The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-25
A CONTRAST.
A Queer Christmas Story, Not
Without a Moral.


- -.-------
Perhaps no young person will believe
that any one can be sorry at the pros.
pect of Christmas. But for all that
DIR. Gray was sorry, and older person!
win believe the statement when they
are further informed that Dr. Gray
family consisted of twelve persons-his
wife and his wife's mother. himself, two
sons, three daughters, one man servant,
two maid servants and a young medi.
cal student. 1t is evident that the doc
tor had many expenses. Although he
had a large Observation-Disclosures, there
were so many ways by which his money
was constantly disappearing that he was
far more perplexed than many poorer
man to meet his January bills. And
here. just before January, was this ogre
of gift exchange, ready to swallow the
doctors purse and call for more No
wonder that his usually good-natured
face heightened, and he almost wished
that such costly symbolizing of good
will to men had never been invented.
OF course, every member of his fami-
ly must give TO every other member-tO
say nothing of outside relatives and
friends-and neither his wife nor chill
dren-nor himself for that matter
wished to be niggardy in their gifts.
His eldest daughter, Bertha, had gone
so far as to intimate that it would be a
good time to give ma a new seal-skin
coat, and his wife had stated that it was
really time that Bertha had nice gold
watch. Florence openly declared that
she had lived year in hope of receiv-
ing handsome stationary writing desk
AT Christmas. Nathan evidently hoped
for a.velocipede. Little Maria told papa
softly that she had never owned lar ge
wax doll. Ned, the youngest, said.
Jubilantly, that he had changed his
usual evening prayer to a petition to
Santa Claus to send him very hand
some new sled and rocking horse
Mrs. Gray, with an evident attempt TO
be remarkably economical, when she
saw how very sober the doctor looked
at these various suggestions, said, hesi-
tatingly, that she would try to make a
Z. hundred dollars do for her Christmas
allowance; but she really could not get
much for eleven persons with that, es-
pecially as she wished to make him and
grandma and the older children some
handsome presents this year.
$40, my dear" said the doctor, de-
cidedly, 81 can not spare any such
amount. if l am to furnish the children
money for their purchases also. Fifty
dollars is the very most can give you.
Take that, and omit me from your list;
L will accept the other fifty dollars cash
now for my present." So saying. the
doctor kissed her. made some playful
remark and handed her five ten-dollar
bills After she had left the room, he
sighed heavily. Mrs. Gray was a gen.
-erous-hearted woman, and she had
looked very much disappointed, Eav-
ing really hoped the kind doctor
would give her much more than she
asked for.
This will never do" thought the
doctor; s'the demands grow larger all
around every year. must inform the
children plainly that they can have no
more than they had last year, or they
viii be asking for money in the same
ratio"
When this Information was given, in
\ pleasant but firm manner. there was a
great cutlery. They declared that they
could not get anything with so small
an amount; fifteen dollars apiece for al
most grown-up young ladies and boz
five feet tall-fifteen dollars to be divid-
ed among more than eleven persons; ii
was preposterous.
In spite of the wry faces. the doctor
was firm. He said tritely, as other
men say under such circumstances:
@'Do you suppose | am made of mon
ey?'
But Florence, who was q very sensi-
BILE girl, quite Modified him by replying:
IF you are not exactly made of money.
j do think you are better than your
weight in gold, even it is almost two
hundred pounds.
But Christmas only comes once q
year, father" said Bertha, coaxingly.
Thank Heavenl' exclaimed the
doctor, mentally, and remained obdu-
rate.
The sober faces about him day after
day, however, and the rather ostenta-
tious consultations going on as to how
TO make little go so far. shook the
doctors determination to such an ex-
tent that he finally concluded to sur
prise his disappointed family-who
seemed now very distrustfui regarding
his future Intentionally giving each
exactly what had been suggested; in
that way he might even at that late
date escape the suspicion of being un-
feeling and niggardly. To do this,
however, he would be obliged to defer
the payment of several bills. instead Of
squaring up according to his hitherto
inrariable custom on the first of Janu.
.ary. But, he reasoned. he could cancel
al shortcomings in the course of two
or three months, and rs for his failure
DO lay up anything this yea-. that wa:
not of SO much consequence. since his
HE was heavily insured. By the way
the payment was nearly due upon The