The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-07-11
CIT MIGHT HAVE BEEN,o

Twas horribly lonesome What could
| do with myself? 1t is only about
Christmas time that the responsibility of
my individuality hangs heavily upon
me: my business engrosses me for the
most part for l had been more sue
cessful in money matters than In any
other interest in life. But now the
holidays we've here. Everything i'll my
neat chambers were orderly ana COM
| Portable: and | had real satisfaction
in the feeling that they belonged to
me. But how lonesome they We're. A
fellow Just passed my window with a
covered basket on one arm, and on
the other happy looking woman chat
tering gaily as she walked. Well, |
might have had Il wife, if it had not
been for Charley's perfidy-yes, and
Emmas too, for ! suppose she was as
much to blame rs he was.
l wonder If either of them were to
blame? Love goes where it Is sent,
they say, and | really suppose they
could not help loving each other. Poor
Emmal Proud, splendid woman |
should like to know what her fate has
been. 1t seems strange that L have
never heard one word from them since
| that Christmas eve on which they
eloped. She WAS to have married me
before another Christmas, but Charley
was younger and handsomer than |,
and there were such brilliant lndlca-
| lions of genius about him. Strange
that they have not been realized; and
surely they have not, or ] should have
heard. O, if L could only see them
again. | had forgiven them both be
| fore the expiration of the first year, III
my anxiety about them for how could
| | forget the charge of my dying
mothar2 "Taka him Panl, she said,
''be good, and tender and true to him
all the days of your life. No matter
with what ingratltude he may repay
your kIndness-forgIye him not only
! seven times but seventy times seven.
| Be to him more than a brother, my
trusted child; till my vacant place tor
| him. Say to yourselt-lt will be true
there is no crime on earth that would
children out. The more abandoned,
the more wretched they become, the
more my affection shall comfort and
solace them; until, at last, with pa
| thence that never wearles, and zeal
! that never flags, and love whose
strong wings bear all burdens upward,
[ will land them within the portals of
| that eternal home where sin and sorrow
can come no more forever.
| And now four years had slipped down
| the thread of time, each adding to my
anxiety, until felt that | would gladly
give all my accumulated wealth for the
! sight of their dear faces once more.
| ! will get away from these torturing
thoughts, | said will go out and seek
some adventure praying my good spirit
| to lead me where | can make a Christ
mas for somebody though | may not
have one for myself / put on my
wraps and started. The streets were
shone and what an array of Christmas
cheer they illumined. And then to see
the toys-O, if | had only child to
make happy with gift. Why, here is
a whole bevy of ragged little urchins,
shivering around pastry cooks win
dow. Now, good spirits, whose duty
it is to inspire us to generosity, | shut
commit no act of disinterested benevo-
lenee tonight; but will make these
youngsters happy if you will grant me
some reasonable recompense. SO l
called them i'll, and bought as they
directed. They were SO engrossed and
SO joyful that they forgot to thank me,
and departed with arms full of good
things for their different homes But
when they were gone the old lonely
feeling returned to me, and thought
intentionally of my bachelor Christ
mas again.
L passed the next day somehow. |
gave good deal to friendless little
ones on the street-God's children
still holding firmly by my compact with
my spirit friends, and asking frankly
for reimbursement. Why not? Have
not we the promise that IT we cast our
bread upon the waters, after many days
it will return to us?
On Christmas morning as | passed
out of my door, | found child sitting
quietly on the steps eating bunch OF
raisius. He looked hearty and com
fortably though poorly clad, that at
first l thought he must belong to some
of the neighbors. But no. ] had look
eel at all of these longingly and SO ten
derby, | knew them as well as IT they
had been my own. L thought I'd speak
him
"How do you do, young man ?
"Dood morny," he said slowly, IN
rich baby contralto.
| did not know what to say next. No
matter-he did He took n wet ralsln
from out his rosy mouth and handed 1t
to me.
"Aint 90 hungry, poor man " he
said.
l declined his hospitality, but his lips
quivered, and tears came INTO his eyes.
80, yes l said quickly seeing what
allied him, 81 would like to have some
raisins :" and stopped down beside
him. His face instantly cleared and he
commenced feeding me - alternately
putting one grape in my mouth and one
in his. thought [ WAS doing hum a
favor; he knew he was doing me a
favor. and as the grapes disappeared
began to look uneasy,