Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-19
A CHRISTMAS LARK.
BY MARY STACY WILMINGTON.

BY MARY STACY WILMINGTON.
It was neat, pleasant chamber, with
shaded crimson carpet, nlantel-piece SUI
perduously upholsted with sky blue
plush; embroidered in golen-rod and
shaded sunach leaves, table-cover har-
monizing; cleaning fire in polished
CRATE; two oaken book cases filled from
floor to ceiling, and two ladies, the one
in crimson wrapper with little pale
blue silk kercheif knotted round her
throat; the other IS in an old-gold CASH
mere walking-dress, sitting on either
side Of the dancing fire; BY its flicker,
and the paling light that came through
the heavily curt&ined windows, you
could not SEQ how the lights, the tints,
the round curves Of youth had forsaken
each lady. Our room is really de-
lighttu! now, isn't it., Laura?" said the
old gold lady, who had lit upon the has
sock by the side which faced the win
dow.
80 yes," sighed the other vawning,
cts we'll enough. Why shouldn't it
be after oil the money and bother we've
spent on it," Then looking down at
the silent, bent, oldgold head of her
comrade, she added, but not harshly,
"You will always take such all absurd
lot Of comfort out of everything, Gla-
dys!"
"Well, can't help it, said Gladys,
deprecatingly. "There does seem to
me such lots of comfort to be taken!
Now, I know ever SO many ladies' in the
same room with me- at the treasury who
have seen better days; who never were
bound to q regular business routine be-
fore. Some of them have kept house
kept gorgeous houses, and ordered
everybody else round, and never had
anybody order them round until they
came into the department. Now you
see, Office is terrible to them.'
E'Frightful, agreed Laura with sus~
picion Of sarcasm in her languid voice.
''But YOU know, Laura-well-the
LEFT a tranpled orphan and a selfish unclos
ward
nearly describes my case, ( ALWAYS
dressed worse than other girls at school,
1 never had piano or the books [
wanted, because uncle was saving my
money till / grew up. And when I had
grown up, somehow it was all gone. I
was never the sort of girl aunt or uncle
liked. l never had sister-untll |
met you"
"Me, Gladys?" said Laura, stirred q
little, and rising in her cushioned chair.
81 have always thought more of you,
Gladys Day, than I have ever said ever
since you came like live spirit into
our room Of mummies, four years since;
but I dou't think that have been
very good imitation of q sister to you.
At least we have not quarreled like Sis
tiers since we took our two rooms to-
gether."
"Do sisters quarrel?" asked Gladys.
II thought they always had good times
together, as we do when we go to our
beloved operas, OF take our spring aud
autumn journeys into Rock Creek
woods. Do you know, Laura, l never
had such good times in all my life be.
fore as J. have had in one or two of our
little expiaitions?"
"Don't own it then. It's dreadfully
lacking in savcir faire to own yourself
anything but martyr, in government
clerkship,"
"Well, / think it's real un grateful and
horrid, and wanting in sensibility, to
complain of Office life, in world full of
shop-girls that work from a. m. to 10
p. M, and horse-car drivers that work
the good God knows how many hours
d day !"-tired Gladys, "for believe He
does watch and keep the account"
ut is, come to think of it," yawned
Laura
laura, what makes you so-why
don't you"--- e,
"Sweet my COZ, be merry morew
eyes; it's Christmas time, you know"
That's the very reason. To see all
these ridiculous people tearing, hust-
ling and jostling around to spend their
money on nonsensical inutilities that
nobody wants snd everybody buys be-
cause they expect some Of the useless
things, and they must reciprocate by
numbering up some other persons house!
If I want anything I haven't got,I am old
enough to go and get 1t, and so are you"
eyes, dear, !" meekly acquiesed Gladys,
you weren't brought up in the church,
I know" tzss @.s