Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23
A CHRISTMAS GUEST
WHO CAME TOO SOON,

| thing happened.
| 1 had been wondering why it was that
| Christmas stories are all so much altke-all
| built on the same general ground plan, with
| now and then, only, a new angle or little
| fresh adornment added to the superstruc-
| ture. 1 had been trying to figure out
! whether there was anything in the charac-
| ter Of Christ of that peculiar sort of sor-
| rowfulness and pathos which always finds
| it's way into genuine Christmas story, and
| into all queer things that happen or are
| talked about near Christmas time.
With this in my mind, I had taken down
| a great volume of the life of Christ, which
| had been the wonder of my childhood and
an object of generation in my old age, and
| in dispassionate and thoughtfully practi-
| cal way, as becomes a philosopher and a
man of science. began an analysis # this
| life. which must be regarded the soul
giver of human civilization. 1 could not
| find in that life with its sublime sorrow,
| anything of that peculiar pathos which has
given the character to Christmas stories
through all the ages.
1 must have dropped into profound med
itation. for my thoughts had become ram
bling and confused. The volume had fallen
from my hands 1t was just at this point
that the door of my study opened, and a
man entered noiselessly. The hour of the
night was not such Is ordinarily chosen
by honest people for visiting, did the
person who stood before appear as one
who could have business of any sort with
me-
For minute I did not know what l had
best do, but there nothing hostile as
yet in my visitors attitude, and somehow
L was fascinated by the magnificence Of his
eyes. which were turned upon me with an
expression of calm gentleness, which indi-
Gated self-contaned power of rather be-
nign quality.
Under such circumstances a man thinks
rapidly. My unexpected visitor could
scarcely be a professional burglar; perhaps
he was one of those men with starving chill
dren at his home, who, according to COM
mon story, are tempted to commit burglar
les near Christmas time as their first step
in crime, for which they afterward repent
while the children are being fed by the
amiable victim of the crime, and that he
had been tempted to enter my house to
steal food for his children. 1 had read
often of such things happening.
Or perhaps he was the of some for
gotten relative whom had neglected in my
younger days in my selfish desire to look
out for my own comfort, who had now
come back to taunt me with his millions
made, and no thanks to me. L did not rec
ollect whether / had ever neglected a rela-
tive. but likely 1 had; and either a burglary
or an obtrusiVe conscience is usually the
principal figure in things that happen near
Christmas.
While these thoughts rushed through my
mind the silence was oppressive / felt
that 1t became me to say something and |
seized first at the poor, misguided burglar
idea.
My good man" 1 cried, 81 know, I
know. 1t Is horrible thing to see ones
loved ones starve, sinking hour by hour be-
fore your eyes, with their silent hungry
pleading looks. l forgive you Take any
Old crusts and cold turkey bones you can
find about the house Hasten to vour
starving Children
L said this all in one breath for I was I'M
comfortably anxious that he should be gone
anu that might lock the door and be
Tree from the influence of those terrible
eyes which he had never removed from nv
race ana Which seemed to read all the
iniguities Of my withered old soul.
the eyes opened wider and looked down
upon me with a calm expression of wonder
but my visitor made no reply.
IhouSht perhaps L had made the wrong
guess ana that the returning injured rela-
1--WE with millions to taLnt me was the
more natural hypothesis to 1T the case
oh, You are not a burglar then with
starving children? / asked apologetfcaIIv
A smile passed over the strangers face
ana with rich, full voice of peculiar
sweetness he said:
Il do not quite understand you. A bur-
elar? What is that? And what do YOU
children starvev'
Il beg your pardon" l stammered. Il
thought You might be one of those burglars
VINO are common at this season. You know
your coming was rather unexnected and
sudden. Burglars often happen about in
that way"
But what are burglars? Burglars-bur-
glars-that is a strange word
The man really did not seem to know
what burglar was
Why. don't you know that burglar is
one who breaks into peoples houses at
night to steal?' | asked
But why should he want to steaIq And
what is the need of his breaking into
houses?"
When he said this 1 was convinced the
a M TO-.
some mad house. Those eyes, | had read
OF Just such eyes possessed by mad peopIa
The thought did not serve to calm my APP
prehension, and 1t seemed best that 7 shonIa
humor him.
You know man must have things
things to eat and other things-and IL he
hasn't got them and can't get them hon.
estly, l suppose ii is but natural that he
should steal, especially If 1t is coming
Christmas and his children are frozen to
death and are starving, with perhaps moth
ing but ice and cold winter blasts apajnst
their fevered browse
was nervous and perhaps not particuI,r
ly coherent in what | said
This all sounds very strange to me-" nv
visitor replied, with look of calm thought
fulness in his great lustrous eyes DO bur
gtars all nave starving children?''
I think so, most generally: starving chill
dren or invalid mothers or mortgages or
consumption, or something of that sort"
"Strangei Stranger said INV visitor
thoughtfully, as If thinking out loud. "Peo,
pie who starve and steal! Why should thew
steal. when every one Is ready to give?
And why starve, when no famine is in the
land?' " 1
1t did not seem If he were asking these
questions of me, but L thought poIiteness
| required that l should answer.
or course. you know. 1t Is not those who
nave everything they want who steal. It
Is those who haven't anything who Green
around at night and take from those who
nave, and the matter of starving comes
from not having anything to eat. which is
particniarly apt to happen near Christmas"
The stranger took two turns I'D and down
the room, with his head bowed as if In
thought. "
1t seems that 1 have fallen in with
strange people" he said to himself Then
turning to me, he asked:
rs what you tell me common among
your people, or have you had a famine
which has overturned the proper order of
things? l do not rightly understand such
a condition of affairs. How can il he
among people la5orng side by side each
doing his share for the glory of God and
the uplifting of mankind, loving each other
as himself. and all sharing the blessings of
God. and the fruits of their united EFFORTS
being common, that some go hungry and
cold while others have, and that some steal
II ~ rh..k I@I-