Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-01-10

rant, and persuaded the proprietor tt
/ put up for me hamper of provisions
which the half-wild little youngstel
helped me to carry through the snow
dancing with delight all the way. AnC
isn't this enough?"
"Not a bit, Mr.. Bluff. We musI
have the whole story"
81 declare" said Bachelor Bluff.
"there's no whole story to tell.
widow with children in great need,
that was what I found and they had
a feast that night, and a little change
to buy them loaf and garment o.
two the next day; and they were all SC
bright, and SO merry, and SO thankful,
and so good, that, when I got home
that night, L was nightly amazed that,
instead of going to bed sour on holi-
days, [ was In state of great content
ment in regard to holidays. In fact I
was really merry. I whistled. [ sang.
l do believe | cut a caper The poor
wretches I had left had been so merry
over their unlocked for Christmas ban
quet that their spirits infected mine.
And then got thinking again OF
course, holidays had been miserable to
me, I said. What right had well-to-
do, lonely, old bachelor lowering visit
fully in the vicinity of many happy
circles, when all about there was SO
many people as lonely as he, and yet
oppressed with want. Good gracious =
/ exclaimed, to think of man CON-
planning of loneliness with thousands
of wretches yearning for his help and
comfort, with endless opportunities for
work and company, with hundreds of
pleasant and delightful things to do !!
just to think of it It put me in o
great fury at myself to think of it. I
tried pretty hard to get away from my
self, and began inventing excuses and
all that sort of thing, but [ rigidly
forced myself to look squarely at my
own conduct And then [ reconciled
my conscience by declaring that, if
ever after that day I hated holiday
again, might my holidays end at once
and forever!
"Did go and see my protegees
again? What a question: Why
well, no matter. If the widow is COM
Portable now, it is because she has found
way to earn without difficulty enough
for her few wants. That's no fault of
mine. I would have done more for
her, but she wouldn't let me. But Just
let me tell you about New Year's-that
New Years day that followed the
Christmas I've been describing. It
was lucky for me there was another
holiday only week off. Bless you!
[ had so much to do that I was com
pletely bewildered, and the hours
weren't half long enough. I did make
a few social calls, but then I hurried
them over; and then fastened to my
little girl, whose face had already
caught touch Of color; and she, look
ing quite handsome in her new frook
and her ribbons, took me to other poor
folk, and-well, that's about the whole
story.
"Oh, as to the next Christmas.
Well, I didn't dine alone, as you may
guess. 1t was up three stairs, that's
true, and there was none of that ele-
gance that marked the dinner of the
year before but it was merry and
happy, and bright it was generous,
honest, hearty Christmas dinner, that
it was, although [ do wish the widow
hadn't talked so much about the mys-
terious way turkey had been left at
the door the night before. And Molly
that's the little girl-and [ had a
rousing appetite. We went to church
early; then we had been down to the
Five Points to carry the poor outcasts
there something for their Christmas
dinner; in tact, we had done wonders
of work, and Molly was in high spirits,
and SO the Christmas dinner was a
great success. cid. .--.
"Dear me, sir, mol just as you say
Holidays are not IN the least weari-
some any more. Plague on it ! When
man tells me how he hates holidays,
I find myself getting very wroth. l
pin him by the button-hole at once, and
tell him my experience The fact is,
if were at dinner, and anybody should
ask me for sentiment, [ should say 4:
"'qod bless all holidays ="