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206 mother it leaves in sadness, and I grieve her now still more.” “ So he sat for a long while and lament ed, until he at last heard the watchman call out the hour. He came with his lan tern down the street, and sang: ‘ In the still and holy night, Christ from Heaven came down to earth ; Peace to all men hath He brought, Joy to every Christian hearth.’ “ Then the boy saw by the light of the lantern something before him shiuing in the snow, and picked it up as a plaything. But the watchman walked up to him and asked, why he sat upon the street in the night and cold, and did not go home. Crying, the boy related how he had lost the last groschen, with which he should have bought oil; how his mother always wept so much since his father died, and that he could not bear to see how she would grieve for the lost groschen. “ ‘Then come with me,’ said the friend ly watchman, ‘ I will give you oil; but then run quickly home ; your mother will distress herself about you. 7 “ When he took the child by the hand, he felt something hard in it, and asked what it was. The boy showed him the shining thing and said that he had just found it in the snow. “‘lndeed!’ cried the watchman; ‘ be hold what Christ-kindchen has here given you! This is certainly a gold piece ! For a gold piece you will receive a quantity of groschens, and your mother can buy bread and wood to-morrow.” “Then the boy was very happy, and after he had received the oil from the watchman, he ran to his mother, who awaited him with anxiety, and related to her everything that he had seen, and how he had lost the groschen and found the gold piece. “Then the mother wept, but for joy, and took her children upon her lap and taught them to thank the holy Christ child, that he had not forgotten them in their need, and had made them so rich.” By the time Herbert had finished his story, for which all the children thanked him, their papa and mamma announced that it was time to open the drawing room. Mrs, Elliott rang a little silver bell which was near her hand, and imme diately the doors were thrown open. What a blaze of light there was, and what wonders met their eyes! There, in the centre of the room, was the most beauti tul Christmas-tree they had ever beheld. It was covered with beautiful flowers; birds of all the brightest colors, made of candy, were perched upon the boughs; the branches were literally loaded down with the loveliest boxes and bags filled BURKE’S WEEKLY. with sweetmeats,and with oranges, apples and bananas. On the table, underneath the tree, were the presents which Her bert had brought them from Germany — wonderful wax dolls for Retta and Mary, a magnificent work-box for Neelie, a box containing a full set of carpenter’s tools for Frank, and a complete set of Hans Christian Andersen’s books for George, published in Germany, but translated in to English, and full of the most elegant engravings. The children were delighted, and we don’t believe, if they live to be old men and women, that they will ever forget that Christmas-eve. A Christmas Hymn. ®REARY grows the winter, Yet o&r hearts are gay, While the bells are chiming. • 5 “ Christmas comes to-day.” the merry Christmas! Rid it welcome here; Sweetest song shall greet it, Day of all the year ! Dreary grows the winter, .Wot a bird will sing; All the flowers are sleeping, Waiting for'the spring. Bat the mew Christmas Fills our hearts with cheer — Day of joy and blessing! Day of all the year! Dreary grows the winter To the sulfering poor, When the tender children Cold and want endure. Give them from your plenty, Fill their homes with cheer j Make the blessed Christmas day Best of all the year. A Happy Heart. B LITTLE boy came to me with a broken arrow and begged me to mend it for him. It w r as a very h and some arrow, and was the iis heart, just then, so I did ler to see his lip quivering, and the tears come into his ey r es. \\ “ I’ll try to fix it, darling,” I said, “but I’m afraid I can’t do it.” He watched me anxiously a few mo ments, and then said cheerfully: “Nevermind, if you can’t fix it —Til be just as happy without it!” Wasn’t that a brave sunshiny heart? And that made me think of a dear little girl whom I once saw bringing out her choicest playthings to amuse a little home sick cousin. Among the rest was a little trunk, with bands of gilt paper for straps. Careless Fred tipped the lid too far back and broke it off. He burst out with a cry of fright, but little Minnie, with her own eyes full of + ears, said: “Never mind, Freddie, just see what a cunning little cradle the top will make.” Hear little Minnie went to live with the angels a few years ago, but we have a great many such sweet memories to keep of her. Keep a happy heart, little children, and you will be like sunbeams everywhere you go. Written for Eurke’s Weekly. JACK DOBELL; Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas. A STORY FOR BOYS. CHAPTER XIX. IN QUARTERS AGAIN THE LOROS —SIGNS OP SPUING JOINTED SNAKES AND IIORNED FROGS —A DROVE OF WILD HORSES— A ROAD DISCOVERED —DISAPPOINTED AGAIN —WALKING ON THE PRAIRIE. AEFT to return from the digression upon snakes, and back to our house, where Flacco and my self again took possession of our comfortable quarters for the ' \ night. During the night I heard the howling of a gang of “lobos,” a large and very fierce species of wolf peculiar to Texas and the plains of New Mexico and Arizona. They are lar ger than the black wolf, and in their form and color somewhat resemble the hyena. Their howl is also very different from that of the common wolf, and when camp ing out at night a.one in the prairies, it always seemed to me the most melan choly, mournful, and lonesome sound 1 ever heard. Several instances have been known, since the settlement of Texas, of their attacking persons when benighted on the prairies, and once I was myseif with a party that rescued a hunter from a gang of them, who, but for our timely assistance, would undoubtedly have been torn to pieces in a few moments, but, upon this occasion their howling gave me no uneasiness, as I did not suppose they would venture up to the house, and even if they had done so, I knew that Flacco and myself would be perfectly safe within its Avails from their attacks. Nothing else occurred to disturb me during the night, and the next morning I rose betimes, and as soon as I had pre pared and eaten breakfast, I shouldered my knapsack and set out, intending to follow the edge of the cane-brake down wards, to ascertain if there was no road to be found in that direction that would take me across it. In the bottom I noticed to-day m 1111 3 trees in full leaf, an indication that the season was rapidly advancing, and a va riety of wild flowers, too, were beginning