Morris tribune., 1884-12-24
THE ELEVENTH COM
MANDMENT

MRS, NJ. l.. Rayne in Detroit Free Press.l
1t was one of those unequal balances
which we are constantly finding both in
the world of architecture and the world OF
humanity, great, splendid residence upon
one corner and poor, shiftleSs, tumble
down dwelling on the other, which the
law protected from the covetous eyes OF
the rich speculator and reserved Tor minor
heirs Meanwhile it was rented. for what
1t would bring, to a class of people who
were always either moving in or out and
in the summer time, when the windows
Of the great mansion were open, and the
cream of society holding its revels, such
hilarities as these would be tobacco waited
through the India null curtains.
"Whack de fidel! Pass the cratur this
way, an don't be kapin' the bottle idle 1"
"Shure yees hev had mor'n's good for
yez now"
"Sthand oop and foight like a man"
.."Murther. don't interrupt whilst I'm in
joyin' meself!'
And similar dialogues of a domestic
character
But for some months preceding Christ
mas there had been new family in the
old house-two young people who lived
alone and were out OF sorts. The man
had nothing to do. He was slim, pale,
sickly looking young fellow and some one
had found out that he was southerner,
we'll educated and of good family, but
Door as poverty itself and likely to starve
to death, as he was proud as we'll as poor.
Every day he went out looking for work
in the aimless way man gets into when
his overcoat is gone and he has to button
his other coat to the chin, and every day
he came back empty handed or with
something that had been acquired on the
border-land between responsibility and
vagabondage-a turkey won at q rattle or
q measure of potatoes that he had acquired
at q guessing match
Life was at this low ebb when Christmas
came-Christmas, bringing cheer and
light, music, warmth, presents, hope and
jollity to nearly everybody. but certainly
not to the poor family in the tumble down
house on one corner nor to the patrician
people who lived in splendid misery on
the other
What was the matter with them? Ev-
erything In the first place there were
only two people in the great house; they
had neither chick nor child nor bird, nor
any living thing about them, except their
own two dry -as-dust selves, and they got
mighty tired of each other sometimes.
Then they both had indigestion. and lived
on diet of hot water and graham toast.
Next their servants robbed and deceived
them Systematically, and finally their chill
dren-happy little ones-were all dead.
Their young lives had been smothered out
under the cap-frills and embroidered
stomachers, and they had gone to place
where there were no velvet carpets, or ii
there were, they were not too good to play
on.
This Christmas morning when the
millionaire got up he looked out of his
plate glass window and cast an envious
glance at the corner opposite. Jack Frost
had been playings tricks there He had
sent soft white fall of snow, which had
wrapped its beneicent arms about the
unsightly pile, and it was now trans
king had made each tiny pane of glass
feathery palms, and the rich man acknowl-
edged to himself grudgingly that it was
pretty sight; he wanted to buy that
spot, tear the old house down and do what
he chose with the lot; his neighbor had
bought one next to him for play ground
for bis children. But heaven had given
his own little ones a play ground on which
he had no title or presumption While
he stood looking, his family physician, a
wealthy man, who had almost retired from
the profession, came out of the old house
He was walking briskly past, when Mr..
Markham thew open the window and
called to him:
GOOD morning, Dr. Farnham, Merry
Christmas! if you can find one, ha! ha!
Returned to practice, see, with a con-
ten 3tuous glance at the old corner.
Yes" said the physician, gravely, lit
Is rather sad case. -Four mouths to feed
and nothing to put in them. However,
the same God who sent the ravens to feed
Elijah lives to-day"
doctor" said Mrs. Markham crowd
ing lace breakfast-capped head out be-
side her husbands, "come in and eat
breakfast with US. My appetite is worse
and want a prescription:
Dyspepsia be blowedl" growled the
doctor, who was as gentle as woman in
the sick-room. "If you want to be cured
commandment
Eleventh commandment! Why, there
isn't any. Doctor, you must go to school.
isn't there any?" said the doctor,
grufly. II thought you didn't know it.
Love thy neighbor as myself. There!
A merry Christmas to you both, and no
dyspepsia, if you do your whole duty"
peace on earth-good-will-to-
mani" chimed the bells.
There was confusion of tongues over
in the house on the corner. When the
good doctor had announced to the young
husband in real Christmas phrase, "Untc
you son is born, the news had been re-
ceived at first with natural spasm of de.
light, and then the detected query, "What
on earth am l going to do with him?'
But when later the doctor went to him,
with bis face beaming with mischief, anc
said, "Unto you two sons are born, " the
CONSERVATION he caused would have beer
amusing, if it had not been so real There
was a gloomy outlook for the pale young
mother and her beautiful babes, ever
though the good doctor had left some
temporary relief;
VIII she live?
needs; now I can leave ner in your hands
Mrs. Markham The nurse understand
the case, and is trustworthy"
Mrs. Markham, the millionaire's wife
sat ty the sick bed and held one babe In
her sflken lap. 1t wore her baby's dresses
and was wrapped In soft blankets. "A
wicker cradle lined with white muslin
and tied with blue ribbons had come
down from the dust of the mansard roo
to hold the two babies. There were ight
and warmth and comfort in the old house
when late at night Mrs. Markham re
turned.from late visit, prior to retiring
she found her husband standing pom
pously before the open fire on the tilet
hearth In the library.
Sand how are they now?" he asked
with more interest than he had shown IL
anything for year.
sDoing nicely; but, Hiram. they woult
have died if I-if-we-hadn't looked
after them. Two such sweet babies-they
remind me-"
And then the poor mother broke dow
and cried.