The Somerset reporter., 1886-12-22
TIE HAPPIEST MOMENT.
HOW IT CAME TO THE GUESTS OF CHRIST
PAUTy

aged 81 and unmarried smaintained them
selves by keeping morning school for young
ladies in Paradise row. one OF the back
streets of Camden Town, London, which
consists Of ten mean little houses. Aunt Mar
| garet was the daughter Of the rector OF Bray
leigh, and Honor was her sisters child. The
sister had married an artist, and she and her
| husband both died when Honor mere
| baby. Her aunt and grandfather had edu-
Gated her. Soon after the rector's death the
two ladies were impoverished by the failure
| Of the bank which contained their little store
Of wealth So the school was opened, and
they got on fairly well, enjoying their indie
pendence, although not in receipt of very
promising income.
Honor had an uncle-her fathers brother
| the rich Mr. Bryson, who although he gave
them no financial aid, always invited his
| niece and her aunt TO spend the holidays at
| his house As the Christmas of 1872 drew
near the two Impoverished gentewomen be-
gan to fix over their bits of fnery in the ex-
pectation of the usual visit to Uncle Brysons.
Instead of the anticipated invitation they re-
ceived Il very polite note from Uncle B. say
been "a tax upon Them" and therefore he
"would not again press the invitation He
softened the blow with check for G20, his
best wishes and the compliments of the sea-
sem
There was n reason for this beyond what
the two disappointed ladies could dream Of
The Brysons had a marrageable daughter,
and there was a certain Sir Edward Dusart
who, they thought, was about to propose to
her, ard Aunt Bryson had discovered that
Honor was much too handsome and attractive
30 have around when such an important pos
sibilitg was pending; and Sir Edward was to
be Christmas guest Aunt Margaret had
fondly dreamed that Sir Edward cared for
Eonor, whom he had met more than once at
Encls Bryson's. But when she heard that he
was about to propose to Uncle Bryson's
daughter Amelia she hoped that Honor did
not care for him.
The first impulse of Aunt Margaret and
Honor ON receiving Uncle Bryson's check was
to send 1t back Second thought persuaded
chem to keep it and use every penny of it in
giving Christmas party themSelves-not a
party for the rich and prosperous, nor even
for their financial equals; but party for the
good and kind among their neighbors, the in
sabitants of Paradise Row, humble souls to
whom all pleasures were rare
They took Mr.. Redmond the incumbent of
.he new church in their district, into their
confidence, and he was greatly interested in
.he plan, and promised to help them all he
could He was the only friend the two ladies
sad made since they went to Paradise row
to whom they could say anything about their
past lives. He often looked in upon them
after their days work was done, and it seemed
plain to Aunt Margaret that he took great in
terest in Honor. Sometimes Aunt Margaret
said to herself that the match would not be
SO undesirable, although he was widower,
with grown up daughter, and little too
old for Honor.
They had busy time preparing for the
feast They felt in duty bound to spend every
penny of the money In addition to the sup
per, every guest was to have a present, and
several sick ones were to have presents sent
them. They called in "Old Mamie" to help
the maid % all work get the feast ready and
in her language the house soon "smet as
good rs a cook shop Old Mamie was to he
one OF the guests of the Christmas party She
had been in charge of the guardians of the
poor: but had managed to have her glow
ances" sent to her lowly lodgings and never
got into the dreaded 'house, where the poor
are taken in the last extremity.
Among the other important guests were
the little tailor and his wife ""Sally's grand
mother" JENNY and his mother" and the
poor ledger" Sallys grandmother was in
the receipt of parish relief The poor
lodgcr. a. the ncighbors called him, was
young mnI about whom no one knew any
more than that he did not appear to have a
friend in the world and that he had been in
desperate need, having just struggled through
a long illness in an attic of n house where
lodged johnny and his mother. The latter,
n sailors widow, only just contrived to keep
body and soul together by working for the
city warehouses; and the little tailor and his
wife got their living 10y patching and botch-
ing for people as poor rs themselves.
Al'hough every one else jested about the
little tailor and his wife clinging to the belief
that they would again see their son, who had
gone abroad to seek ss fortune and had not
been heard of for years, Honor did not The
belief helped them to bear their privations
better than they might otherwise have DONE
she thought.
And there was Grace Fairlie, the national
school mistress, n gentlewoman, who had been
quite alone in the world since her mothers
death: and poor little Annie, the drunken
1. lao, "A far. old
soldier, with the bullet in his leg, who helped
everyday The ladies We're almost afraid
they would be obliged to send separate in
vtation to the bullet, it was such an impor-
tant factor in the Old mans life.
Then, there was Mis-. Parnell, who was
"genteen They were uncertain whether she
would come, for, although She had now the
recommendation Of being poor and lonely,
she prided herself upon having "once moved
in different sphere" She talked of her
father having been an agent for something or
somebody and alluded to her late husbands
"avocalions" in a way which, if slightly in
definite had its effect in Paradise row. She
thought n great deal about keeping up the
"distinction of classes" and the proper OBJ
servances of etiquette; and she told Aunt
Margaret that she had serious doubts ms to
whether she could call upon her and Honor
until SHE heard they had piano and taught
French.
Nobody refused, and by o'clock ON Christ
mas afternoon they had everything prepared.
II was cold Christmas weather, so the cur
tains were drawn, bright fire was burning
in every ROOM chairs and couches hired for
the occasion from the broker round the
corner, were plentiful, and Honor's piano
forte at the further end of the sitting room
opened ready for use, There was certain
fitness even in the hired furniture. The
small settle for the littl- tailor and his wife:
the faded. crimson easy charlse fitting a
throne for gentilty-f for Mrs. Parnell; the
big. high shoudered one, so admirably
adapted for the poor lodger, who, rumor said
did not like to he looked at; the pretty little
lounge full of dimplcs, with n stool at its
feet. for Johnnie and his mother, the old
fashioned one with the cushions for Mamie;
and the straight backed one with the arms
for the old soldier; they all seemed to have
II, 1t.,l tn nltiprpnt