The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-23
SELECTED STORY.
The Reverend SIMPSONS Christ
mas Gift.

The Reverend Sampson Beatty strobe about |
his study one cold morning in December,
and looked threateningly on his little wife. |
One would have thought, from his manner, |
that she had committed some grievous sin, |
for she clasped her hands together with a
gesture of entreaty, and followed him about |
pleadingly with her eyes.
There had never been missionary for wo-
mans rights up among those bleak hills, and
The little wOman's education in this way had
been sadly neglected. She never ventured
upon expostulation with her husband, and
when he was vexed, not only gave him the
first but the last word.
Fortunately for Mrs. Beatty, her husband
was as gentle in spirit as he was pure in
soul, and would sooner have cut off his right |
hand than added one care to the many that
beset her, so sorey against his will.
SIT is bitter humiliation, he said at
length, the hot color flaming into his cheek. |
81 never thought should descend quite so
low as this Lucy-to have people gong about |
with subscription paper in my behalf, as if
were a very pauper and in the full vigor
ofmanhood, with health and strength and
head to work. God knows do work early
and late; am no laggard in the vineyard.
Is not the laborer worthy of his hire? '' t1i
but, Sampson, said the little wife, "you
know 1t Is quite customary around Christmas
time; and they mean it for the best-I am
sure they do. But if you feel SO badly about
IT., she adding, noting the frown deepening
on his brow, 81 need only speak to Mrs. Bey.
erly, and it can be stopped; only ''-the low
voice tatered. The minister had looked
down upon his wife, and smoother her hair
tenderly-"Only it would be a terrible disap-
polntmeut to you, dear; is it not so? No
wonder your pride is crushed and your spirit
broken, my poor child. Don't think for a
moment forgot my little helpmate, bearing
the brunt OF the battle and wearing cheerful
face to hide woful heart. l know all the
patches in the wee jackets, dear, and the
sklllful darning in the carpevs, and heard the
sad lament OF the little ones over their lack of
sugar tnls morning. Once for all, Lucy,
don't think l am ungratefUl or Indifferent
enough to be ignorant of even the details of
our poverty. | know their full extent And
now leave me to myself, little woman, Let
them do as they will. If it will serve to
make you happier, will try to be content"
Mrs. Beatty went quietly from the study
and left her husband to his rueful rumina-
tions. He bent himself over his unfinished
sermon with heavy sigh, and felt in his
heart that his life had been failure. When
he looked back upon his lost youth he wept
In very bitterness over the hopeful yain-glo-
rious dreams that had vanished one by one,
and left him upon this wintry morning almost
desolate. He had in that youthful onset pic
tured to himself a life of chivalrous strife and
lstry with the burning zeal and earnest self
sacrifice OF Savonarola But he felt him
self, as the years rolled on, veritabe Don
Qulxote, struggling with windmills. Gigan-
tic and powerful windmlls surely, for they
represented all the petty pass ions and mean
nesses OF the human heart; but they were of
that cailbre that they blunted his weapons
and rendered his strife almost ridiculous.
Were all these years of study, these haugh-
ty resolves, and glorious determinations, to
DE wasted in entreating stupid clod-hoppers
10 remain awake for one little hour upon Sum
day, or in endeavoring to reconcile Mrs.
Jones to her neighbours bay-window?
Not once did he see glimmer of light in
the faces of his parishioners when he ex-
pounded to them, with all the eloquence and
force with which he was capable, the epistles
OF the apostles; nor did they show the least
enthusiasm when he read to them sermon
over which he himself had wept with emo
ton.
''Can it be welr', murmured the wicked
parson. Ito people paradise with souls like
theseP'
1t seemed as if gulf widened between him
and his people day by day, and soon he
should not even be able to stretch out his
hand to them.
In the mean time, however, Mrs. Beatty
went about the house with smile of genu-
Inc joy upon her face. Mrs Beverly had
limited that they would probably raise seven
ty-hve dollars for the Christmas gift, and the
little Woman's imagination exaggerated this
sum of money into a fortune, and reyeled in
the abundance in store for them.
On, If she could only have the spending of
the money herself-she knew so well what
they most needed! But of course this was
out OF the question; beggars could not be
choosers and Mrs. Beatty went joyfully back
TO her sumptuous visions-rolls of flannel
an
Gus coffee, aromatic tea, the whitest of sugar:
Jars OF jelly; pickles, hams, and sausa9es
!acKets lor johnny, needle-work for baby, a
doll-baby for Nell; perhaps, oh. perhans a
musty old book for Sampson; ali these and
more passed and repassed through her brain.
and the brown eyes frightened, the lips shap-
ed themselves into smile, as cheeriIy she
rocked her baby to sleep on that cold Decem-
Der morning.
When night came, and the children were
sound asleep in their little bed, and baby Law
In his wooden cradle, the Reverend Sampson
stole into MS Wlfe'S room and took an easv-
chair by the fire. Such was often his cns-
tom, and at these times there was look of
rest and joy in his face that betokened well
1or the power OF that gentle woman over the
gaunt, hard-featured man. For hours and
hours they talked together, and it was Main
TO be seen that these hours were the hapni-
est OF the poor gentleman's life
Dld she then listen wide awake and atten
lively to the expounding of the epistles of tbe
apostles? And did the brown ewes fiji with
tears and the lips culver with emotion when
tne eloquent points of the sermon reached
her ear and her heart? Well, no, The Rev
erend Sampson never ventured upon theoIo-
gy with his wife, nor ever read to her ex-
tracts from his favorite authors.
L mink. little woman" said the Reverend
sampson, that you have spent at least three
Tunes that seventy-five dollars in your mag
, oh no, DEAR replied his wife; ssfor Mrs
Beverly can get things so cheap. ssYou can't |
imagine how she beats people down, Tier
you know, they always sell things cheaper to
a minister" P0i W
'The poor wretches are considered worthy
objects of charity" said the minister BIT
tery. rf -
Now, Sampson" said his wife. feeling
quite brave in her own little sanctum. eft is
queer 70 me that you folks always preaching
II 5a aon take to 1t kindlier, and not bind
~ uown TO all sorts of rules and forms. lam
sure tney always show me respect enougb
oHe would think were princess,
pearl among women"
You don't think they'd get a sewina-mo-
chme r said the princess, irrelevantIy.
81 don't give them credit for sncI
said her husband. -" WISE
mo, no." said Mrs Beatty, hastily. ssit
would be shame to swallow up ali the mon
ey with one thing"
!, wen, what would be nice, Lucy p" said
Inc parson with generous encouragement.
Then she commenced enumerating such
quantity OF delicious probabilities that the
reverend SIMPSONS face lighted I'D with a
smile that deepened and grew broader tin it
actually eliminated in laugh-a startIino
thing from the lips of the Reverend Sam,
son. ''''niP
And Wen get pony and a COW. and
l n set OF fandangoes for the parlor windows
= 1.au brand-new silk dress for little motber3 :
bic Les, one of these days, please God" said 7
.,o no h;oothlng daunted. Il should not :
s,otS era DIT if they gave you suit of broad.
The minister's face flushed wratbf,,u I
81 don't think they'd vent mraInlully' i
ndgnity," he said, with an imnl;od upon pom that
his voice. eu 'iileat In l
Mrs. Beatty looked upon her bush..,. 5
hreadbare coat and saw its darned @r;i+
lands with a wistful expression of counfe- Z
lance, but warned in time, she changed the !,
ubject speedily. :
80 it came about that under the magic in
luence OF his wife, even this Christmas char