Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-01-11

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dow-pane; and didn't get much hap
/ pier thinking about it, | can assure
/ YOU / drank glass after glass OF the
wine, not that l enjoyed its flavor any
more, but mechanically, as it were, and
with a sort of hope thereby to drown
unpleasant reminders. | tried to at
tribute my annoyance IN the matter to
holidays, and so denounced them more
vehemently than ever. | got up once
in a while and went to the window, but
could see no one to whom the pale face
could have belonged.
"Atl last, in no very amiable mood, l
got up, put on my wrappers, and went
out; and the first thing / did was to
run against small figure crouching IN
the doorway. A face looked up quick
~ at the rough encounter, and / saw
the pale features of the window-pane
| was very irritated and angry, and
spoke harshly; and then, all at once, !
am sure / don't know how it hap
pened, but it flashed upon me that |,
of all men, had noright to uttera harsh
word TO one oppressed with so wretch
ed Christmas as this poor creature
was. couldn't say another word, but
began feeling IN my pocket for some
money, and then | asked a question or
two, and then ] don't quite know how
it came about-isn't it very warm
here z" exclaimed Bachelor Bluff, rising
and walking about, and wiping the per-
SEPARATION from his brow.
Well, you see," he resumed, ner-
vously, sit WAS very absurd, but | did
not believe the girls story-the old
story, you know, of privation and suf-
fcrlng, and all that and just thought
I'd go home with the brat and see if
what she said was all true And then
| remembered that all the shops We're
closed, and not a purchase could be
made; and / went back to the restau
rant, and persuaded the proprietor to
put up tor me hamper of provisions,
which the half-wild little yormgSter
helped me to carry through the snow.
dancing with delight all the way. And
isn't this enough!"
mot bit, Mr., Bluff. We must
have the whole story"
II declare" said Bachelor Bluff,
"there's no whole story to tell A
widow with children in great reed,
that was what | found and they had
feast that night, and a little change
to buy them loaf and garment or
two the next d2y; and they were al so
bright, and SO merry, and SO thankful,
and 50 good, that, when | got home
that night, | was nightly amazed that,
ingtanl ~ 20 bod Il Il,
days, | was IN a state of great content
ment in regard To holidays. In facB |
was really merry. Iwhistled. / sang.
| do believe | cut caper. The poor
wretches / had left had been so merry
over their unlocked FOR Christmas ban
quet that their spirits infected mine.
"And then I got thinking again. OF
course, holidays had been miserable 20
me. ! said. What II sht had a well-to-
do, lonely, oil bachelor lowering WISE
fully III the vicinity of many happy
circles, when all aDput there was Sc
many people as lonely as he, and YET
with want. Good gracious :,
| exclaimed, ito think of man com
planning of loneliness with thousands
OF wretches vearning FOR his help ard
comfort, with endless opportunities f1r
work and conpany. with hundreds OF.
pleasant and delightful things to doL
just to think OF 1t, 1t put me in a
great fury at myself TO think of it. /.
tried pretty hard to get away from my
self. and began lnveDtlng excuses and
all that sort of thing, but | rigidly
forced myself to look squarely at rny
own conduct. And then | reconclied
my conscience by declaring that, If
ever after that day d hated a holiday
again, might lay Holidays end at once
and forever
Did / go and see my proteGscs
again Wha5 question, Why
well. no matter. If the widow is COM
formhle now, Itis because she has found
a way to earn without difficulty enough
for her few wants. That no fault of
mine. would have done mora for
her, but she wouldn't let me. But inst
let me tell yol about New Year's-that
New Years day that followed the
Christmas I've been describing. 1t
was lucky fox me there was another
holiday only week of. Bless you,
| had so much to do that | was com
pletely bewildered, and the hours
weren't half hong enough. l did make
a few social calls, but then | hurried
them over; and then hastened to my
little girl. whose face had already
caught touch of color; and she, looS.
ing quite handsome in her rev froeil
and her ribbons, took me to other poor
folk, and-well, that's about the whole
story.
"Oh, as to the next Christmas.
Wei, didn't dine alone, IS you may
guess 1t was mp three stairs, that's
ty.ne or1 thorn WINS upne of that Gle