The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-12-19
SILVER LINED.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

1t was a lovely, bright December
morning. The shops were overfiowing
with pretty and elegant things sugges.
tive of Christmas presents, and the
usual gay crowds thronged the New
York streets and stores. Master James
Desmond, familiarly known as "Jim, "
found himself walking, he could hardly
have told why, up Broadway and toward
Fifth avenue.
Why he was sauntering in this direc,
another, will always remain mystery.
Perhaps the luxuries, the famous grapes,
attracted bin to take a nearer inspection
of their beauty. He was certainly out
of place in the neighborhood, and when
he aattened his poor, little, starved fea-
lures against pane of plate glass, and
viewed the temptations beyond, there
was something pitiful in the contrast
thus unconsciously shown. For Jim
was ragged, bare-footed and dirty; a
jacket several times too large for him
gave curious dwarf.like effect to his
figure, and his matted, unkempt hair
hung wildly over his hungry brown eyes.
He kept his cold, dirty hands in the
pockets of His rusty trousers, but there
was nothing to feel in them-nothing.
He had no money to invest in papers !;
behind him were the back streets, their
squalid population, and the garret where
his mother was lying sick and penniless.
Before him lay the beauties of wealth
and taste SO Jim kept on.
From the various restaurants in the
neighborhood of the Fifth Avenue hotel
came appetizing odors, and Jim walked
more slowly and glanced in at the envi-
able beings seated at the bright, little
tables. Despair cannot always be read
on the features, or certainly this child's
face would have won the pity of one OF the
elegant persons rustling by. No one
saw in him chance to keep Christmas
in deed Ct love and charity. Christ
presented in the form of ragged, starv-
ing child is to most people unattrac4ive.
So Jim walked on unheeded. Near
Thirtieth street his attention became
fixed on the handsome equipages dash
ing down the avenue. Even hunger
gave way to admiration, and on the cor
ner he stood still in amazed delight
At this minute faint cry of terror
reached him. and be looked behind him.
A nurse, frightened by an approaching
carriage, had started for the pavement,
leaving the wagon. in which was a lovely
smiling child, standing in the middle of
the street.
Jim dashed forward as he took in the
situation, caught the back of the wagon
and pushed it from him out of harms
way, the plunging, rearing horses Just
grazing his back and ankles as he fol-
lowed it. 1t was done in second. The
child was safe, the carriage had passed
by, and Jim stood alone on the sidewalk
looking after the departing nurse, whose
"naercS, naerci," was puzzling his re-
turning senses.
Poor Jim He did not realize the
grandeur of his act; but not even to re-
ceive thanks seemed strange to his con-
fused notions of politeness.
The door of the house behind him was
now opened, and lady called to him in
a very light voice: "Come here, little
boyI"
Jim entered the frescoed vestibule,
and was asked a perfect catecbism of
questions, ell of which he answered
simply enough. There was not much to
tell.
81 cannot go to see your mother this
week, because 1 have all my time en-
gagged, but next week 1 will try and find
your room. Now, as 1 know who owns
the child you saved, I want you to come
back here to- o-morrow and see its father
and mother. They will help you. But
will give you some money now, so that
you can get your poor mother what she
needs"
The lady gave Jim little card with
her name and address on it, and rolled a
five dollar bill in a paper and put it in an
old purse which she gave him.
Jim felt dazed. He walked off retrac-
ing his steps, from time to time feeling
the purse IN his breast-pocket, afraid to
look at it lest it might take wings or
some one might steal it.
After while hunger again assailed
him; and Jim thought of Fulton market
and its stores of good things. III he
could go there first and buy some food.
how surprised his mother would he
The doctor at the dispensary had recon-.
mended good beef soup and steak. Az
the time, diamonds would have been as
possible. Now, Jim had visions of a