Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-12-17

La Sitfltts0OriIell iI'it'kett in nm
article dealing with Christmas tn the
Euutil in wartime: m t*rs euiss
\ Que time ain old llll,oE man was SIT
ting in Ills little cabin On ii mOuhtaiu
side on Christmas eve listening to the
cold wind howl over Il world of SHOW
and wishing that be had Il lire to warm
Him when he heard the cry Of little
child away out In the cold, The old
man hobbied to the .dypr and looked
out across the snow. and the wind
came rushing in and made him shiyer
so that his "onliest two teef'' chartered
with cold Again the cry came across
the snow. and he wished with all bis
power of longing that he could 60 out,
and find the unfortunate little one for
the primitive cry Of a little child always
goes straight to the heart A third
time the cry came. and a miraculous
power. seemed to ill the old mani8
veins. His muscles became tense and
strong. and he stepped from the thfesh3
old into the snow. the crutch falling
back In the cabin.
In an instant he was walking over
the expanse of frozen snow with an
activity he had not possessed since he
used to go to camp meetin'.. BY and
BY he came to little child caught in d
snow bank. He lifted the child, and as
its little form. touched him new
strength came into him, and the small,
burden seemed to give him wings to-
speed back to the little cabin He put
the child on the bed. drew the ragged
guilt around 1t and looked about to- see
If there might be q piece of Furniture
of which be could make q Ore 10 warm.
his small guest, u III,
At that instant he saw q great log
Foll across the threshold ana into tha
fireplace. The little child was hooking
at it with eyes like stars. and they.
sent CLEANS Of light that kindled the
log with the most brilliant fire the old
man had ever seen. and the dingy
little room was filled with radiance
and warmth that brought glow to
the soul as wen as to the body and
seemed to food the world with light.
Az the light wrapped the child In d
shining glory he laughed q laugh that
was like song Of the heart and iloats.
ed up and away. The old man turned
bis eyes to where the FIRE burned and
watched the flames leap In opalescent
tints oyer the log forming the shape
Of q cross in fire.
AT this point In the narratiVd Br'er
Simon usually became greatly excit-
ed, and his eyes kindled as he went
on in his rich dialect:
DE flames er de cross spread en-
chase after one ernudder, a-crawlin':
EN- a-cFeeptn' ip en- out ca, around en-
about. a-skadlin. hyer en- a-skadlins
dar; a-lippin up higher and higher;
tirs' q III blue blaze would e9Ine. dkll
q yaller one, den bright red one
would fare up. en- den de blazes would
all mingulate darsefs teFgedd red
en- blue en- yaller en- white would IN
mix Wid de kindleation coInrs IL de-
rainbow, en craekle en- cfaclxle ca In
higher en bigger en- bigger de cFaclSlea
agettep' louder en- louder. en- de blayea
gIttiA' bigger en- bigger
AS the old man watched all this dis
play suddenly ana magically appeared
table covered with 4 Christmas feast
such as had never been spread before
bic eyes, and never again was Ne hnn-
gry Or cold. and never was there =
Christmas IN old Virginia after thar
without the Yule log ana HE Christ.
mas child to give It Light and warmth