News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-01-10
Christmas Tale
"a DUDE WHITE.
Intended for Business Men.


sChristmas comes but once year,
vet when it comes it brings-it brings
useless expense--a days lull in business
a laziness peculiar to all employees
for a succeeding week-an unwise ex-
changing of gifts when the money IS oft
needed for other and necessary purposes
"a hurrying, scurrying, foolishly busy,
topsy-turvy people. wishing each other
a s.merry Christmas" to-day, and en-
deavoring, with a new vim, to rob each
other tomorrow. The streets, full of
Inherent ware men, with their cheap,
trashy merchandise; leering, familiar
beggars, with their alcoholic 'jist a
penny for Christmas, sirp'
A gorging of dyspeptic sweets and un-
wholesome od-a-a-folly folly !
that I, Phineas Rugby, will omit year
after year, as 1 have done since I arrived
to years of discretion-bah bah! Yes,
nv names Phineas Rugby. Not a very
% elegant one, you think, for Phineas, ac-
cording to the Hebrew, is ''mouth of
brass. Ha hal And Rugby-well, is
Just Rugby, ard one can't Frenchify
that. But like tit suits me. I've
grown with lived and succeeded
with it.
But it's not handsome name. Oh,
no I'm not a handsome man. But,
some way, the little, uninteresting, bald
headed, hawk-eyed proprietor of one of
the largest bookstores in large city is
looked up to, is bowed to, for moneys
money, whether in a silk purse or a
greasy pocketbook.
If you look closely at me you will see,
all over my face, many seams and scars,
that time alone did not imprint there.
One has to work hard, very hard, if they
would make money squarely and legiti-
mately. Most of it brainwork, too, that
is ten times the more wearying than
real, downright manual labor.
Well, know what it is to scrape and
pinch to pay expenses, oft going to bed
hungry and discouraged. 1t is, and al
ways was, cash down with me. I owed
nobody, and allowed nobody to owe me.
If / lived through 1t, others could, and
must. made no excuses, 1 listened to
none. And so, if this Christmas-eve. in
the year 1S-, 1 can sit in my own lodg-
ing, knowing that 1 am the Phineas
Rugby, of the prosperous house of that
name. l can say I have earned it.
Spent money, time, happiness, home
comforts and ali to earn it. And yet
are we ever satisfied.
It's Christmas tomorrow, Phineas,
say to myself, watching the lighted Goals
smoldering amid the ashes in the CRATE,
before which am sitting in gown and
slippers Christmas tomorrow; and
Phineas, my boy, what is it you have
done during the past twelve months
that you feel proud of this eve? I guess
vou haven't thought of that before.
Let's see-let's see-thumb. I owe
no man-frst fnger-no man owes me
second finger. 1, six months ago
discharged my bookkeeper Jacoby, {
lazy, good-for-nothing rascal - thirC
finger-I--I-I-well, guess that's all
Not much to brag of, hey, Phineas? So
so-weII, good nights rest, and to
morrow will again be-Phineas Rugby
Now TO rouse that sleepy-Iooking fire
there, hope haven't put it out Pvt
to be careful of my old enemy, rheuma
tism, with his troop of Infammations-
and now-now for bed.
Beds the place after all, where on
can, as Shakespeare says, 'couch hi
limbs where golden sleep doth reign.
Feathers are restful, too (yawningly), yes
full of rest-full of rest Full moon to
night on the wall opposite ! can see it
reflection. ''The moon rises in cloude,
majesty, and what place for a magi
lantern.
When we were boys, how Bob and
used to wish, and wonder if we eve
could raise money enough to buy on
and when we had the money we wante'
something else we couldn't get. Bob
dead now, and I-why see the moo
over my left shoulder. Wonder if on
can wish if the moon is full. nigh
try. Let's see-what do wish. Yes
yes, an idea I wish / could see object
and things on that circle opposite, as
lay here and take it easy-that's an idea
Am dreaming. 1t can't be that on
glass of porter I sit up in bed-I tax
off my nightcap-I pull my hair-pinc
myself-gaze helplessly forward, an
see where late had been a circle of pal
light. A room-small ll-mean-uninvi
ng-cheerless-cold No carpet on th
floor, save the little ugly green stripe
before bed in one corner, and the dan
Fireplace. Two cane bottomed chair
feeble as to legs, and paint of no know
color. A table, reminding one of IL
Rebellion. A tin candlestick, a fe
dishes, much thumbed Bible on IL
mantle shelf A picture of a sweet-face
lady, in an old-fashioned frame on IL
wall and no more.
A door to one side opens, and the
enters-a wee body, scarce ten years
age, but such prematurely aged tel
Such a wizened face, hungry-lookir
ten. Such a poorly clad, large hea'
large eyes, shivering, puny-looking tel
The head is good-I can see that. idea
ity little too marked perhaps. b
the hair is smooth, glossy and curlin
He brings a chillness within that even
feel as I pull the bedclothes closer
about my neck.
Now the door is closed, and the fade
old straw hat and ragged scarf hung {
a nail. The basket, which he carries
one of his claw-like hands, set upon Il
hearth, and lie proceeds to remove Il
lid, whistling all the time-actual
whistling, if that feeble little pucker
those blue lips can be termed whist