The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-12-29
Mabsrs Christmas Gift.
By D CLARK.


the words that day. From early dawn
she had toiled at her needle.
The bells were Ginning eleven and
Mabel stood, dripping and shivering,
on the threshold of the wretched tene
ment, one OF whose poorest apartment:
constituted her home. The night was
Oakland stormy. and she had had 6
long walk, through the driving rain
and sleet, from the acknowledgements
in which her.rich employer dwelt, tc
the humber one that contained hen
own miserablelabode.9
"a merry Christmas, Miss Mabel
and here's a Christmas gift fof you"
said. a ilitrIe sadumpy J old gentleman,
tonching her as she was about to
ascend the steps, and thrusting a
erumpled slip of paper into her hand
What sharp eyes the little old gen
tleman must have had torecognize hel
in that dim and shaASwy light, for ii
took the secoudA glance of 1zMaber's,
y5ung and keen as they werejto make
outsfhe Jolly features of Mr.. Went.
worthS who, had once employed her &c
copy omc papers, Tor which he had
paid her literally.
Mabel wouidhave said THANK you
for the gift,Hwhatever il was ; but be.
fore she had time to do So, the little
Old gentleman was off. fpita
No wonder Mabel started when SIZE
lit her lamp and inspected her present
Such are seldom made outside oil
story-books. IT t1ds a check to bearer,
Of. eas@ the city baaksI for fire hundred
What a mGuniicent gift TO come
from one almost a stranger And
hos opportunely it came too! She
would be Athletic pay off the aErearage
of now, that had given her so
much trouble,
Mabel went t6lsieep with her treas.
uEeiqnder her pillow; and while she is
dreaming happy dreams, in which q
face She has stfiyen hard to Danish OF
late, is constantly coming mp, let us
tell the reader who she is. 17us
mabel Gfeason's father-she had
lost her mother in early infancY-was
. wealthy merchant, whose Study it
had been to lavish on his daughter,
and onlyIehsld, every possiblel indul-
geuee, and to adorn her with every at
tainable accomplishment. 1t is not too
much to say he idolized her; and had
her heart been less true, or her head
less steady, she must have been totally
"a Financial crisis came, eliminating
ina crash, among the victims of which
was fMabels father. Crushed, and
broke in spirit, his health gave way,
and the end of a few months sa
Mabel an orphan and penniless, for
nothing had been saved from the wreck
Of her fathers fortune
Feeling she could better bear her
altered condition among strangers she
had left her native city, and sought a
home and employment in metropolis.
The result we have already seen.
Nj. WentwortE's check was duly
honoredAit would have been good for
an handredfold as much. Mabel,
keeping out no more than sufficed for
pfesentIneeds, desposited the balance
in 9 savings bank. She took a tidy
room in a respectable street, which
she was fortunate enough { secure OH
moderate terms, and straightway, adj
vertised for pupils in French and music.
+oFtaae-seemed to-snfile. ON Mabel
at last. She rendere I SO complete
satisfaction to the first few pupils that
gave her a. trail, that she soon. hadas
many as she could lake, Her income
enabled her to add to f2see1do { dim
inishingA her deposit in the bank; and
she was beginning nos to be SO rigid
now in her Punishment, during her
waking moments, of that face that al
ways fcouM come up in her Dreams
Bat a shocking blow was IT. store
for poor Mabel. She was on her way
from "the house of a pupil one day,
whensa stranger accosted her :
sTam sorry toltroub'e you. Miss,
butit is necessary you should go with
1s-I-am-a-Aeteetive, and have. a
warrant for your arrest. As / am not
in uniform, no one need know you
ana b custody t,
inWN you not. at least inform me
OF WHAT Fam accused 2" Mabel ven
tured to ask.
E"MY Instructions are to answer no
questions" said The man doggedly.
"YQu will learn allsat the police-ofice;
and it s my ,opini9nstAersoene we go
there the better.p
Seeing no alternative, AMabelac-
gulesced, and walked in silence at the
side, Of the officer.
When confronted with the Judge
"a shrewd, but withal pleasant look
ing gentleman, on a high seat-she
was not so much intimidated as might
have been expected. She had had
time Ito collect her thoughts by the
wayIand there is ever a true courage
innocence, that makes the weak strong,
and inspires the timid with the bold
ness. t,t- -.t
will you be. good enough to tell
me, sir, why 1 have been brought
here" Mabel asked, in a voice so. gen
tie and musical, and with a flush on
her faff ke far from b~etokening guilt.
thaehA Hohorforgot the prisoner,
and remembered only the lady.
"You presented a check some. time
since. Miss Gleason, for five hundred
dollars, ~purporting to be drawn by
Mr. Wentworth on the - Bank,
on which you drew the money"
ss-"I did" Mabel answereda"it was a
Christmas present from Mr.. Went
worth himself. He gave il to me at a
charge so unaccountable.
s"N1r: Wentworth has been sent for,
and will be here presently" the judge