The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-05-08


listening in thrilling delight to his
| mother telling him the story. and how
she used to make him zee the shepherds
and hear the sheep bleatins near By.
and how the sudden burst Of glory used
! to make his heart Jump.
Il used to be little afraid Of the
angels. because Q boy told me they
were ghosts. but my mother told mo
better. and I didn't fear them any
more. And the Baby. the dear little
Baby-we all love a baby"
There was quick. dry sob. It was
from Nelson.
ri used b peek through under to see
the little one In the straw and wonder
what things swaddling clothes were.
oh, It was all 20 real and beautifulr'
He paused, and could hear the men
breathing.
But one Christmas eve,v he went ON
in q lower. sweeter tone, 'there was
no one to tell me the story, and I grew
to forget It and went away to college
and learned to think that It was only
a child's tale and was not for men.
Then bad days came to me, and worse.
and began to lose my grip Of myself,
Of life, Of hope, Of goodness, till ono
black Christmas, in the slums Of far
away city. when had given up all
and the devils arms were about me, I
heard the story again, and as I listen
ed, with bitter ache In my heart, for
! had put 1t all behind me, I suddenly
found myself pceking under the shep-
herds arms with a child's wonder at
the Baby in the straw. Then 1t came
over me like great waves that his
name was Jesus, because It was he
that should save men from their sins.
Save! Save! The waves kept beating
upon my ears, and before I knew I
had called out, oh, can he save mer
1t was in a little mission meeting on
one Of the side streets, and they SEEM
ed to be used to that sort Of thing
there, for no one was surprised, and a
young fellow leaned across the aisle
to me and said, why, you Just bet he
cant His surprise that I should doubt,
his bright face and confident tone, gave
me hope that perhaps 1t might be 20.
held to that hope with all my soul,
and" stretching up his arms and with
q quick glow in his face and 4 little
break In his voice, ''he hasn't failed
me yet, not once, not oncer
. He stopped short, and I felt q good
deal like making 4 fool Of myself. for
in those days had not made up my
mind about these things. Graeme, poor
old chap. was gazing at him with sad
yearning in his dark eyes; big Sandy
was sitting very sti6 and staring hard.
er than ever into the flre; Baptiste was
trembling with excitement: Blaney was
openly wiping the tears away. But the
face that held my eyes was that Of old
man Nelson. II was white. fierce, hum
cry looking. his sunken eyes burning,
his lips parted ~ II to CRY.
The minister went on. n didn't mean
70 tell you this. men. Il sll came over
me with . rush. But itis true, every
word, and not q word will take back.
And, what's more / can tell you this.
what be did for me he can Do foe any
man. ana II doesn't make any di6ec.
ence what's behind him, and" leaning
slightly forward and with little thrill
Of pathos vibrating in his voice. ''oh,
boys, why don't you give him chance
at ysuf without him you'll never bs
the men you want to be, and you'll
never get the better Of that that's kespp,
ing some of You now from going back
home. You know you'll never 30 back
till you're the men you want to be-"
Then, lifting. up his face and throwing
back his head, he said, a. II to himself,
"Jesus-he shall save his people from
their Sins" and then. "Let 40 pray"
Graeme leaned forward with bis face
in bis hands; Baptists and Blaney drop.
ped % their knss1: oaaAy,. ths Camp
bells, and, some others. sAoed up.i pOld
man Nelson held bic eyes steadily On
the minister, -, q
= Only once before had I seen that look
% q G'hsmaa face. - gesng fellow ~
breaSss through lthe ice ~, ~ Ilvae 81
home, and 20 the black. watar Wau,
0Fagying his Angess 0as b. enc frem
the slippefy- s0eeo-1AESsa1sovee Ais
fAee hat sane -leok.ss : nao1s SosWaks
up fse many Q night after In q ,eweat|
sf hssssss seeing ~ VIM laet wsth
~ vastiae sps ma ~ Siessu9 lsmb|
eepess aStd ~ bhek watse siswiS
s.skiss y dswn, r - ,.,..,,., -, -,. st,,|
1s,er'S facs, ,brosGAk Il an haek, NJ
aufias ia prayiR ~ ~ sAnl0sa
aAA psened - sstfier iate sssslys ~
sonne sor4 stern. aineak Sisemy, ~ ee q
q nAA WITH his last ehancs bscwe him
ARR ~ prayer NJ. Nsaae .inSltd2
ne .nss 10 q Ohrislmaa dinner. next
yAa Black .RsclE.s ::'And beeapss yue
are - tDaaospdsnAla1 Wein shAxSs fouII
hs1fSa asl,arl g. lhGb aAt AeDvn
II: :shsw.w TAshs lsasinv q G0sole %
ma01siaas and illustrated papsss -
~ tab,e, . gsdssnA - IL nsn, -
oAiA goodby and went out
I was . 80 with ths Einistes. - !
Jumped into the sleikh Asst and waited
while he said goodby to Graeme. who
had been hard hit by the whole sery.