Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-18
CHRISTMAS MORN
FORUNFORTUNATE
Story of the Child Disappointed
in the Vision of Saviour
as Beggar.
ANENT SANTA CLAUS FUND
Argus Preparing to See That Hundreds
Of Little Ones Are Not Over
looked at YuIetide Season.

sat unQer the instruction OF a teacher
OF fine character and understanding
of child life. She had interested he'll
pupils many times in wonderful stor-
les, and among them had told them
the beautiful story of the Babe
Bethlehem, of His birth in a lowly
manger, of His early youth and wis
dom. of His great loving kindne =
and brotherly love, of His acts of char
ity and the thoughtfulness as He grew
in years, and of His suffering and
death on the cross.
The little girl of our story became
deeply interested. especially in the
story of the Christ Child, and, wide.
eyed, devoured everything that was
told her about Him and begged 70
more of the beautiful story. So inter
ested and engrossed in the life OF
such a lovely character did she be-
come that she conceived a great long
ing to see the Christie have Him
give her His blessing-to look in His
pure face-that she prayed fervently
night after night with all the faith OF
a child. that He might he revealed
unto her. For she had been told that
the Christ Child is among us if we but
have eyes to see.
One might a bright vision appeared
to be in her sleep. A white-robed an
gel came to her and bending down
with His white wings lowering over
her. whispered that her prayers would
be answered-that on the morrow
early she should see the Savior The
angel told her He would come to her
home, would knock at her door, and
that she should admit Him and re-
ceive His blessing. The child was
wild with delight and could scarcely
await the coming of the bright day
when she was to see the beautiful
kind Savior. Morning came and she
eagerly awaited the expected knock
at the door. But she had not long to
wait, for scarcely had she started the
day when a gentle wrap at the door
summoned her to it. She threw it
open-wild with expectation and
pleasure to find-not beautiful white
robed Savior-but a ragged, sick, dirty
beggar. She closed the door quickly,
shutting out the unpleasant sight, and
cried bitter tears of cruel disappoint-
ment Again she prayed for view of
the Savior, and again an angel in a
vision told her that on the morrow
the Savior would knock at her door,
and three nights in succession the Wis.
ion appeared, and three days she was
when she opened the
door in response to a knock, only to
find the poor beggar.
Becomes Charitable Woman.
With the bitterest of disappoint-
ment the child that night complained
in her prayers that she had three
times been promised a visit from the
Savior by a vision that had appeared
to her-that she had prayed each |
night that on the morrow He would
come and bless her, and each day only
a poor beggar had greeted her when
she answered a knock at her door.
She was soon fast asleep, when sud
denly a vision more lovely than any
previous one was revealed to her A
form radiant and beautiful appeared
to her and said, Three times has the
Savior knocked at your door and you
did not know Him-a stranger, hun
CRY, athirst and sick, and you minis, |
tered not unto Him. He came in the |
form of a beggar and you did not |
Inasmuch as We did it not to one of
the least of these, ye did it not to !
Me- The child's eyes were opened
she grew to womanhood and became
a great good woman, ministering to
the poor and afflicted, believing that
some day she would be ministering
10 the Christ Child. The story is
beautiful-its application is patent.
The Argus is making a special eff
tort this year in behalf of the poor
children of the city and is endeavoring
through its Santa Claus Fund to reach
many who approach the Christmas
season with all the faith of childhood
hat Christmas morn will find them
surrounded with gifts and warm cloth
ng which the good Saint Nick has
eft on his journey over the house
ops and down chimneys the night be-
ore. and who are bound to be disap-
pointed if The Argus Santa does not
intervene in their behalf. Unless The
Argus Santa Claus looks after these
children there will be bitter disap-
continent among them and many a
title heart will ache, it would seem.
.lmost to bursting.
All Can ASSIST.
The Argus has told its plan so often
on must know it. Funds are collect
d each year by free-will Offering and
ut into a fund which is used to buy
fits for the poor children of the city
nd where necessary warm clothing
S mittens, caps. shoes. stockings and
Underwear, etc, but always some gift
hat will please them and which they
eel is not a real necessity. COM
littee of ladies, of which Miss Dina
iamser and Mrs. c. T. Dugard are the
hairmen. look after the buying and
OF the gifts. carefully in
estigating each family to ascertain
he merits of the case and find what
; best 10 give the children of that
articular family The Argus has a
st OF over 500 children-it does not
1ok after the grown-ups, other or
anizations do that-who are expect |
d. s-0r, CIana