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About The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1885)
T THE OLD AND NEW. A CHRISTMAS STORY. "Here , Nora , throw these branches out on the street , we must not litter the room , " and Mrs. Loring handed Nora , her upper servant and faithful friend , two small branches which had been cut off the great Sunday-school Christmas tree which they were trim ming. Nora was a kind and loving soul , and when Mrs. Loring handed her the branches of pine she ran down the stairs and out on the sidewalk , think ing that it was a pity to throw those beautiful branches away. A ragged , dirty girl was standing at the chapel door , looking curiously in ; she had a hardened , wicked look , and when Nora appeared in her pretty , dark dress and apron trimmed with rick-rack , the girl made a face at her. But Nora saw below the dirt and ugli ness , be y the hard crust of hateful rebellion , into the heart which God loved and for which Christ died. "Would you like these branches for a Christmas tree ? " she said. "Here is a quarter to buy something to trim them with. " It was her last quarter till after Christmas , but Nora did not mind that then. The girl's face hardly changed ; she did not hold out her hands for the greens , but seized the quarter wolfishly and Nora sighed as she ran back. Nance looked at the quarter hun grily , turning it over to be sure "it warn't filled in , " and then stooped and picked up the branches which Nora had dropped. "Dick shall have 'em and the money too , " she muttered , "but I must be fiyin' round , or Sal 'ull beat me again to-night. Christinas ! If they'd ha' let me into that church last Sunday , I might ha' found out for Dick what it's all about , but the gal said as how no new ones would be 'lowed till next Sunday , and then it'll be over ! Well , I'll hide these and be off ! " The girl ran up an alley and shoved her branches behind a barrel , which was frozen fast in a corner , and then she hurried off to the junction of Broadway and Fifth avenue , where she begged from passers-by. It was a lucky day for Nance ; people are in clined to be liberal just before Christ mas , and ladies with their arms full of bundles dropped pennies into her hand , some of them with a thought of what their own girls might be but for God's goodness , some merely to relieve their purses of cumbersome coppers. None reallv cared for the girl , for she was not "by xny means attractive. None ? fes ; one < voman did care. oj ce in the afternoon , as Nance was rattling her pennies and thinking she might treat herself to a stale bun and a cup of coffee , she saw a lady coming toward her with a little boy on each side. Nance was shrewd enough never to let a woman with a child go by , for she had learned that , from some cause or another , such an one seldom re fused her a copper. "Please , ma'am ! " she whined as the lady and her boys passed. The oldest boy pressed his mother's arm and looked up in her face. "May I give her my ten cents ? " he asked. The mother looked at the hardened , dirt > face and "No" rose to her lips , e but some God given impulse changed it to "Yes , " and she added , "You two boys may run on to the shop window while I speak to the girl. " Eob handed Nance his dime and then Mrs. Hating said gently : "Couldn't you earn a living instead of begging ? I'd buy you a broom if you would sweep a crossing. Then , after a while , you might get something to sell. Would you like to try ? " " 'Taint no good , " muttered Nance. Mrs. Haring stopped in her earnest ness and said : "My dear girl , it's worth trying ! Either you can grow up a good , true woman , as God wants you to , or you can go on begging and perhaps before you know it stealing. Come to my house for your Christmas dinner here is my number and I hope you will be able to tell me you are earning , not begging , a living. Shall I buy the broom ? " "Please , ma'am , " said Nance very humbly , and with a strange stirring at her poor heart. So they joined the boys and Mr. Haring chose outagood , stout broom for Nance. Rob was greatly interested in the whole matter , and whispered to Nance that the pud ding was just splendid and mamma would give her lots of turkey. It was too late to begin business that day , so , with her broom in one hand and the branches of pine in the other , Nance went back to the wretched lace where she lived with a woman DOWN THE CHIMNEY. weak hands gave up "trying to lift the boughs , which seemed but a feather's weight to Nance. " t "Why , Dick ! " the girl exclaimed joy "here's it'll be ously , your Hower-ppt just the thing ! The dirt's in it yet I'll wet it up a bit and plant 'em shouldn't wonder if they'd grow ! " Dick's eyes lit with hope and eargerly he watched as the girl stuck the branches in , tying them together and making quite a pretty little tree of them. "Now , to-morrow night I'll put the mother's step would it be firm and soft , or heavy and tottering ? An hour after , she came up thestairs ; she had kept away from the corner store and was more like herself than she had been for a long time. More like herself , but , just for that reason , more utterly wretched and discour aged than we , who have never been enslaved by drink , can guess. "Is that you , mother ? " asked Dick in the dark. "Oh , won't you lijjht the lamp , so s 1 can see my Christmas tree ? What does Christmas mean , anyway ? I asked Nance , but she couldn't tell. " Mary Wall's heart smote her that her boy should ask such a question. "Why'it means it means well , it's Christ's birthday. He was born on Christinas day. " "Christ ! Is He the 'Jesus' that you talk about when when " The woman flushed : "Yes , He is Jesus Christ He is God , and He came on earth as a little baby. " "I suppose He was rich and grand even when he was a baby , " asked Dick LI-if mill 111 III'I ' I llMnH TREE.LIif LIGHTING THE CHRISTMAS TREE. named "Sal , " who boarded several girls and boys , making them beg for her. But before she went to "Sal's" room , Nance climbed to the attic of the house next door , and going in without knocking , she flung the branches down on a bed in the corner , where lay a sick child. "There , Dick , that's a Christmas ! And I've a whole quarter to spend on stuff to put on it pretty things ! And I'm set up in business , Dick , and I'm a-goin' to be good just think of it , Dick ! " The crippled boy was glad to see how pleased Nance was , and very glad of the pretty , green branches. Poor little fellow ! It did not take much to make him glad. "Have you got time to fix 'em up like a tree , Nance ? " he asked. "I seen a tree once , when father was alive and before mother took to drink. It had bright balls on it and candles and candies. I'd like you to set these up. My ! Ain't they heavy ? " andthepoor , things on , Dick , and we'll have Christ mas we two ! And then the next day I'm to go to dinner at the lady's and riltry to bring you some of the pud ding and turkey the little boy told me of. " Then Nance had to leave , while Dick waited in the gathering gloom for his MERRY CHRIFIMAS curiously he did so love a story. "Noindeed"saidhismother slowly. The Savior's wondrous love and con descension dawned upon her as she told the "old , old story. " "No , in deed ! He came as a poor child He was born in a stable " "Why , that's worse than a garret , " put in Dick. "Yes , and then , when He grew up He went about doing good. But at last they nailed him to the cross " The child gave a long , shuddering sigh. "But He came out of the grave , Dick , and went up into heaven , and there He is now. " "Don't He care for us , mother ? " said Dick after a pause. "Don't He care for little lame boys like me ? Do you think He remembers about Christ mas and likes us to have a tree ? " "Yes , I do , Dick ; I know He cares shame on me that.I've not taught you better ! He loves us and wants us to > FORGOTTEN BY SANTA CHAUS. pray to him. " The poor mother fell on her knees , sobbing bitterly , but angels rejoiced at her tears , for she , too , prayed at last "God be merciful to me , a sinner'x ! Dick felt very tired after this and enjoyed his mother'sgentlecare of him and the cup of tea and bit of toastshe prepared so lovingly. Then he fell asleep and dreamed pleasant dreams till the morning broke. Nance was very fortunate the next day , for it was "slushy , " and no one claimed the crossing she chose. She worked hard and kept it thoroughly cleaned , so that one and another as they passed by felt that shehad earned a penny and she had a great number by the end of the day. Tired , yet wonderfully happy , she dragged her self , cold and dirty , up to Dick's attic , but when she threw open the door fehe started back , thinking that she must have made a mistake. But there lay Dick ! "Come in , " cried the boy , "come in ! Mother's just gone out , but she'll be back. Oh , Nance , she knew about Christinas , and it's just lovely Jesus Christ was born on Christmas and he loves us still , and mother and me , we're going to do just the best we know how , 'cause that pleases Him and you can talk to Him and askHim whatever you want. " Nance stood still , amazed. The room had been thoroughly cleaned , even the flower-pot in which the greens stood was scrubbed. "Well ! It's splendid , anyhow ! " she said at last , "and I've bought lots of things for your tree. See hens o' candy and little candy chickens and dogs and a big elephant ; and here's lots of pop-corn all strung the woman says I'm to hang that on the tree and just look a-here ! " and Nance lifted carefully out of its tissue wrap ping , a little figure of an angel. Dick gazed with happy eyes ; then the two dressed the tree. I don't think any big tree ever gave more pleasure than that little one. In the midst of their fun , Mrs. Wall came in with a New Year's cake for Dick and such pleasant words for Nance that the girl hated to have to go away. Mary saw how she lingered , and said : "Why can't you stay here , Nance ? You're welcome to half o' my bed , if you care to stay. " Care to ! Nance was only too glad , and Mary did not have to give a hint as to clean face and hands , for the girl stepped out to the sink in the hall and splashed away vigorously for ten minutes , coming in with such a rosy face that Dick asked for a kiss at once. But you want to hear of the dinner at Mrs. Haring's ? Well , it was just wonderful to Nance. She had a nice place set for her in the kitchen , and Rob waited on her , loading her plate with turkey , cranberries , sweet and white potatoes , with side dishes of to matoes , onions and beets ; but , to Rob's dismay , Nance ate very spar ingly of the turkey and potatoes she knew she could tie them up in a paper , while the tomatoes couldn't be car ried , so she ate them ! Rob ran to his mother and she , sus pecting some reason for the girl's want of appetite , went to her and said : "Eat all you want , Nance , and if you have anyone at home to feed , I'll put up a basketful. " Then Nance told of Dick and his mother , and an hour later , Rob , his mother and Nance were riding over to the alley , Nance and Rob taking great care of a basket filled with good things for Dick.