The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-12-23


Them to keep it and use every penny of it il
giving Christmas party tAeEiselves-rot q
party for the rich and PROSPEROUS, nor even
for their financial equals; but party for She
good and kind among their neiShbors, the in
i.ahitants of Paradise Row, humble souls, to
whom all pleasures were rare.
They tool, Mr. Redmond, the incuabent of
si.a new church i'll their district, into their
confidence, aid he was greatly interested in
sie plan, and promised to help them all he
could lie was tho only friend the two ladies
k0d made since they went to Paradise row
10 whom they ccaid say anything about theii
past lives. He often locked IN upon then
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 tie match would not b
so undesirable, although he was widower
with sro=n-up daughter, and 4 little toe
Old for Honor
They had busy time preparing for the
feast They felt i'll duty bound to spend every
penny OF the money. In addition to the sup
| per, every guest was to have c present, and
several sick ones were 20 have presents sent
them. They cailci in cold Mamie" to helr
the maid os all work get tie feast ready, and
III her language, the house soon @srl.elt as
good ss cook shop" Old Mamie was to be
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 low
cnces" sent to her lowiy lodgings, and never
! got into Tie dreaded "h,.lse," where the poor
are taken in tie last extremity
! Among the o;her important guests were
the "lt;ls taller and his wife, F" "sSallys grand
mother" "Joll2ry and bis mother" and TIE
"poor lodgcr." Sclly's grandmother was in
the receipt OF parish RELIEF. The ''poor
lodger," rs the neighbors called him, was a
young man about whom no ono knew any
more than that he did ret appear to have a
| friend in the world, and that he had been in
desperate need, having just struggled through
long illness in an attic of house whero
lodged Johnny and his mother. The latter,
, sailors widow, only just contrived to keep
body and soul together by working for the
,ity warehouses; and the little tailor and his
wife got their living by patching ard botch
ng fnr people as poor as themselves.
Although 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 his fortune, and had not
been heard of for years, Honor did not. The
belief helped them to bear their privations
better tilan they might otherwise have done,
she thought.
And there was Grace Fairiie, the national
school mistress, c gentlcwoman, who had been
quite alone in the world since her mothers
death; and poor little Annie. the drunken
cobhIer's daughter, ard tho good nGtured Old
soldier, with the bullet III his lee, who helped
everybody the ladies were almost afraid
they would be obliged 10 send separate in
vitation to tie bullet, il was such Gn inpor-
tarIt factor in the old mans life.
Then, there was AIRS Parnell, who was
'geI,teel." They were uncertain whether she
would come, for, although she had now the
Recommendation of being poor and lonely,
she pridei herself upon having "once moved
father having been an agen. for something OF
somebody, and alluded 10 her late husbands
savocations' in way which, II slightly in
definite, had its effect in Paradise row. She
thought great deal about keeping Up the
distinction OF clnsses,n and the proper OBJ
servances OF etiquette; end she told Aunt
Margaret that she had sericps doubts as to
wietiier size could call upon her and Honor,
until s.le beard they had piaro and taught
French.
Nobody refused, and by o'clock on Christ
Mas afternoon they had everything prepared.
It was cold Christmas weather, SO the cur
tai,is were drawn, 4 bright firc was burning
in every room, chairs and ccuches, hired for
the occasion from tho broker round tie
corner, were plentiful, and Hcnor'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 seitee for the little tailor and his wife;
the faded, crimson e3sy chair-so fitting a
throne FOR gcntility-for Mrs. Parnell; tho
big, high siouldered one, SO admirably
adapted for the poor lodgcr, who, rumor said,
did not like TO be looked at; the pretty little
lounge full OF dimpies, with a stool ct lis
feet, for Johnnie and his mother; tie old
fashioned one with the cushions for Mamie;
and tho straight backed one with the arms
for the CID soldier; they all seemed TO havo
been specially designed to suit tue different
idicsyncracios OF tie guests.