it's crib. and leaving warm kiss on the
littlo face, she passed to the beds where
slept four other little oneA.
Kissing each, and tucklng them in, not
wRrmly-the covers wsre too thin for that
again she TILED to sing: Heavenly bless
but it WINS no use. Her heart wac too
bitter She passed ON to tho email look.
ing glass, aud gazed at the face that met
hers. Il was good sweet face, but Oh,
SO sad and tear-stained; md, yes-act.
ually wrlnkled tonight. Was that allp
Ten years ago this same face had smiled
al her in It's wedding robes, and some one
had said: "Shs has not Inherited hcr
MOI hers beautiful face, but she has her
beauty Of heart which Ia bsttsr.' And
she has been. Or, so happy!
Eight years eight such Joyous years Of
love and plenty and thsn--"O God she
cried, Is it really true that for two long
years have heen treading the wine press
alone" Only Two weeks till Christma,,
and-but with q bitter cry she turned
away and flinGlng herself al the foot Of
the babys crib, shs burst into Hood Of
passionate weeping ,a
No. my dsarls you cannot 20 along, stay
here with Aun tic until we come back, Il
Is II long way hnd after Cousin Beth ard
are done shopping we are going to take a
walk, and we will tell he little hoy all
about it when we como back. Bye bye, aud
the happy mother smiled. M she kissed the
curly headed child standing IN the door
way. lies such darling she said low
ingiy, both Vi US are looking forward to
Christmas with the greatest delight
Together with chatting, and shopping
three or four hours passed quickly away
-'-and then the ladies' Wended their way TO-
ward the out kirts ottho big city
One OF them had come from u country
town, ono from the country Itself. The
lady from the country mughingly remark
Cd Il am disobeying my husband for the
first time in SIX years. But Duty ia
duty and feel that In spite Of his oppo.
siLion l am doing right in visiting my
sister. IDS now oyulj two years since VIZ
have heard anything from them. She has
not written to me since her husband failed
and II was by the mrrest chance that In
directly learned her address before coming
to town. My husband is as rigid as he Il
upright, and thinks 1t entirely wrong To
encourage ''lnziness' as he calls her hus-
band want If business tact.
think you are entirely right, remark ed
the other lady. butt really believe w
are lost, YOU surely do not mean to 81,
that sylvia lives In such locality as this
1t is true that myself have not seen he
| huta Few times in ten years, and SO man,
| changes may have CONT to enc in tina
time.
| BY this time the ladies were &C ualI,
| picking their way through one Of the poor
est localities in tho city. Both had beer
talking gatly bat instinctivsly they lower
ed their voices as they catne in contao
with the rough elements Of life.
| " must all he mistake they exclaime,
at once, AS they read the number OF til
door. However to he convinced the
knocked and waited why God blct
you both, exclaimed II CHEEKY voice. -
never expected to see any one from HON
again. How is dear old ia her, and q!
the auntS and uncles: r ally this is to
good to be true and again she impulsive
ly THEW her arms around both OF thei
neCks and kissed them.
"Jcnnle dear. find chair for Aunt
Belle and Cousin Beth Bless their It'll
hsTtsl really believe some of the child
rem have never seen either OF you. B
this time the ladies were seated, and with
out seeming to see anything, this is wha
they really saw: A small dingy ron
which served Us kitchen and dining room
five l:tto children, from the ages of OH
! 10 nine.
Bess as they callol her was sitting on
broken lounge, hugglng headiess IN
doll. .Benny. boy two years old, hid shyl
behind tho stove Kitty, brown-eyed Kilt,
was making dresses Tor tho doll, who's
littlc mother looked wistfully sad, a. 81
laid her hand softly on Auntc Bellies fu
coat, Baby Daisy Rugged up to MANN
rs she sat III the rocking air where on
last night she had prayed that her fat
fail not.
The dear little thingw they exciaime
as Tie hnby smiled on them as II they we
angts--bnt on that remark, its smile VA
ished and hiding It's face it sobbed lor
and ierly.
After great deal of coaxinp the lit
mother opened her heart and told her 81
ter every thing All their failures al
gradual downfall for as Of old the serpel
had found lis way into this onoe lap,
homc.) But would rather have Ill,
than written ono word to my proud fatn
err, ana Oh. - many times hive ! be
s!ld that mother was dead, and could u
know. God only knows what have su
feel and again tho brave heart ga
way aud 81 sobbtd bitterly, while her II
tencts tears flowed In sympathy md t
children stood by wonderingly.
Why what baby am: suddenly o
claimed the little mother; there .Icn'
| dear, run and pare some potatoes Co
sin Beth turned to less and said will
smile, what a nice dolly do You love h
Indeed me does. and would YOU Ii
Santa Claus to bring You anew one: \
maAm, bn' he won't, Why not dear:
, cause lie can lind lis any more He ust
to come down the chimney and bring
lots OF things, though. Auntis BE
: had IN the meantime conAed Benny-r
from behind the stove. and dropped so
pennies mao his and ktty's hands.
"Rot but rr blue Beans please IT, go
, suppcr,' aud the little mothers v0
: had CHEEKY ring III il that had not bt
= there Tor days n hunger l. good sau
= the LADIES' enjoyed th0 frugal meal of br,
+ aud potatoes. Childhood soon f9rects
r sorrows So tho little ones chatted d
/. laughed nnd he little mother told TIN
Santa NLnus would have to bring the t,
key and the cranberry sauce. Ne
mind, mother denr,' said Jennie, the cid,
II could, 1would gladly earn YOU a I,
= key, but, we viii I've happy without It,
u sides think it Is SO nice to have 20
pany.'' wh"r0upon every body laughed.
;. 1t came upon the midnight cIoaI
II That gluIiOu! song Of old,
,e From angels bending nonr the ea
It TO touch tier hnrps Of gold
Peace on earth, good will to mt a.
From heavens all gracious King
The world IN solemn stiffness lay
70 hear the angels sing,
. Sottly sang tho little II othcr, aud til
!. was smile on her lips and peace in
- heart as at thls Lour on Christmas
~ once more Kissed tho sleeping children
10 HGrcxtrmtty had been Gods oppOrt
a.. ity, and Sho knew her darlings would h
"a n Merry Christmas.
BE- The i've little stockings under the III
he lie piece, lad been hung up with do,
Ing hehrts bu, old Santa Claus had fo
them and Oh Christmas morning t
were luI really fun B,ss c'apped
hands Kitty laughed and cried, and i
:. nv said Me 100, but what was
large mysterious box that came by
e5 praSs really cannot tell you what it
ST. tanned hut II brinss 20 my mind visi
q warm clothes, beautiful dolls CHI
rynuIp4 ntr Mnrpovar | DAM beli lava