Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-02
MY CHRISTMAS STORY.

eame, obliged to earn my daily bread. But So .
Wa, AID IA one of the large sewing ma III ne
enp,Iiums mo matter when One) OF a leading
AM leAn city, held the position OF teacher
fLT several years.
My dates we're very monotOnous, but used
to extract a considerable amount OF interest aud
amusement, whils engaged in giving iostruc-
tiOn- from learning the histOfies-and they
were very VarIed-Of my scholars IL the pro-
verb Il cup OF tea unlOcks the female tongue, |
uni that = lesson on the machine, aud lnlta-
o. into the mysteries of Getting needle, or
winding a bObDin, and regulating a tension,
were even more conducive to communication. 1
DO o. wish to appear egOtlStlcAl, but L mast
con es- - quite pOSer which seemed 20 pos-
SIS Il gaming the confidence OF my pupils,
through my habit of taxing al interest in the I'M;
al tEzt A very font Of an cover true
tsie, perhaps some malicious critic would
cal ms ProPvnsity by no higher mama than Ie-
Even now, though time has brought its
changes 70 me, and 1 no longer haunt the cd
fsmitia- places, / CIT IA hnd mysc 4 ToCaiIfug
Oh. A. Au0th5T among the many rDmances and
stories N Inch l 4 red a. an Interested a. q
sy"P sthetic Listener, AMI Occasionally an IN
So tCttu actor.
tBe U. CO, mt recOlIsction always comes back to
me @ the Christmas tims; ana therefore when
tie season rolls around again, with is merri-
and cheer, it, m stletJe and molly, It- writ
90 anu uHNrittsn tragedies aud comedies Of
tf,, feel like TecOuuting IL 10 others.
lhu position a. lusiTuCtre>s brought me almost
-U-ITtly Ia contact with my own sex. Som times
1 SAd q male puPil-One OF = mildly mechanical
turn. who would wish % become familiar with
fEe aCh ne, - a. to be able 70 assist some wife
~ slstsT, bat the Instruction room, - a ruiz;
Sa- usually quite Tree from frequent visitors OF
t.c stsTHeT sex.
Drr.nS the fall OF a special year I became
conscious, however, that a certain Mr.. Harry
Ice. "A gentleman whom knew to be al init
"a ztD aCq asIhtance Of one OF my employers. anu
shDsc guIJ5 veil knDgn 10 all IN The
v-ta1 isl meht, began occasionally to drop into
~ &c IaTtment and look on during instruction
JOUTr. ne Wa very pleasant anu gsutisntaiy
IA his manners, AMI gave as Al excuse tor the
a. Greet that he toOk, that he Was born Y an
Zee. al therefore very fond OF inventions.
Although there were other teachers, dis1Ov-
cred that he fingered met frequently in nv
vicinity. ana seemed more interested in nv
col ver-atiJn than that Of my companions. l
VA young AZ the time, and no doubt had the
uruai desire OF my sex TO please. felt battered,
perhaps, st his respectful attention, ami JOOs
FsTtCu at pains TO MAKE my ObSeTv atoms on
''Shst know about sewing machines" As in
tsihgeEt a. my limited powers permitted. de
son DC aHp frequent visitor. and sOmstimas
When business vas dull would linger aud con
verse ON other subjects besides the technical-
tie- Of the trade. found that he was well eiu-
e@ted, had travelled considerably in his Ogn
ECHHrTy, aud knew, IS they say, "men and
iuks.' His intimate friendship with one Of
an kTm prevented any remarks ~ 70 ths fire.
quincy Ct his v-iIs. and he III 4de the additional
spoi"gy tor possible intrusion, that he was very
much At hls leisure, and sometimes thought of
csnneCJiug himself with the business. must
sCmit that Wss quite interested in him, AMI
felt pleased when sometimes he would bring
ytfSed and exchanged views, or ask my opinion
CT some magazine article that was enSTOssiuE
public attention. 1 had never given a thought
u his relations In ife-ghether be was N 4Trisi
OF SINGLE, he hsd simply been to me pleasant
ePi-OJe among my daily laSOrs; and the hash Of
has blue eyes AMI MS frank smile, when saluting
NE, i 81 hTst considered as merely among other
usual incidents Of my daily life.
10 was during 8 sOmewhat extended CONVEX
sstiUn, one day, some weeks after our drst &C
suAiBtauCe, that the thought flashed across nv
N At Ea Al pN
happy in connection with bis affections. HIS
OYinIOns Of the female sex, discovered upon
probing ham little, were lot very enthusiastic
or rose cOlOred- Sometimes, when speaking Of
marriage and its relations, thought his re-
Nal k rather cynical and bitter; and once or
twice he criticised some Of my young and fash
iOnsble pupils very severely, seeming 10 have a
very poor opinion of them a. to their usefulness
a. probable wives and mothers l naturally
always defended my sex, and once when
lsughtDgly expressed my belief that IL ever
should see the woman destined to be his wife,
it would 10 doubt be one OF those same pretty,
useless, fashionable creatures against whom 40
rallied 80 bitterly-a look Of pain passed across
bic face, that set me TO thinking that / had
touched a sOre spot in his experience.
We became very good friends eventually; in
deed, am afraid that should l confess 70 the
truth, We INDUCED in a little harmless AMI
pleasant Irritation. / know that 1 WAS always
pleased TO see him; and | sm sure that he or ia
fingered beside me il manner sayJring a lit
tie Of devotion. sui this Was only on the slr-
face; and grew more and more certain from 4
melancholy that often possessed him, that there
Vas some secret connected with his domestic
life OF an unhappy character.
At last, from an accidental remark OF Ons OF
my employers, discovered the 'sskeleton IN his
closet he Wss married man, but seParateJ
frcm his VIE. think that felt little pa;HeI
at the information; and / certainly could no.
help the cOldnets OF my manner when next I
met him. He saw the change, AMI aeked win
his eyes for an explanation, thOGgh not Eigh h.
tongue. Had he token the latter liberty, it Is
very possible that might have told him, an1
then-thls story would never have been written
As 10 was, few hours thoroughly Gained me
showed me something OF the lAprudence OF
which had been guilty, in making - close al
acquaintance with a man about whom 1 knew
literally nothing; and rOused AL the woman
within me- IN pride aud dim suspicion Of re-
verge.
The revenge Was much nearer than could
Possibly have Dreamed; aud unlike most re-
yenges, no sOrTOw Is eDtsiled by the recOIlsc-
ton But Of that anon. Following the dis
eoVery, the first thing did was To enlarge it ov
ascertaInlng p6rtCuiars-kOE, ID matter Of 40
consequence IN connection with this story
no consequence.
He had married petted, wayuArd beautiful
siTl-the only child OF wealthy parents, VINO
Rad by injudiclOus management fOstered every
weakness OF her character. he had formed her
acquaintance, and married her after a short
eOuTtshiP, while on visit to her native town
and alter q few months removed to the CITY
where he now made his residence. He had
brought her home TO the house OF his mother
land type. They were thorough going, pr &C
ncAl women, notable hOusekeepers, slightly
PuIitanical in their beliefs, and holding very
little sympathy with youth and inexpeTience
HE young vile Was lmpulsiVs, unused to dis
e1piiHe or any kind, careless, ignorant OF any
habits Of industry, but warm hearted and sffsc-
nOnste. No doubt = very troublesome relative
70 TIE staid, metLOdlCAl women with whom 81
took up her residence.
Unfortunately for the wife, also, her hus-
oAnd hsd been taught 20 look up to his mother
AID sister az TIE best Of women, and had fOndly
lsnclsd thAt when his new treasure came under
theT control al those little weaknesses OF
which be had soon become aware after mar
riss5 would be cured by their example and adj
vice. But these saBguiue hopes we're doomed
ID early disappointment. Instead of his wife
growing COcile and yielding, she became more
Siitut ard lntTaCtable, Tebelled with a high
spifit sgsin-t any rule, and looked upOn her
ms ara more - = companion with ShOm to
enjoy the Rm1sements OF Fashionable society
thsn ~ helpmate and friend with whom to
pas through the trials and cares OF life. Still
che had Kind heart and warm affections; and
mao more love and sympathy been exhibited In
connection with effort 20 change her habits,
hnd less cold, severe eXactiOns shown on the
part OF her husbands relatives, the event mi yht
nave been better for all. At last the usual Re =
suit followed. QuArrels became OF frequent
occurrence, enlargement grew up between
husband and wife; and 10 was only a wear after
kneiT marriage that the uounu wiKa -opa 50