Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-12-25
MY CHRISTMAS GIFT.
BY LOUISE DUPEE.


1t was the day before Christmas, and
few entered the dining-room of our
boarding house with more dropping
spirits than usual-Gertrude, John and
/. Tom had not yet arrived; and, not
withstanding the landlady's melancholy
warning that our dinner would be
spoiled, as we'll as his own, we waited
or him some time, sitting round the
festive board. Not that that board was
especially inviting, or the spicy but
plebian odor of sausages particularly
agreeable to our accustomed nOstrlls,
but we missed Tom, and had no luxuries
set before us when he was away. Then
Gertrude had placed the little bouquet
of roses and pansies which John had
lust brought her between the broken
nosed eravy-dish and melancholy
plate of saleratus bread, and the bright
blossoms counteracted depressing eff
fects, and limited that it was a sunshiny
word, in spite of poverty, and the
gloom of boarding-houses. 49, .Ha -
There were no other bOarders in the
house at present, and madame did not
think it worth while to make, an extra
effort to please such an Improbable set
as we, who occupied attic rooms, and, it
was very evident, were nobOdies. In
deed, she regarded us with such bitter
ness, that, strange to say, we sometimes
felt as if we were the cause of her fallen
fortunes, and ate the thin, consumptive
holiday mince pies with a feeling OF
guilt,-tne very raisins therein crying
out against us for nard times and the
proving upon lone widow. -
In old days, when the table was full,
she sometimes smiled, little, frosty
Her eyes were red, and her sorrowful
nose sharpened to a point. The rich
oid-gentleman boarder, who had the
most charming invalid's appetite for
mush had gone where landladies are not
nor any more tears. The dry-goods
clerk. who lent such an air of style and
elegance to the establishment by his
fine dress and fine manners, thought he
wasn't appreciated by his fellow-board-
ers, and went where they were more
young ladies, and consequently more
appreciation. The old-bachlor mer-
chant, who, although he might have
to find fault, had been taken in by the
wiles Of a pretty school-mistress across
the way, and was committing the folly
of housekeeping. The retired minister,
who had enough money to support
himself comfortably without making an
exertion to save souls, did not dare to
trust the small, white light of his piety
against such a background of ini-
quity,-card- playing, dancing. opera
going, and the hke,-and had sought a
safer abode. The two maiden ladies
who subsisted on tea and pickles, had
quarreied, after years of soul-sisterhood,
and each mad flown to fresher fields and
pastures new for consolation IN her
cruel heart-wounds. So every week
there was more mush, and less pastery,
more beet-pickles and less sugar, and
the "days darkened round u.s." and
hope grew DINNER. But we were usu-
ally a very jolly set, of young people,
regular Bohemians, all of us, used to
ups and downs, and disappointments,
but defying the worst that fate could
do, with our merry spirits. And now
it was not falling off of our daily food
alone which cast the little cloud over
US, by any means, though to the
healthiest souls too much oatmeal mush
is shadow; it was the coming Christ
mas which suggested the saddest OF all
words, sit might have BEEN"
John and | were brother and sister.
Gertrude was my friend, and Johns be-
trothed; Tom was Johns friend and my
betrothed. John was journalist, Tom
was an artist, Gertrude wrote stories for
magazines, and | was a music-teacher.
We had high opinion Of each Others
ability, and confidence in our own; but
as yet We had won more poverty than
money or fame. We hoped prodigious-
", we worked moderately; our castles
were the most wonderful ever set a.
floating by silly young souls, and when
they tumbled to pieces, we sighed lit
tie at first, then laughed like children,
and like children, proceeded to build
them again higher than ever. f
But we were beginning to be too old
to be so careless, even FIR gypsies, and
looked life and ourselves inquiringly In
the face, and were trying to be i'll earn
est in something besides loving and
hoping. John wrote really powerful
articles, full of fire and v;gor; but some
way he was always on the unpopular
side politically, and his fine satire was
continually touching the wrong per-
sons weak points; otherwise, his sue
cess might have been great.
Tom painted charming pictures; his
coloring was almost equal to that of the
old masters, thought. and his drawing
wonderfully fine. Bat the public is slow
to appreciate merit, though it seemed
TO have opened its eyes of late, and,
having sold one or two landscapes sue
cessfully, the dear fellow felt himself al
ready on the Hottest heights Of fame