Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-20
HOLIDAY TALE.
How Old Two-Per-Cent spent
Christmas.

wasn't accompanied by bitter blasts OF
northern winds nor by storms of sleet
and rain; the house tops were not COW
cred deep with snow and people didn Z
SILVER aud freeze with the stormy |
weather. The grass grew bright and
green, the orange trees hung low with
their wealth of golden fruit and the air
brsathed the perfume Of sweetest flow.
ers. The weather was bright and warm
aud mantle Of green covered all the
earth. 1t was unlike, what Christmas
ought TO be, but the hurrying throngs Of
people on its busy thoroughfares, had
that saue happy look, that glow of con-
tentment and cheerfulness, that Christ
mas always brings. Crowds of people
iostled each other good naturally, hur-
rying homeward, laden with bundles OF
all kinds. Little children stood gazing
In wistfully at the various show win
dows, and many were the EXPLANATIONS
of surprised delight they uttered, rs
they viewed the various articles SO
tsmptingly displayed. Old'Two.Per-
Cent, otherwise George Jcttison,
wealthy old money lender of the Getty
Of the Angels" grabbed, surly, crusty
specimen of humanity, stood upon
corner of one OF the busiest streets, and
viewed the hurrying masses of humeni-
ty with cynical smile of contempt.
Hes eersd at the happy fathers as they
passed him by, their faces all aglow with
the thoughts of the happiness they
would cause their little ones. lie
sneered at tho fond mothers as they
stopped with their little children to ad-
mire the beautiful things in the win.
dows of the various stores. He felt
mean and disguised with the world and
well he might, for there wasn't a single
soul in all that great city ON this Christ
mas Eve, that cared penny, whether
George Jettison lived or died, and many
would hayn rejoiced at his death, and
George Jettison knew it. As he gazed
at the happy people passing him by, he
felt like exclsiming with "Puok,
sIord, what fools these mortals be, AT
any rate, mnttered Old Two-Per.Cent.
81 know of one house where there ism Z
any happiness tonight, | guess I'LL go
down aud take look at that Harding
property, that will be mine tomorrow.
Phillip Harding had been one of those
many uufortunates that had come to
this city In search Of health. lie came
here in the last stages OF consumption,
still clinging to the delusivo hope that
he might yet recover. His home had
been in Massachusetts,, and that rigor-
ess climate had completely undermined
his never very strong constitution, leav,
ing him victim to consumption. His
doctors, as a last resort had advised
him to 40 to Los Angeles, and acting
upon their advine he had sacrificed all
he possessed and came to this city lie
arrived here with just enough means to
build n ANAL bouse and furnish it and
then his money was exhausted. Work
he could not obtain. Every avenue
seemed filed and one day about year
ago in fit Of desperation he had
mortqaaed his little home to Old Two
Percent. and ON the money thus OBJ
tanned he had existed until summoned
bome Inv the silent messenger of Death.
He had had no time to prepare for the
future welfare of his family, and his
widow was left upop the world alone to
SIGHT the battle of life for herself aud
her three children. By hard labor she
had managed to support them and pay
thu intereat on the mortgage, until her
overtaxed constitution gave way and she
falling s;oL was unable To earn liyeli.
hood demanding for existence upon the
sb,r;tv Of her neiqhbors. Old Two.Per.
Can, ,-ou,d M, bear of suoh a thing as
r,.rov r,on than and had peremptorily
,raar.a ,h.,, 10 vaoa,s the premises by
Chr,.,r,a. Ia had taken n grim de.
on'''sS' ~ n"N 'N ,''I-'',',...,,.
nRn' IN hN'"s on,''"' '''" = VIZ
nal. !, "a ,rhappv for them As possible.
MAKE u as unhappy 'o' '"''' " f,,9.,
of o.hers- This night Phillip
happiness Oh o'ners' i"iS n's"t "'ip
nsfu'hg WHO" was se~'s' ~ N'' Wy
niue u'h'ns roo"' 'o' 'ne '',' '''''' -, ~
neart was almost re"uy ~ JUS ~ 'u'
snousn' o, 'oa'"s 'na' - - -
now oi'e" h'u sue oa"s =. "''s,' '''.e"
'ns ior 'ne Soo"' VI ''o'''f' ~, 49,,
game Every p''"On Wv -
.'"su W 10 p" " AZ ~
'"e' Every ' = -, 80
o'ousn' 'soA sum-