The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-08-17
Ellen GALES CHRISTMAS.

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room-a poor. bare room in . tenement
house, sad-faced woman, and two
fragiie-looking children, q boy and girl,
sat crouching yer the small cooking
stove trying to warm their shiverina
frames BY the feeble fire that burned
| therein.
Mother" said the blue-eyed, fair
haired child of seven. 81 don't suppose
shall weP"
Mrs. Gale made no reply to this oues-
ton Of her boy. A choking sensation
in her throat prevented her.
Christmas!
What a mockery was the word when
she and her children were starvingl
Certainly not. Walter" said Min
ME. who, though only nine years old,
yet by the thoughtful look in her hazel
eyes, and her quiet. old-fashioned WAYS,
seemed almost q woman Certainly
not, why need you askf Only see, YOU
have almost made mamma cry"
Don't fret. mamma" said Walter,
II don't care for turkey and pumpkin
pies. and plum pudding and old Santa
ciauses-that is, not very much" add
ed the little fellow, whose supper Of
bare bread and a single baked potato
a scarcely satisfied the cravings Of
his healthy young appetite.
.Ahr' he said. but they are going to
have q great spread over to Charlie At
wells tomorrow. Four turkeys. be-
sides chickens. i was there when thu
grocer brought them. Lots Of other
things besides. A barrel of apples.
two great big pumpkins, and packages.
eve SO many Of them. Mother. did we.
used to keep Christmas before father
went awayP"
Yes, my child" answered the moth
er.
And then. as memory reverted to the
days OF her happy wifehood, when her
husbands love had shielded her from.
every care; when she had never dreamt
OF being brought face to face with want.
her set-control gave way. She claspedl
her hands over her face and burst into
. passion Of tears. !
"Oh. don't, pray don't, mammal.
said Minnie. rising from her chair and,
knseling down before her mother and
clasping her knees. Don't cry. We;
have enough in the house for to-mor.
row, have we notP We have bread
and potatoes, and q little meal. Obi /
do love mush, and SO does Walter.
Don't you dear?D
YES" said Walter, with milk; but
We haven't any money to buy milk.
But I say. don't cry. mother. 1 am GO
ing to try and earn . little something
tomorrow going pyramids. 1 tried to
get a job to-day, but l couldn't. But
you know last Monday 1 learned twenty
five cents. Ali when / get to be q little
older, mother, you shall have everything
you want; you and Minnie. l will work
and earn money for you"
And the little fellow shook back his
curls and expanded his chest, as he
thought of the wonderful things he
would do when he was q man.
His mother looked ut him fondly
through her tears. How like his father
he was! With the same brave, sanguine
spirit, too. How proud his father would
have been of him, . And Minnie, too
the good, wise little woman Surely,
heaven had blessed her with her chill
dren. For their sake she must be bravo
and bear up. She raised Minnie from
the floor, kissed her, and calling Walter
to her side, kissed him too, and stroked
his fair curls.
my darling" she said, 1 think you
had better go to bed now. The fire is
low"-indeed. it had nearly died away
-"and We must keep coal for to-
morrow"
"Yes. MOTHER said Minnie cheerful
ly, s'and you?' ,
II shall come directly" said Mrs.
Gale.
But, mamma, you will take cold; it
is so cold here. Let me go and get you
your warm shawl" !.
And going to the closet, Minnie took.
a faded plaid wooden shawl from a%nail,!
and wrapped it around her mothers
thin form.
Thank you. dear; and now you had
better 60 directly to bed
If l only had just a little piece of
bread first said Walter with q sigh.
1T seems as If something was gnawingi
inside my stomach
Mrs. Gale rose, without . word, and
going TO the cupboard, took from y
plate q SMALL thin slice of bread, and
gave it to her son. .
And you, Minniel' she said. !
'Oh,I am not at all hungry, mother,
dear said Minnie, moi at. ALL
The children .undressed, and kneeling
down by the poor, but spotlessly clean
bed, said in concert their Now I lay
me- etc. Then they added, as their
nightly custom was
oh! God bless our dear papa, and
bring him back to us once more
God never answers our prayer whis-,
pered Walter, after they were beneath
tho bed clothes.
think answered his sister. also in
q whisper, that our dear papa must be
dead, or he would come to u.s.
Long after the children were asleep,
long after the last remnant had died
away in the stove, Ellen Gale sat think
ing, thinking. The room grew colder
and colder, the wind whistled and
shfieked as IT in anger, and the sleet
continued to beat fiercely against the
window pane 1t was q Wild, bitter
night. but the rich and happy, in homes
full Of festal cheer, laughed at its fury.
Five years before Ellen Gale had been
q happy wife. Her husband, youne,
handsome and prosperous, was very
proud of his beautiful wife and their
Two lovely children. Walter Gale was
the trusted, confidential clerk of q large
commercial house. He was on the high
road to fortune, for his employers had
promised TO make him q partner of the
firm, when, m day, it was discovered
that two thousand dollars belonging to
the firm was missing. Circumstances
pointed to Walter Gale. the trusted
clerk, as the criminal. and though
there was not sufficient evidence 70
convict him, he was dismissed from the
establishment with q stain upon his
name. The night following his dis
charge Walter Gale left his home, leav-
ing q note addressed to his wife, assur-
ing her Of his innocence. and declaring
his intention ley 10 come back to L.
again until he was able to replace the
money he was suspected Of having
stolen. This trouble fell like q thunder
bolt on the fond young wife and moth