Evening star., 1903-12-19
CHRISTMAS BOX FROM HOME.
Gladdened Hearts of Missionaries in
Old DayS

A number OF tie pastors IN this city have
served their time as home mss onaries IN
out-of-the-way places Of this country. and
the stories they tell of tLeir Chr.s;n ses
under these conditions are interesting "s
well as pathetic.
All the year round they have worked on
small pittances of. say, s. a month half OF
which they were never able to get from the
miss .onary board. When Christmas tme
came. it is true geHerous members OF ther
focls would seld them a few vegetables
and perhaps some clothes but this did not
make the day seem Ike a holiday, because
these same parshioners had been donating
Ike things all tie year-they had to do so
to keep the ministers alive.
1t was only when "a Christmas box came
from home that real pleasure WIS experi-
enced. The indescriDabie fun OF pryins open
the uig box or barrel and gOlns tnroUSn IT'S
varied contents-"Ah they say, none but
the missionary can know what that isl
One local minister tells OF his eXpef ence
many years ago in a little town in iowa. He
and his family had been subs.s,ing Tor
months on the donations of kind frIenus. As
for food they had been fairly well sup
piled but Christmas came with nearly
every one in the family sadly in need of
some hing warm 10 wear
IF only somebody would send US n Christ
mas box, fun of overColis and mittens and
hoods, they sighed again and again, as the
time drew near when they began 10 think
more than usual of home.
Christmas afternoon they gathered some
what coziIy around the little wooden table,
with the wood fire cracking in the open
fireplace beside them. They had a pretty
good dinner thanks to the friends, and they
were preparing to enjoy il immensely and
to forget, temporarily, their thin garments.
To be sure. there was 20 turkey or chick
en-. or minCe PIE or candy, on the table, but
these things if they We're missed were
never mentioned The father and MOI her
might probably have been able to detect IN
the eyes of the little boy and girl the long
ing for piece OF sweetmeat, but of course,
they couldn't have il, and that was the end
of it.
Before the first fellow had begun on his
dish of potatoes and ham, there was a
knock at the door. The preacher answered
II and admitted a man carrying a box
his shoulder-a Christmas box. at last! 1t
looked small, but maybe it contained some
mittens and muifieS
"A Christmas box contained anything
anybody wanted before it was opened in
those days said the minister who was tell
ing the story.
They were almost afraid to open it right
away-the anticipation was so pleasant.
However. at last it was pried open and it
was found to contain-a turkey. some mince
meat, a iivc-puuud bag of candy and every
thing, in fact, that was needed to make the
Christmas dinner complete. But no mittens
or mufflers-only things to make the heart
and the stomach warm-nOt the outside of
the body.
The mother and father looked dsappoint-
ed for moment. Then there was a burst
of cheers from the boy; the girl grabbed for
some candy and suddenly uncovered a doll
and then Eer brother found in the bottom of
the box-a train of ears all made of tin!
Christmas Real Christmas! What did
they care for clothes-when they were warm
in their hearts?
That was the best Christmas 1 remem-
ber, the preacher concluded.