Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-03-01
MINNIE OSBORNE'S CHRISTMAS
EVE.
BY CHARLES q. NErrLEroN.

Six o'clock in the evening of Satur.
day, Dec. "a, 1881, as young woman
clad in garments which afforded but
little protection against the searching
guests OF the raw east wind, which was
blowing sharp and keen, stepped from
the door Of one Of the large dry goods
stores ON Washington street. and made
one OF the thousands who were hurry
ing toward their homes. She shivered
and tried TO draw her threadbare cloak
closer to her form as the chilling wind
pierced her through and through.
For few moments she walked quite
briskly, but she WIS so weary from the
tolls Of the day that she was obliged to
60 more slowly. The past week had
been q busy one, and great crowds of
people has thronged the store, buying
articles for their own use or presents
for their friends, while she, thinking of
her own meager salary, had waited upon
them with a sad heart.
Two years before, Minnie Osborne
had never known what poverty or work
meant, only that there were such words
But now she new full WELL and with n
knowledge derived from bitter expe-
rience. Her father had been counted
among Boston's wealthy and successful
merchants, bot in an evil hour listened
to the advice of so-called friends, and
embarked in stock speculation. He
was successful at fret and elated with
that success, became reckless, and at
last found himself, as many others have,
stripped Of all his wealth.
The elegant house on Commonwealth
avenue had been decided to his wife, 80
that Of course was saved. His losses
weighed heavily upon him, and he
soon fell into decline from which he
never rallied. The house was sold TO
defray the expenses of his illness and
death, and Mrs. Osborne with Minnie,
VINO was then nineteeI, and the two
younger children, Jamie and Maud,
sadly gave up the old home, and found
q refuge IN tenement house at the
north end. Here they were living, or
rather existing, Mt the time our story
opens.
Mrs. Osborne had been in delicate
health for years, and the death Of her
husband, together with loss of all the
luxuries to which she had been all her
life accustomed, Frustrated her COM
pletely She had wealthy friends,
but she also had pride, and that kept
her from asking help of them. None
of her old acquaintainces knew OF her
whereabouts, and she was safe from
discovery in the wretched street in
which she lived. she had broth
er a year older than herself, who
had gone to Australia some fifteen
years before her husbands death. In
the days before her marriage they had
been all in all to each other, being the
only ones left Of their family, and for
the first ten years after his departure
they had corresponded regularly. But
his letters suddenly ceased, and as she
had had no tidings of him since then,
she mouned him rs dead.
With her feeble health she of course
was unable to do anything toward the
support of the family, and the whole
burden was thus thrown upon Minnie.
Although unaccustomed to work of any
kind, Minnie proved herself equal to
the emergency, and found employment
as saleswomau in the store of which we
have spoken. The little she made
there barely sufliced to pay the rent
and keep them in fuel; but Jamie who
still went to school, sold papers morn
ing and evening, and what he thus
earned kept the wolf from the door.
But Jamie was now i'll, for, having bu
little clothing to protect him from the
chill winds. he had taken severe cold
and had been indoors for a week past
Minnie had dreaded the long, cole
winter, and had hoped to get an increas,
of salary, but was disappointed, anC
was almost in despair. Tonight wa
Christmas eve, and she hated to g
home. She must &c. something nour
ishing for her mother and Jamie, aR,
Maud had no shoes, but she must wal
another week.
Minnie had money enough to pa.
the rent and get few baskets of Goa
and would then have few cents LET
over. The only way she could get IN
little things which her mother AM
Jamie craved and needed, was to sc
the landlord to take half his rent tina
week, and perhaps Jamie would b
out next week aud could earn enough
TO make it up. "And, thought she
''if It comes to the worst | can pawn m
ring
The ring was her betrothal ring, an
had been placed on her Gnger tw
months before her fathers downfall, b
one whom she loved dearly, but t
whom she was too proud to max
known her suherings, or even to hay
him know that she was in the city.
Frank Johnson was young man G
sterling qualities and BAD arisen fror
an office boy to the position Of junic
partner in the firm for which he ha
worked. He had known Minnie
long time and loved her, but had hes
tated to declare his passion until h
had the means of supporting her
the same style in which she was the