The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-12-20

Ill were Wise Man
1t would do my part
Yet what can give Him.
Give my heart. Christian Rossetti
All KIN'S CHRISTMAS TREE.
I have more than once reiterated the
following simple story, by word of mouth,
for several reasons. In the first place, it
is as strictly true as it is strange; in the
next, it enables me to justify gratitude in
II quarter where justification is seldom
accorded; and again because it places our
patiently suffering, much abused John
Chinaman in better light, and shows
him to be as fully susceptible to humane
and generous treatment as his more for
tunate fellows of the less slanted optics
and less pronounced expression of nose
and chcck-bonc.
AS the winter holidays Of 1856 ap-
preached, they found me in very un-
enviablc state of mind.
I was living, with my family, in the
little mining town OF Red Gulch, not a
hundred miles from Marysville, Califor-
mia. A continued run of ill fortune had
reduced; me from the proud position of a
mining Spectator on my own account to
the superintendency of small average
paying quartz mill. 1t was barely suffici-
cut to subsist on in the provoking hard
times that prevailed. Long continued ill
success had broken my spirit and under
mined my individual energy, and it was
only by observing the strictest economy
IN everything that my good wife and 1
managed to make both ends meet in the
conduct of our household, and at the same
time send our three children to respect
able school, and preserve an outward SEM
blance to the thrift and decency that had
distinguished us in our prosperous days.
and one of our sources of annoyance
Just at the time of which was speaking
was that our little ones would have to be
put off with their Christmas tree, to which
they had been accustomed once a year
from the time they were born. But they
took it better than could have been ex-
pected when their mother prepared them
for their disappointment beforehand.
Tommy, the eldest, who was veritable
little philosopher in his way, stoutly as
serted that he had outgrown such childish
luxuries, and would manage to make
merry enough if We would treat him to a
new pair of boots, of which he was sadly
in need, poor fellow.
Bella also pretended to think nothing
of the disappointment; but if little Jenny,
whose brief recollection could not include
more than two Christmas trees at the
furthest, looked little downcast when
told that Santa Claus would this year have
nothing for her but a cheap doll and q
picture book, she did not whimper about
it, but bore it like a trump.
Still, know that they feel the disap-
pointmcnt bitterly at heart, said nv wife
sadly; "and / hope we shall be able next
Christmas to make amends to them"
"Suppose cut one of the dwarf frs out
on the mountain, and hang it over with
sugar plums and cheap candies?" 1 sug-
gested. 1T would be better than nothing. :"
II don't think it would after tho beau
t'ful and expensive trees to which the
darlings have been accustomed"
"Thon let US think and say no more
about it," said with some impaticncc.
81 wouldn't mind their disappointment
so much" continued my wife, ''if it was
NOT constantly aggravated by the Cameron
children, next door, who are forever crow
ing over, our chicks by describing the
magnificent tree their parents are going
to provide for ther.''
II have a notion to move to- the other
end oftown," Ifexclaimed, biting nv lin.
for MtaCameron was one OF my employ
crs, and the one who most persistently
reminded me Of my dependent position,
having known me in other days when
was asswell off as himself.
THAT would cost more than q we'll
loaded Christmas tree, am afraid" said
my wife =
Just then Master Tommy came stump
ing in +fromSchool, with his satchel on his
ARM. and brighter look on his face than
I had seen it wear for some time.
"Hooray!' he cried, "we're going to
have asChristmas tree after all -
eyes indeed" exclaimed Bella, who
just then made her appearance at his
heels, towing in Jenny, whose eyes were
also dancing in her head ia better and q
more wonderful tree than is in all Cali
fornia.'' = ~
"And where is it to come from ?" said
in much surprise. -. .
"Ah Kin is going to give it to u.s."
But my wife and myself burst out laugh
ing at this.
An Kin was simple minded, Chinese
laundryman, who had formerly been EN-.
ployed by me In my little shaft on Feather
River, when I was delving for gold on nv
own account. He had been taken with q
dreadful fever, from which only the most
unremitting care on our part, together
with fortunate doctoring, had restored
him to life and usefulness though to the
latter only with impaired and broken
faculties. He had never been strong
minded at his brightest, and his conva-
lcscence left him SO devastated of his small
store Of Oriental cunning as to verge upon
imbecility, while his physical energies
had only recuperated sufficiently to en-
able him to earn a precarious subsistence
at a neighboring laundry that was carried
on by one Of his countrymen. He had at
first joined q showmans enterprise in the
capacity Of i''the great original Chinese
juggler," a. vocation in which he accord
ing to his own accounD had been a pro-
ticient in the towery kingdom; but his