Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-12-31
NEW-YEAR's PARTY.
By s. ANNIE FROST.

I scarcely knew how to spare q dollar
Spread out upon the little table before me was
the vast sum Of thrty-Gve dollars, every penny
of my savings for one long year, and the New
Year would open i'll two more days. 1t scemcd d
so little, that | could scarcely make myself be
lieve that | could take out the crisp ten dollar
bill had put to one side. Nobody knew had
intended to give Christie New Years gift,
nobody would blame me or feel in the least dis
appointed if | failed to do so. The time had
been where | could give presents of ten times
that value and never miss the sum now sat
looking at the bauk-uote and wondering il
could make my last Winters bonnet last till
Spring, itmy boots would look well until my next
quarterly p0ymentsi and if, after all, Christie
would enjoy the party SO very much. And then
! saw again the pretty face with unshed tears in
the large brown eyes that peruscd the dainty in
yitation, and heard the dainty voice saying:
1T is Of no use to think Of it, mother; have
nothing fit to wear"
Pretty Christie Burgess was the daughter Of
the widow lady with whom boarded. She had
passed her seventeenth birthday, and was a vim
some, bright girl, well educated, but without
remarkable talents. | gave her lessons on the
piano, in singing, in French, in part payment for
my board; and being the only boarder the small
house could accommodate, | was confidential
friend of both mother and daughter, aud knew
that, like myself, they had known better days I;
though, unlike me, there was no bitter tragedy
in their past to rise up and haunt them. They
had lost husband aud father ten years before,
and from sharing large salary he earned in Il
bank, they were forced to earn their own sup
port, their small income Just paving the rent of
the little house. Somewhere in California there
was an uncle Charles Mr.. Burgess brother,
who would keep them, they were sure, had he
known their circumstances, but whose address
they could not tell and who knew nothing of
t1,oir
We often jcsted about the rich uncle in Caifor-
MIA ''iust like a novel hero" Christie said
but think they knew but little Of him person.
ally, as he had resided in 4 previous to
leaving for California, and our quiet home was
in Cleveland.
Some of Mrs Burgess former friends still Wis
tied her, and one of them, Mrs Wharton, had
sent Christie an invitation to a New Years party
at her house. AS soon MS it was positively de-
cided that she should not 90, because u new
evening dress could not be thought of, the
spirit of opposition took possession of me- and
resolved upon the awful eXtrayagance Of pre-
senting the pretty girl with dress for New
Years gift. | could make it myself; and
packed away in my trunk we're few Jewels that
| had kept as a relicit Of the happy days | had
known in the past thought the glowing carbun-
cles would suit Chrstes brown curls as well Il
my own raven locks, and if there was some pain
in the idea of bringing them to light, and lend
ing them to another, Christie's pleasure must
balance that pain.
New Years day was m anniversary whose
very name made my heart sick but, perhaps,
by giving pleasure to this innocent girl, might
lay some Of the ghosts Of memory that rose up
every January to haunt me.
So, in view of all these things, put the ten
dollars into my purse and started to buy Chris
ties dress 1t mnst be white tarleton, decided,
for that was cheapest, and | could make the
-. p.II Il. IL a
and have enough for white silk waist under
the thin fabric, white gloves, pair Of dainty
slippers, a cluster Of white moss roses for the
hair and bosom. purchased but found my ten
dollars already exceeded beyond my calculation,
and so turned my steps homcward, mentally tax
ing new gloves and a few needed "little things
from my own list Of expenditures.
1t was worth it all to see Christie when |
called her to my room the afternoon Of the
eyentful day, and introduced her to the fuery
spread out upon my bed. had worked late
into the night to finish the dress, and had taken
out my carbunclcs with fierce heart-pang, but
when saw the beaming happiness on Christie
face, felt repaid for all.
She was all dressed for the party | had
twined the roses in her hair and arranged ev-
cry fold Of ber dress, before summoned resolu-
ton to take the jewels from the box. Then,
crushing back my pain with desperate resolve,
! opened the case, saying, as earelessly as 1
could
~ have some jewels here, Christie, am go
ing to lend you for this evening"
Oh, how pretty, and how odd = she cried
" never saw carbuncles set in that pattern.
Were :hey made to ORDER Miss Janep'
Yes They were New Years gift to me
seven years ago, when | was your age, Christie.
The giger was something Of an artist, and de-
signed the pattern himself / think | shall
never lay aside mourning and probably never
wear Jewels again, and they viii glow brilliantly
on your white dress, and then, fearing to be
questioned, | clasped the necklace round her
throat, fastened bracelet and brooch, let the