Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-27
A Christmas STORY.


Joseph HonSil IL the Chicago Tribune.l
The wind was laughing and Shrek
ing as if 10 elfu mirth, ever and anon
dying away into a weird, sorrowful re-
frain, like the low sob of a despairing
spirit hat had come back to earth
only to mourn over the sad sights from
which its gaze could not he kept.
Over stately hall and lowly cot alike
the storm king held cOmpletest sway,
and brave indeed would be the one
who dare dispute his power. The
snow, which was falling fast from a sky
Of inky blackness, was caught by the
iereely eddying currents. and, after
being whirled around as If the demon
Of the arr were seeking its destruction,
piled up in huge drifts on the broad
bosom Of Mother Earth, or hung, as if
by fairy hands, in curious and fantas-
tic shapes from the bare branches Of
trees or the chimneys or windows of
houses.
God help the belated wayfarer on
such a night as this. an there be
any" said Pizarro McGinness, eighth
Baron of Twenty fourth street. as he
sat near the roaring wood fire in the
Wassail hall of his ancestral residence,
whose turretts had fretted the sky
since Big Footed Murphy-last Of a
noble raee-had erected it With the
money he had won on a dog fight.
Let US hope, dear papa, that all
humanity is safely housed, replied
Lady Constance, only daughter Of the
grim old Baron, and the pride and ioy
OF his life. When her mother had
died, on a beautiful morning in spring.
nearly twenty years ago-a morning
when the birds we're singing from
every treetop and the meadows we're
spangled with sunfOwers-the nurse
had placed in the Baron's arms A tiny
wait OF humanity with great wander
ing blue eyes, and the general appear
ance of an Oyerdone lobster, and press
ing IL tenderly TO bis suspendcr. he
had sworn to devote his life to the
daughter that heaven had sent him.
The little child had grown into a
beautiful woman now, tall and stately
as a Grecian goddess Of old, but with a
passionate, childish love lor her
father.
Yes, my child" said the old man.
you do well to wish everyone safe at
home this stormy night, for.
By my halidom, | have not
seen a worse one since the win
ter Of 1880, when | got such a
long job shoveling snow for the street
railway company You doubtless
remember, my darling A knock
was heard. The Baron arose and
went to the front door. AS be did 50
a human form covered with snow stood
before him. 1t was Rupert Rolling.
stone, the naughty dry goods clerk.
Is your daughter in, Mr.. AoGin.
ness?' asked Rupert.
"She is"
Can l see her2'
Not much you can't and Will
these cruel words the Baron shut tn
door.
For a moment Rupert stood like on
dazed by sudden grief. Then, seein,
that 1t was useless 70 remain longer
he started for the front gate. Whel
nearly there be saw something black
something that reminded him of
human form, lying in the snow Stop
ping. be bent over the object. 1T il
a yule log" he said. The McGin.
Desses always celebrate Christmas il
the old fashioned way. What a sad
sad Christmas for me- But stopI
Mayhaps | may yet battle suceessfuliy
against the cruel fate that seems Ia
always beat and bear me down"-and
placing the log over his shoulder, he
passed swiftly and silently through
the front gate.
Twenty minutes later Rupert was
going up State STREET with a light heart
and q merry Smile on bis pure, sweet
face. He had snapped the yUlc LOG
for q ihiriy-ige cent necktie.