The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-03-08
THE WIDOW RAY.

Mrs. Ray sat beside her glowing CRATE
gazing into the embers and.plying her knit
ting needles industriously. The rude winds
of December night whistlcd around the
corners of her cottage, ratified the window
blinds and sought in vain for some crevce
through which to penetrate to the warmth
and cheeriness within. The mind of the
widow busted itself with the past. How
short seemed the time since she was light
hearted ,frolicing child, and father and moth
er lavished upon her that corcssing care
which springs only from parental tender
ness. How swectly did childhood glide into
maidenhood, and how like bright dream
was the memory of her first acquaintance of
young DR.. Ray, the minister's son. Then
she thought of the bright summer morning
that had witnessed their nuptials, of the
fresh June roses, and Of the delicate white
blossoms that had been cullcd from her
own flower garden to form n bridal WREATH
and she remembered how her neart had
bounded with JOY and pride when the bride
groom had whispered that tho bride was
iairer than the snowy chaplet.
Thus how sweetly the years had glided by
hearing tboir rich rreiohtoos of ;ov unr
only child, a noble boy, had grown to mans
| estate, and became commissioned officer in
the navy and her boort had cherished him
with mothers fond love and pride.
rhor oo,,,o ,ho r,or,o.,, or dorl.o. 5o,,..
bor brshord hod hoon iri,rod ~, r,,, cro,,
Lie horso an1 Loaa,,,a -, - .s ' ae,'
-
- - go :, ec9 ','"' '''"' ''''
eyr ~ ''''' ''' ""S
,I.,'m To"''.II ,, D'u ST. 0O"n !" S"''' a""
I - ga" po.''',SU' ~ nay
sum "i"I''' '"Ne' '"'' s'e'' so''o"' anu
! "o' ''''o' "'''' ii'"soii''
- mas anu Nlls'
' "' '"o "ho Vi ioi'y -H'o'
"''.o" "''i oii'iuiesS' Du' i't'ie properly
was ie'' A'f-=oniy her pre''y cottage with
's p'o"s'h' sropi'ds' anu even that was
inoI'sa9eo LOT ohe-'hird lis actual value
Du' JUST "hen she hau expected 10 DC de
PriVea OIL th's iast reiic oil happier days the
mortgage hau oeen sent 10 her oy mall ac-
co"poh'eo DF eertheate from the mort
gagec 'ha' the oeo' had Deeh iully cancelled
Du' 70 o'"ho'h she was Indebted ior TINS Kind
ness MIS- Kay could never ascertain Dur
ins INC '"o years tha' hau superFeheu DC
tween 'ha' tilne ana Tue present, she mad al
frequent intervals received supplies ol mon
/ eF III 'le same mysterious way qulte sur
heient TO meet all her wants. Who was
her secret irlehd' !Fue' she had secret
Irlehus' VINO seemed always seeklngto make
her present happy and to win her from the
contemplation oi the gloomy past; but she
could thInk oi none rich enough in worldly
goods to supply her thus bountlnllyj and
50 her cohJeclures were irul'less' But TO-
night Mrs Ray was alonei and she review
ed the various events oil her lie, and thought
OF her lost husband and child. The busy
hngers ceased their labor, the knitting lay
forgotten III her zap ana 'ear-drop found
It's way down her cheek and fell upon the
folded hands What mattered it to her that
TINS was christmas Eve, she had none to
make her Christmas merry.
a loud rap at the door startled her. She
glanced at the clock ON the mantol-half-
past nine! Who could seek her dwelling
ON such night and at 50 late an hour. She
hesitated moment, then went to the door
and asked who sought admittance. There
was no reply. She heard reeeding step on
the icy pavementi she opened the door and
found basket, containing a large turkey,
already prepared for cooking and a note
tied to the basket handle, which read thus;
A Merry Christmas to Mrs. Ray, con
tribution to Christmas dnner-to which