The Poorhouse Waif and His Divine Teacher

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did he continue to watch Edwin's pockets for coveted articles like the stones, but from the match-safe in the kitchen to the purse of Mrs. Fischer in the bureau-drawer he stole frequent

bring, and dreading her punishments for tattling, he kept all such knowledge to himself. Even when blamed and abused for the things

told lie after lie, and when accused and blamed by the grocer and othe

e saw an outline of the wonderful Blue Mountain of which he had at Christmas time heard many weird and frightful legends. Blue Mountain was one of the tall mountain-peaks that stood out a little apart

In order to know to whom the presents were to go, he sent out his elves into the homes to take an inventory of the lives of die children. These reports were to be returned just before Christmas eve so that

d not like to think about the great mountain any more than he could help. It was little wonder that he felt this dread, for to him S

elf inferior and in the way, there was no opportunity for him to improve. When company came to the house, he was ordered to remain in the kitchen or in the yard, but never in hearing-distance, and he was always too busy to visit

h to which she was pointing. Seeing that he was unable to tell one letter from another, she shouted at him: "Ed, you blockhead! there is no use for you to try to learn anything, and I will never spend any money for books to help you to disgrace me any more." Then so great was her cruelty that the child fell prostrate a

ble to unravel the untruth that had been related to him about Blue Mountain; and when told that the time

heard Elmer say a few days before that eventful night. "He never

pointed time arrived, Edwin was ready and seated in his chair even before the remainder of the family had retired. Then, while his cousins were thinking of the happiness the morrow held in store for them, and the children in other homes were dreaming of the sweet stories to which they had listened concerning the Christ-child and God's great love in sending his only Son as a Christmas gift to all the world, Edwin heard a sound in the yard as

t red blouse elaborately trimmed with white cotton batting in imitation of white fur, a sunbonnet of fad

rike terror through the heart of a more enlightened mind, and Edwin, with the remembrance of the suf

arge pack of toys that were upon his shoulders. As the sack was laid down in front of the old

sn't going to get it in, and when they did"-here he pulled out a long strip of paper that appeared to have writin

plenty for him to have at least one toy, but his name was not called. There was a hobby-horse, a top, a horn, a

er, who was the child's own uncle disguise

at if you touch any of these things that I have placed here for your cousins, you'll find out what Old Nick can do." Then with a wave of his hand he said, "Come on out here now before I

the frightful being, Edwin went breath

he top. The other things are for his sister and brother. Now that you have seen these nice things that are for goo

ce to ooze from the deep gashes. When the hand was withdrawn, the lash fell upon his body. Next he was told to dance and then to sing and at last to pray. As he each time tried to obey, the whip was used upon him. The dance and the song were both very crude, but the prayer was the words that he had learned from the old lady at the alms-house. Those word

ame conscious, he was alone and the room was cold. Painfully he arose and by the aid of the lamp th

scher and caused a dazzling brightness, but it did not erase the many footprints that had been made the evening befo

hey examined in turn the beautiful gifts, and then-was it possible? He thought he heard the youngest child i

Ed hasn't anything here. Santa Claus, you know, doesn't bring gifts

elves had carried concerning the pebbles and the other things that Elmer had taken dishonestly and what explanation they had given regarding the lies. But there was seemingly no way for Edwin to know these things. His storehouse of knowledge was apparently closed,