Newspapers / Orange County Observer (Hillsborough, … / Dec. 24, 1892, edition 1 / Page 1
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4 ft I ESTABLISHED IN 1878. HILLSBORO, N. C. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1892. NEW SERIES--VOL. XII. NO. S, I Y our READ THIS Durham 1 hi; -THE LARGEST- Wholesale and in this Want to Do Business With You. The trent pur' haVs for each of our large departments hare arrived, and -with - i.r unpn ( r rh ntod far ilitit.H for gathering Merchandise From Every Commercial Place Known to he DRY ''OODS, GROCERY AND HARDWARE wrld. It is vrith i vtra .r.liaaiy pncio and pleasure that we greet yiu In presenting the most 'nip'e'c ami low-priced stock of Fall & Winter Dress Goods, !ik. Trimming. Velvets, Carpets, Men' Clothing. Ha' U-1 -. Mj-si- and Infants' Wiups; Blankets, Comforts, Gloves and Shoes. OUR t Grocery and Hardware Departments :r the hrgest in th South, p; i n -I'l l -at .'sfuction. .'. u' 'i f?- for We buy Old Hickory and Piedmont Wagons. COME TO If ..tn prucs arr not cheaper than other merchants on dry goods, groceries s ( I 'tiiir.t:, li it and hardware, we don't ask you to buy. . ' Remember This Store is a City Within Itself Where You C an Get Anything You Want. HTl'verj thing retailed at wholesale prices. Sate money by calling on The Durham Supply 6oM Durham, W. C. '! l Fiir.ELWi), im?ci; (Grocery and Hardware Departments. ' A MOnKLKV, Manager Dry Goods Department. Fall and OUR STOCK OF L T Foil M F.N. WUTlb, BOYS AND CHILDREN, Cannot Be hatched Anywhere n N't!!. Ouohna. in point of mak-., ilnish will a elegante -f mnttr a!. We and k:.M.v . tfcrtt- .ur Our tock alfo inc!u '!. Gents' Furnishing Goods, Hats, soft an i stiff. evt-r shown e Money CAREFULLY Supply Rotail COouso country, in CAR LOADLOTS, and guiranUt BEE UBJ Winter ! O :o; H II M e and perfect form-fitttn ,u inatch them with any b. Hr off the palm. g qualities, a? stock. ' a;o!irnent of- A t ill hue cf Boots and Shoes. i H. i k. ATER & CO., Leadino-Clotliiers ! CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS. From heaven to earth at night's high There flashed a ray of sacred fire, ( And Nature's voice was all a-tona j With songs of sweet desire. O wondrous night ! O holy morn ! When peace and harmony were born. 4he anthems of all Nations ring Over the seas from shore to shore; Tlie song the Christmas joy bells sing Echoes fcrevermore, O Christ! to think. Thy baby hand Could grasp and hold so many lands May joy abide in every breast 1 May loving thoughts and kindness sway The souls of men to quiet rest, For Christ was born to-day I Let bitterness and envy cease. And all Hie children be at peace! O spirit of this Christmastide, Abide with us, and give us power To conquer upon every side The battle of life's hour. f And grant that we may know with Thee The joy of Immortality. Helen S. Conanr, A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. BY MRS. M. C. HALE. GH ! said John Blake, stamping off the snow and swing ing his arms about. ?&-n -tuis is me .comest r Christmas eve I re- time, wnewi Shut the door, Frank Quick! What on earth do you let in any more air than necessary such a night as this?" Farmer Blake had finished the chores early to-night, and had just come iu "for good," a3 he said. Everything had been done, except the "lockin' up,"' which FraDk, the oldest boy, was to at tend to, and all was to be ready for "the Christmas fixin';" "the young' una had to get to bed, so as every thing'd be done in season." The farmer sometimes grumbled that "it was mighty hard work keeping Christmas," but if he had been given his choice, he would not have had the day omitted from his calendar for a good sum of money. As fo: his wife, for six months she looked lor ward tq Christmas with pleasure, and back upon it -with delight for the other six months. "There'd be no use liring," she said, "if it weren't for Christmas 4and. chil dren." Frank was now to take the warm wa ter to the chickens, for, a3 the farmer said, "Look's if it might set in for a .good spell o' snow; an' the critters 'd better have enough feed for the mornin', in case we couldn't get to 'em." So Frank pulled down anouier armful of hay, packing it into the manger. He patted old Dobbin and Molly, as, turn ing the lantern from side to side, he glanced around. "There!" he said to himself, "if I haven't forgotten the big key? Too cold to come out again. Father won't think of asking about it, and they are as safe as they ever are." The solemn, slow munching of the animals as they drew out the hay in long wisps, only slightly disturbed the silence as the boy stood still for a moment. It was not a very important matter. It had happened before that the barn had been left unlocked, but only when it had been forgotten, and as Frank thought, "If anything should happen, father would blame me." But the wild sweep of 6eow, as he Opened the barn door, blew out the light, and in the dark, half blinded by the sleet, he fumbled at the latch; until at last, having secured it, he hurried into the house, and then he really forgot. A sturdy boy of eleven he showed himself to be, as he stamped the snow from his rubber, boots, and tossed his wet cap ard "comforter" into a chair. Rob. a little fallow of about five years, had been drawing picture?, as he called his marks, and looked up with a dreamy vir. 'Is is Slowing, father?" he asked. "Now, father'" exclaimed Frank. "Do you hear that? Who would ask' such a question but Robt . Yes, you silly boy, it is snowing, and Hkeiy to keep on lor a good wnile. I" you think it will last all nigtit. father.' "Can't tell,said the farmer. "This timr o' year ain't wuth bettin1 on. Mifiht keep on for a wek, an might dear off 'fore mornin, an" the stars come out." "Mother," said Rob, suddenly raising his head; 'D:d it snow when Jesus was born?" "Land isakea!" exclaimed Mr. Blake. "Hear that now! How d'you suppose we Know,-chi!d? We weren't there!" Mrs. BUke patted the little golden head, but thought-it wise not to attempt an answer. ' "Evemhing in shape, Frank?' caid his father. And Frank, a little ronsrience-strickes, loosed out towar.d the barn door, and said : "Yes. sir; it's awfully cold, too." "I hope no one is out-of-doors to night, ' said Mrs. Blake. - "Did the lan tern blow out, Frank? Well, cow, the scow's drivinc around so, it seem as if Vd fee! better if taere wai,a light in it, ird :? was hung out on the porch. Some M e night b losing their way, jnjt ivt 3J 4 . Jr -Z.Tf want of the light it gives. There's Tery little light bet .veen the Cranford station and the 'Mills,' and anyway. ld feel better." "Pshaw! mother," said her husband; "don't you think the windows give light enough V "Well, the windows will be dark when we go to bed," she answered, "and beside?, no one can see them till they ?et in frcnt of the house. I guess I'll lang it out.' 7 ?: And with the wiox turned up to give a bright, c'tar ligh she hung it by a sail on the outer post of the porch, where t had oiten hung before. ! - The kitchen and dining-room faced '.he Cnmford road, as it was usually :alkd, because it was near the point where several roads from Kahway, from '-he "Mills," and from Roselle, turned mto the one leading to the village of traDford. The construction of the house as very odd, but as the neighbors said 'hen Jane add JMhu Blake set out to build a house, you- might be sure it wouldn't be like any other." And it had not altered their opinion when Mr. Blake explained that as they were to spend most of their lives in it, he didn't see why they should build the best part for somebodv eise. When he built tha barn beside the house, its? door directly opposite one from the side of the kit chen, the neighbors only laughed good naturedly and said: "That's like them, too." 'f houcrh Frank was old en ough to 6taj up and help with the "fixin's," he made no objection to going to bed with Rob, and the two boys snuggled together in the effort to get warm.- "Say, mother," said Rob, as she leaned over the bed to give them the good night kiss she never omitted, "do angels ever come down now?" - "I'm not sure," she answered. c,Some people think they d.Oj but others don't.'. As she went down stairs she added to herself; "I'm one of the people that think they do for awhile." She was thinking of the baby girl who. had lain in her arms, and blessed her life, for one short year. When she came into the kitchen her husband sat beside the bright fire, with both hands on his knees, gazing at the light, a troubled look on his face. , What s the matter,, father?" said his wife, who knew the sighs of mental disturbance. ''Well, there is somethin' that both- ers me, sure enough," he answered. 4 You see, when I was driving back from Elizabeth, this afternoon, I stopped at Derby's and Crane's to leave some things, and cet the turkey trimmings you wanted ; an' they both mentioned 't they'd heard that John Granger 'd been on a spree, an' driven his wife an' child out o' the house, an' locked 'em out, too. I suppose the poor critters '11 be taken in an' cared for by the neighbors near there 'fore this time; but it makes me feel kinder shivery to think she may be out in this storm. Ugh! the wind goes through one like a mowin' machine through the grass !" - Mrs. Black went toward the front window and looKe out on the road. "Yes, it is a bitter night," she said, thoughtfully. "I'd like to feel sure the girl was under shelter. Ah, John, it was a bad day for Anna when she mar ried him. Poor orphan! I haven't ever laid it up agaicst her when she got tha idea that m-irryin anybody was better than being 'bound out' to us. Preity, gentle-spoken child, aad I don't see how any one could iil-treat her. "Tut. Wins low says he's heard her crying out; 'Don't strike ' me again, John!' Ah, poor girl, poor girl! And a baby, too, only about six months old. A girl baby!" "I ain't stopped there of'en lately," . said Mr: Biake; "John has been so of'en half drunk, or all drunk, that it ain't been plea-ant. Wei I., I suppose we'd better begin r'xin' the tree, hadn't we?" "I suppo-t so,"" his wife answered, but she still lingered beside the window. She pres-ed her fac close to the pane, and peered out. The limp on the porch sent a t right treim of liqht out into the read. All about thu- laajUrn the flakes were whirling, like flies and gjats on a summer's night. John ha 1 brought in the tree, placing it in a'coroer of the dining-room, while his wife wa upstairs with the boys, and taking the lamp with them, they now proceeded to trim the tree. The orna ments saved from one year to another were brought out and fastened, the rosy cheekea apples and golden oranges were hung on, the popcorn they .had spent several evenings m stringing were flung over the brancnes, looking as if a flurry of snow had frozen there. The candy ornaments, and list the candles, com pleted the pretty effect. "My!" exciamed Mr. Blake. "Who'd think you could heat up on such anight? It makes one as warm as i-hayin. . Most done, ain't we, mother?" "Almost," said hi wife,asshe stepped'" toward the kitchen door. The light from the porch was taintly reflected on both of the windows, whi!e the inside of of the kitchen was without light except from th fire. As Mrs. Blake looked toward the win dow facing her, she repressed a scream a she saw a noaia's face outiide . With a besting heart at the apparation, she drew nearer trie window. As she did so she sw a- white hand raised, and a slight tap sounded on the glu?. "What is that, mother?" called Mr. B'.ake from the next room. His wife hurried to his side. "Did you hr it, John," she slowlv. heard a tar pin,' sorter." She was worried and troubled. "I saw a face, a woman's I think, against the window," she answered. "And she tapped at the glass . It did frighten me a little, but it must be soma poor creature, cold and faint, nnj be, We must go out and look for her." But John, who hated to leave th warm comfort indocrs, for the cold dis comfort without, suggested that who ' ever it was, would probably be glad to come in. But though he opened the door and peered out and around, ht saw no one. "There'r n3 one there, Jane," he said. Then he added, curiously, "Did you say you hung the lantern on the porch? Well, it ain't there 1" "Now, we must go," said Jane, de cidedly. "Some poor soul is out there, and must be brought in. Set the lamp in the kitchen window, so we can tell where to come back to, and we'll get the Mother lantern from the barn. Wrap up warm, John. Heady? All right." It had taken them several minutes for pieparation, and as Jane glanced toward the clock, it wa3 with a slight thrill that she saw t was a few minutes before twelve. Like the lovers they had been fifteen years before, they stood upoa the front porch, hand in hand, and peered ahead of them. Down! the road, a few lights from the village glowed faint as a glowworm's torch, but ia the opposite directiou none could be seen. Slight mirks, partially covered, showed here and there, but the whit. ?pace seemed endless, looking like white capped waves. The 'Jamp in the window threw its beams far out on the road, and the snow, now falling soffiy, formed a golden haze in the light. The lantern was not where Mrs. Blake had placed it, certainly, and they passed to the side of the house. There, hang ing on the latch of the barn door, was the lantern. V Slowly, for the snow had drifted here, they pressed toward the glmmering light, keeping their eyes fixed on it as if it were a beacon. The snow around and about it, the soft flake falling over it, gave it a weird, uncanny look, like a halo spreading indefinitely until loss in the whiteness around. John shivered and wished he had -stayed in, but Mrs. Blake drew him for ward. Some one had been here. Some one had moved the lantern. In her mind were the words, "And they fol Jowed the star." y They reached the barn, unhooked the lantern, and John then discovered that the door was not locked. "That little scamp!" he muttered. "But as we are here we may's well soe if the critters are all right." And they went in. Old Molly had been led from her stall, and was standing on the other side. This so startled John that he raised his lantern, swinging it from side to side. "There there! John," said Mrs. , Blake, catching at his arm. "In Molly's manner. What is that?" They drew neirer, till the light flashed down on the fragrant Kay h eaped in the manger, on which a woman was crouching; while pressed closely to her breast was a little baby, fast asleep. The mother's dark eyes gleam rd at them questioningly ; fear and joy at once showing in her face. "The baby, John. A little baby in the manger," said Jane, in a trembling voice. "Oh, you poor girl ! Oh, Anna, Anna, why did you not come to me at first?" But the young mother, the cruelly treated wife, had fainted. John carried the slight form in his strong arms "into the light out of the night," while Jane held the baby the baby girl pressed closely to her heart. A short journey, but to the young mother the change seemed like that from death to heaven. To Jane Blake it seemed like a realization ot the ever new Christmas story. They, too, had followed the light where it Jed; they, too, had teen the babe lying in a manger. When Anna had told how she had tried to reach the houe before drrk how, when she did reach it, her hitt had failed her, and knowing how Mrs. Blake- had pleaded with her cot to marry John Granger, she had feared he might not befriend her how the had entered the barn and laid the baby in the warm hay how she had passed from one windw to another, had airn'wt en tered several times when all this was told the rest remained uneaid, bcau.e o well understood by -all. Anna, whom they had all loved for many years, had come baca: to her home. That . wa all. When " in the early morning 3Irs. Blake and Anna aro- and bgan the dally work, Jane suggested tr.at the boys room, which was cea'ei from the kitchen, would be rjlacfi for the babv. rk the P'p fi tetter cfjL-Vb in which Jane and June's mother had been rocked, with its solid sides and ;;oodie top of mahogany, was moved into the other room. Jane smiled to herself as.she heard the boys bare feet on the "fior overhead. She imagined their start of surprise at .tight of the cradle. But shr did not carry her imaginings far enough. A shrill whisper of "Mother!" "Mother!" came, from the stair. B'jth mothers hurned into the hall. 'f quivering wita excitement, stooa on ;ne middle staurt.waiie iraus, hau wise, half mystjied, but wholly curious, was tl tk top both nighlawned, brlooud. "Why," he answtred "Ob, mother!" said Rob, "Angels do come nowadays! One has been itn our room and left a Christmas baby ther. Cacie and tee 1" New York Observer. . Chrltnia Festivities. Modern ingenuity ha wrought oc many inventions, no: only m the ordinar affairs of lif. but in the manner nf rnr ducting holiday festivities The old fashioned Christmas festival has been re constructed, and uo doubt many persona lH.!ieve it to be greatly improved upon. Bat it is a question whether there ever cat be anything better than the Chriitmas tree and dearold Santa Claus with hit white coat, big fur hat and a bundle ol toys on his back. How desr to every childish heart is the story that begins " "'Trsj th ni?ht bof r Christmas, When all through th houi Not a creature wa stirring, Not even a niouw?.' And the stockings banking in a row by the chimney, what a flutter of excite ment is create ! in th little hearts when bed-time comes. However can they go to sleep with the house full of such de lightfu! possibilities, but fry as hard as they may to keep awake, the little lids will droop and cover the wondering eys. The early bird is the happy bird the next morning, and whether the. earliest wide-a-sakc trips down-stairs alone to take a peep, or wAen the whole flock, when all go scampering downto gethcr, it matter . little. The excite ment i. simply intent. And, it must be confessed, thnt the interest in the Contents of taoso woii'lcr.'ui stof kings is not confined a! ne to the youngsters, (tray heads and u riukle I fares do not insure exemption from the i merest in such preciou paictK More thin one smile has appeared on tnv fare of the grandfather or grandmother when some unusually pleasant and much-desired gift Las -found it way through the channels 'xof Christmas to their hinds, aud nnre than once the hen 1 of age hss been bowed and tear have fallen in silence, because the expecte I meineuto has been forgotten or neglected, or has degeuerated into a duty gift, which is of all giviug the mo.t uripaiisfactorv. Pel haps one of the niort interesting t features of Ltimtmas entertainments i a magic-lantern, either of Scriptural sutjets something pertaining to toe occasion, or pure and unadulterated fun. Possibly this idei is the more attractive," and the ' educational -and' serious uiight come in another shape. It may be ques tioned whether it is well tu allow any thing of an absolutely t-criouj nature to enter into Chiistma? rejoicings. It ha been taid by persons of experience that the Christmas uijmory that was the dear est, and remained in tho mind with th most clearness and peaurr was that which was associated with uumix'l fun and hilarity; aud, indeed, there should j be nothing else mingled with t he Christ - mas joyt. There arc enough h luoss and fcornberucss in the worid at otuor times. Lcc us keep for Christmas good choer, kindness of heart, gentle thought aad innocent, even thou-ja boisterous and roiicsorue fnri. L Iger. The Chrltma Spoon. One ol the plca-vintest and perhaps one of the most desirable of old tim customs is thit of presenting to tb mother or ladies of the household at Christmas a silver spoon. The custom was introduced in tho seventeenth century, and wa much ia fashion in England and on the Continent, particu lanv arnonc the nobilitv and nnnr - II classes, and it came to be of considerable significance and importance, inasmuch as the donors vied with each other its' securing tor their wives or other friends such specimens of silver as were not only of ir.trinsic value, but of rare and un usual pattern and of ex uhite finish. And so each spoon naturally carne to b in a certain ere lift one; at .ieat it ould be a .--ouvenir of !u particular Cnmttoa festival when it wa presented. 'I he matron of middi life would hsve suggested mu'.h of her faty history 1 ;'.-' ani experience ov uiipy moving over her Cfitistmas poori. Reside, these gifts came to hi v'uble heirloom, prized and handed d the family line an witnesses of ;hig.s h.m! position, if not of, wealth and antique )ioege. The demand for Ciritma fpoons from higa quarters very t.-itun'ly v.ima li'.ei dea'.er and silver -uitns to, exercise their genius and ski'J ;a dts-igaing and executin;; uuvj fona' aa;J patterns, many of v'.w n w-r- very fanciful and suggestive. The spurns of court bore the name o: the recipients as well s the dite of bestowal ia 1 -any other legend - which the occasion or the fancy of ,-the giver might suggest. Cnri4tma Kt. . lis Pt iy ; s Father ''Why Tom. - what uc. - Tox "Wei!, I've gut my dabts about that Santa CUu story, and i came here to watch the c'dTnicvt. an i hi. I oj'. If there if iich a prrc.''
Orange County Observer (Hillsborough, N.C.)
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Dec. 24, 1892, edition 1
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