The Portland daily press., 1886-12-25


she looked into the tea-kettle. and her hus-
band never guessed what the joke was.
The supper was lively feast, for the twins
were hungry, and therefore the grown peo-
pie had a chance to say their say. Jane
0'Neil had dramatic gifts which fate had
left uneultiyated; and she gave them Mrs.
Millionaire reproving the head of the cloak
making department for the non-suit Of her
fur-lined mantle; the artist in cloaks, meek
and deprecatory until her customer had de-
parted, when at once, In the words of Jane,
''she said all that she wanted dreadfully to
say at the time" The hurry over an en-
broidered coat for a spoiled darling, and the
impossibility of matching that particular
shade Of silver gray with spool of button
hole twist. and the lamentations of mamma
and unrestrained bowls of mammals pet at
the consequent delay. 1t was an Iliad of
millinery, and this and much more did Jane
recite with the intelligent accuracy of one
who has seen the affair from the inside.
John had his story to tell of an eccentric
customer who wanted discount upon buy
ing by the dozen, twenty-four cents worth OF
postage-stamps, kept as an accommodation to
customers. Polly said but little, she was so
afraid of letting her secret escape her lips
but she proved a good listener, and laughed
even when there was no obvious cause for
so much as smile.
Later, when Jane O'Neil had gone up
to her room in the topmost story of the house,
of which the Vanlynes rented the first floor
and the twins had been undressed beside the
fire and carried to their crib in another room,
and sent to sleep with song, John and
Polly sat down together before the lessening
flames in the old-fashioned fireplace for a
quiet talk.
1t is of no use to wink it out of sight, ="
said John. Tomorrow is Christmas day,
grant you that, and good and blessed day
it is. But one week from tomorrow is New
Years day, and tell you dread to make
up my accounts for the year. We are run
ming behind; the neighbers buy but seldom,
and then not, as you might say, by whole
sale. The rent and other expenses 60 on the
same, if we sell our goods or not Nobody
ever cares to turn the corner to come to our
little place, to pass by the attractive displays
in the great windows"
81 know it," said Polly sadly, for the sur
prises she had planned seemed very slight
compared to these hard facts. John, be-
lieve | simply hate that wax woman in Mr..
Goldstone's window. She seems like siren,
Turing people in to buy her pearls and dia-
monds, when if they would spend hun
dredth part of the money at our shop, it
would do us, OH so much good. Don't you
hate her. John?" finished Polly, her imagin-
alton excited by her trouble of mind.
mo, Polly, don't think that 1 hate her,"
answered John, more TRANQUILITY, for his
memory recalled foolish fancy that had
passed through his mind when he entered
the great jewellers establishment to choose
Polly's pin.
1t had almost seemed to him that the
Christmas fairy, who looked so coldly with
her beautiful immoyable eyes at the wealthy
customers who came and went through the
doorway, had smiled as he entered, and John
even fancied that-he saw her large eyelids
and long lashes CULVER Pictures Of the saints
have been said to wink at the faithful-and
why not Christmas fairy? AT all events,
the fairy's smile had brought him luck, for
he had found pin quite to his taste and
equally within the limits Of his purse; and
when he went out from the shop with the
pin safe in his vest-pocket, the Christmas
fairy seemed to hold her jewels lightly, as if
she would say, milne are no greater gift for
Christmas than yours"
These fancies comforted little the anxious
mind of John Vanlyne as he regarded his
Polly, whose collar was fastened with a
large black headed pin for lack of a better.
81 should think" said he, that people
could see our shop as they cross the street,
for it is only two doors from the corne.."
81 sincerely hope they cannot, for there's
nothing worth looking at" answered Polly,
with a little asperity.
"Mary Virginia Vanlyne," said John, and
his wife was aware that he was on the point
of making a formal announcement of his
views; 81 have in my purse all my ready
money, one twenty dollar bill and one penny.
l shall toss up that cent; if it is tails, shall
keep the twenty dollars for current expenses
as long as it will last. If it comes up heads,
l will risk my last banknote to make our
shop window look worth while for once
Then if customers come, well and good. II
not"
"Ah, John-don't say any more," pleaded
Polly. Pm afraid to have you toss up that
cent
''Here it goes, my girl" cried John, reck'
lessly; and the cent flew up to the ceiling,
and fell dow i to the floor with the enticine
note of coin.
Polly stopped to read the oracle. "Heads, u
- ~ovartod g[luf nh Tohu dnp,t ha 70 eh
Think of our babies; suppose they were tax
en- i'll or anything"
Polly, have said it and | shall not &C
back on my word" John maintained. Moth
ing venture, nothing have; and if worst
comes to worst can keep us out of the poor
house by shovelling snow. 1 shall spend
that twenty dollars tomorrow morning, upon
new goods for the shop. You may have the
cent"
81 shall keep it for luck penny an
swered his wife, "if it shall have brought Us
luck. If not, it will be enough to buy {
cracker for each of the babies
John looked at his wife's face, white ant
sad as she turned the penny over in thu
palm of her hand. Don't you trust me, m,
girl ?" said he. and Polly's brown head wa
on his shoulder in a moment.
They breakfasted by gaslight, Christmas
morning, John and Polly alone together
for the babies were still asleep in their warn
crib. Polly had made tacit amends to he
husband for her little faith of the evening
before, by the extra clearness of the coffe'
and brown tint of the rolls; and their tabl
talk was all of the purchases to be made II
order that their little shop SHOULD have it
part of the hurried last custom of Christina
| morning. John had to go alone to buy tn
| goods, for Polly knew no one with whom t
leave the twins in the daytime AS soon a
the door had closed behind her husband sh
hurried to perform the necessary work Of tn
| house, and the minutes seemed long to he
while she washed the dishes and busted tn
shop, until she heard Silvia call, with a not
| like canary bird:
Mamma, come. Rosa wants some bel
fastv' said the baby, with elegant disregar
80 bar nr,,, dacira for broad and milk