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Entered according to Act of Congress, in J une, 1867, by J. W. Buree Sc Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia.
Vol. I.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
FRANK MOORE, The Blacksmith.
RANK MOORE was the
blacksmith of the quiet
v Fkxge °f Thorndown,
and was known univer
® sally as not only Frank
Moo re,
the Blacksmith,
jf but as good
W Frank, the
friend of the poor.
I am going to tell you,
little readers, of what he
did one Christmas. The
ground was all covered
with snow, and every
tree and house wore a
pure white robe. The
little snow-birds hopped
about on the frozen
ground and thought it
very cold. Everything
looked beautiful, but it
was the cold beauty of
mid-winter.
In a remote part of
the village lived an old
Avidow and her children,
Avho made a scanty liv
ing by sewing and doing
any odd jobs that fell in
their way. This family,
though poor, had a friend
—a true one—and that
friend was no other than
Frank, the smith. .Ev
ery Christmas Frank was their Santa
Claus, and brought them their presents as
regularly as your Santa Claus brings you
yours. Os course they expected him, and
scarcely had Christmas morning set in
before each one was hard at work guess
ing the nature of the expected presents,
their number and quality. Bright-eyed
Kelly was contemplating the color of her
dress; Freddy was dancing with joy in
MACON, G-A., APRIL A, 1868.
Presently they heard a rap at the door.
Each little heart went pit-a-pat, and a
jooyous smile lit up their countenances,
for they knew that Frank was near, and
would soon be distributing his yearly
gifts.
“Good morning, Mrs. May!”
“Good morning, Franky! God bless
you, come in! Your visit is early, but
we must confess we were expecting you.”
anticipation of the pleasure he would have
in spinning his new top; Bertha was in
high glee over the prospect of having a
new doll; but mother! ah, she, good
soul, was in the corner counting mentally
the usual God blesses for her ever-faithful
friend and aid, Frank Moore.
Frank went in and took the seat prof
fered him by Kellie, and after the usual
exchange of comments on the weather,
began the pleasant duty of opening his
basket. Every eye Avas sparkling with
expectation as he unrolled each little par
cel, and their hearts Avere filled with
praise to God for having
given them, through
Frank, a happy Christ
mas.
Each individual antici
pation Avas realized, for
they all received their
expected presents, and at
last Frank took from the
basket a ponderous bun
dle, which puzzled them
to imagine its contents.
“ Something for moth
er,” said Frank, an and
when the process of un
wrapping had been gone
through with, all threw
up their hands in aston
ishment as they suav that
it was a large Bible.
“ Oh, you are so good !
lloaa 7 can you afford to
spend so much money on
us, Frank?”
“NeA r er mind,” said
Frank, “ this Bible may
yet be in my family, for
I Avant you to give it to
Kellie on her wedding
day.”
Astonishment Avas on every face, for
they could not conjecture the hidden
meaning of Frank’s speech. Fiank left
them alone in their happiness, and wend
ed his Avay homeAvard. "W hat he meant
by “ giving Kellie the Bible on her AA Ted
ding day, and getting it back in his own
family,” our little readers will discover in
the sequel.
Kow, Frank had a son—a rosy-cheeked*
No. AO