The Republican journal., 1886-12-23
Martha Payson's Christmas Gifts.
Written for the Repubican Journal1

cnard sweeping down i'll front. while behind
rose the huge boudcrs and the everlasting
hills, whose SUBMITS were now snowy with
stern Old winters crest. Here for twenty
years had dwelt farmer Payson and his good
wife Martha. Years before she had put her
hand in his, and in all the long intervening
years, but one cloud had darkened their hori-
zon.
The baby girl who came to bless their lot. af-
ter ten years of marriage had only cooed with
dimpling angels laugh, and closed her ewes in
sleep again. o how the sad heart of Martha
PaySon had longcd for the velvet lips and rose
bud touch Of her one eve lamb. Only the
childlesS mother. who almost unconsciouslv
clasps the empty air, instead of the darling
child, can understand what this chldleSS wo-
man had suffered and borne with Spartan firm
ness. Born and maturcd in the rocky hill
town, the characteristic of repression was hers
both by nature and inheritance. Her father
had been stern and undemonStrativc man.
and her mother, outwardly the same. but
deep under current Of warm hearted affection
had flowed beneath the same exterior, and
from her Martha had inherited all that was ar
dent and atiectionate in her nature. She loved
her husband with calm, well balanced affection.
but her nature was essentially a motherly one.
sometimes the poorest wives will make the
most loving mothers, and vice versa. How
ever, be that as it may there is something lost
in the life of a childless wife. She may have a
pleasant home, kind husband. plenty of
friends, and every thing to make her pathway
bright, yet, if in that home there is no patter Of
childish feet, no prints of soiei rosy fingers,
no ringing laugh cchoing through the house.
surely something is lacking. For ten wears no
rosy lips had smiled on hers. no childish voice
had made music in her home.
BIlt now 4 change was coming, W hen farm
cr Pavson returned from the village the night
before, he brought with him letter. directed
in trembling hand to Mrs. Martha Pay>on.
When Martha opened this letter and read the
family traced lines. the long wears seemed to
drop away from her like tilnIy cloud. She
stood once more in the shady Hampshire lane,
by the side of her boy lover. and heard the
waves break on the sandy beach beyond
He was only college lad. who took his vaca-
ton III the little country village, She only the
maiden who loved him well with girli>h ardor.
They parted with kisses and vows Of eternal
con>tancy, kisses which were soon only a
memory, and VOWS which proved lighter than
>trawS After the return Of Lewis Ravnor to
Dartmouth, letters filled with glowing pages
pas >ed thick and fast between them.
Martha IIerlick would have loNed. trusted
and waited for wears. had the object Of her at-
fection proved worthy, but no affection can
live on the dry hu>k> of life, and as his letters
grew short less frequent, and more uuSat>fac-
tory, She calmly and quietly made up her mind
10 end il all, so She returned the little ring and
heIl 1hc package OF letters HntlI she promised
~ ~ o'ii' iHt Ii' ol litiilE ~ sou theh sle
it"u '"u iticd'l tneIli' alli consigned lhGih one
ashes. She quietly promised herself that no
past dreams, no slender grace of a day that
was dead should ever arise PhuniX-like from
tii' M tu eiiI'e[S Ii lhe past 10 NtN or Try
'i,, >U,I VI lio,il ~ Son: @ "'I' nLl
N. T., HI I"'I',>t' 'iiu "l'i hpN tHe dIpth>
=, ne! n"tuIc H4r loI ot'h 80 dftI! >tffeu lof
'Nth'N Years me lcltef read mus;
My Dear Friend: 1t is twenty years since
we met, and perhaps YOU have forgotten my
very existence. but have never forgotten. nor
lost SIGHT altogether of the dearest and best
woman the sun ever shonc upon. have no
wish to rake open HE past. yet, must recall
Old times to your mind i'll order to induce you
to take upon yourself a serious charge. | am
dying. Martha. The sands Of life are fast rum
ming out. and can hear the wave, breaking on
another shore where all is peace. My life
has moi been altogether success
! married some nine Years since Il beautiful
and alniablc orphan girl. who died five years
ago leaving me twin daughters have had
serious reNcrScs in business, and my losses,
With failing health haze rendered me utterly
discouraged. llad II not been tor my darling
children. should long ere this have succumb-
ed 10 fate, but for them have struggled, until
now the end is near. | know that You have
rood and plentiful home. and kind and in
dulgent husband. | know. too, that your own
little Girl Is living in fairer home than yours.
. Martha will you take my orphan children,
and gather them to your breast. and love them
as your own. Close Your eyes sometimes and
bring before you the face of him you once low
ct. from the dear and tender eyes Of my
children. let the fathers soul still speak to YOU.
| am living al No. --, lie Grand st., Albany
Faithfully yours, LEWIS RANNoR.
Hot tears fell on the pa"es. and without n
word She ltiL I'm. Inttor in hcr htIsLnnl.s I.n
30 Martha." said Henry Payson. | have long
thought tie best thing we could do would he
to adopt some mothere>> child We shall soon
be growing old and we need some one in the
house for company" Martha laid her hand
softly on his neck and said. "IIpury. | have
never felt before that | could rive up any part
of the place in my heart kept sacred to the
memory of our own LITTLE rhild. Rut for \
week the voice of God has been calling me.
saving Thou art weighed in the balance and
found wanting | have seen the blessed prem
arati0ns for Christmas 90 on the fine in which
10 make All children hanpy. when love auJ
unSelfishneSs should 20 hand in hand. and |
have said to myself 'IIow selfish have been
all these years. | have hueced nv gricf, and
nurtured it with Jealous care. while vou have
let YOUR love and svmpathy 20 out TO every
ragged Tiny Tim in the nei@hborbood." Tears
trickled through the slender fingers. and Mr..
PavSon said softly, as he wiped them away.
.Niartha. God has opeped the way for n new
life for Ms. WcwiIl 90 to your divine friend and
those little girls Shall he to II. Lenceforth as
our own flesh and blood"