The Mineral argus., 1884-12-25

IL \ " civ NAaI AAAA1A
enough to GO and get 1t, and so are you"
"Yes, dear, F" meekly acquiesed Gladys,
"vou weren't brought up in the church.
I know"
"What church wasn't 1 brought up III?
I was brought up in some church, l
reckon"
"Yes, dear Laurella. But when my
mother was young they called every
thing but our church-'meetings.' L
don't like anybody to give me anything
costly. but 1 do like a little, small re-
membrancer of each Holy Christmas
time, if its Just q two-cent card. L
warn you," she said, laughing.
"Anl 1 warn everybody that if they
give me another Christmas card, III
throw it into the fire. The fashion IS
all run to millinery, fringe, ETC.
Heigho, I wish Christmas time was
over. I'm going to bed.
"Oh, no, don't" cried Gladys, en-
treatingly. "Why, 1 had planned some
lovely fun for tonight, and l want you
to go with me-"
Fun! what have ONE to do with
fun at our time of life? I'm thrty,
and 1 don't believe you're a day less
than twenty-nine."
'"Day by day
Gliding, some dark mournful stream away
Ny silent youth flows from me-
murmured Gladys, in a momentary
trance. Then she exclaimed, A our
time of life, as you say, we should know
what fun really is. Will you come out
with me Lauralina? ?"
IF o will I~tallanize my name INTO
one more fond syllable, I think L will"
said the elder, rising in her crimson
o dearl I'll have to change
my dress"
"What of it, Lazylina? Be thankful
you've got another dress to put on"
Then Gladys went into the next room
with a sisterly familiarity and brought
out a bronze-green walking-dress and
put it to the fire to warm for Laura.
"Be quick, nOw!"
"What are you chinking at such a
rate? ?" cried Laura, making her toilet.
Gladys brought a little for-get-me-not-
broidered chamois bag, and showed
Laura ITS inside. "There are ten dimes
in this compartment; twenty nickels l n
this; thirty three-cent pieces IN this,
and the rest are ones and two. 4 got
some bills changed at the Treasury to-
dav, so as to have the change all handy,
for we shall have to make quick work.
This is all l could afford after sending
some to %auntie, and getting a rose-bush
for little sick Minnie, and a set of nap
kins for our poor landlady with her
drinking husband and loaing son. How
can you help being thankful, Laura,
when you think you might have
been keeping fretful b~oarders, like
yourself, in order to support a loating
husband?"
"He wouldn't loaf much if I had the
supporting of him, cried Laura, vim
dictively, as they took their muffs
and stepped out into the brilliant, chilly
night.
30. yes, he would. You would not
know YOU were supporting a loafer. 1t
would be the youth with eyes of June
and hair of midnight that"
"You forget 1 like blends. But what
is YOUR racket, as theatrical friends
say, really, Gladys?"
''eYou come with me and see. l really
want your Judgment. All children and
sorrowful people seem TO me true OBJ
iects of help. But you must advise
me: in each group of poor little eager
faces at a shop window you must hell
me to pick cut the n who Is most
good, genuine and patient. l can't give
to all, you know: not even a candy
stick"
A group of boys were looking in at
stationer's window. Cats, dogs, birds
and babies were d~isportng themselve
on gayly fringed cards; but after a few
approving EXPLANATIONS all went on saw
one. He was a well-dressed, handsoml
child, but as his eyes fell on n card
thev filed with tears. A red, a pal
yellow and a white rosebud, each droop
ed u lovely head over the edge OF
blue egg-shaped vase. mamma paint
ed a bunch like that once, in just sue.
a vase" he thought.
II know him." said a b~ronze-gree
lady softly to her old-gold friend. u
is Ernest Wells. They are well o
, enough, but his father had no sympath
with his dead mothers tastes; and b
systematically discourages all aesthetic
ism in poor little Ernest. AS a boy b
was passionately fond of flowers"
"I knew your mother, dear. WI
YOU accept this from a friend of hers
. said q sweet-eyed lady, bending ov'
, Ernest for an instant. Then she val
r ished from his wondering sight. L
/ opened the envelope she left in his han'
< and i~mpetuously kissed the picture
r the rose buds in the blue vase.
A small, thinly-dressed boy and gi
r stood holding a basket between theI
in bare red fingers, before a windo
y fuII nj notions. "Eyerythinp in Il