The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-12-15

| Inc snow was 1alllng IN great soft flakes
! and lay thick upon the pavement, and she
bent before the wind as she made what haste
| she could. AS she walked along she wondered
for moment at the holiday aspect of the
street, and then she suddenly remembered,
with a great pang, that it was Christmas
Eve, and two sudden tears rolled from her
eyes and trickled slowly down her cold cheeks
Everybody she met, even in that poor loca-
ton, seemed to have something in their hands
toys, cheap and tawdry, it is true, but still
eQmethinS to bring Joy to child's heart-but
this poor little woman could buy nothing, moi
even so much as q bit of candy, for ster1
necessity had laid too strong hand upon this
desolate little family for the spending even
of one penny on anything but food, fuel and
rent Choking back the unruly sobs that
would mount up the little woman at last
reached the butchers shop where she dealt,
when she had anything to buy with, and here
she bought soup bone for ten cents, car
rot, turnip and two potatoes for five cents,
aud then as the fat butchers fatter wife put
them in paper bag she slyly added two rosy
apples from barrel and two big red Onions,
and the butcher being busy just then selling
fine turkey to the proprietor of a boarding
house did not see it.
"For the babies, ma'am, with my love-"
said the jolly woman, "and wish it was
more"
Abby Hicks stood a moment irresolute,
with the red spots of shame burning in her
cheeks, for never before had she accepted a
gift, and yet her heart was glad for her
children and lighter for the womanly sympa-
thy which she felt had actuated this meager
gift.
"Thank you," was all she could trust her
self to say, and she hurried away, and from
there she went to the little corner grocery
where her wants were supplied when accom-
panied by cash. Here she bought five cent
loaf and a pail Of coal.
Nothing else?" asked the grocer's clerk.
"We have some fine turkeys and cranberries:
chickens, too, first rate Philadelphia dry
picked; raisins, apples, jellies, celery-nothing
at ALI"
"No, thank your saiI Abby, hurrying
away.
The coal had taken her last cent. She got
out again into the street on her way back
and hurried onward. only anxious to get
back to where she could weep her heart out
in her woe, for where is an agony keener for
a mother than to deprive her children of the
joy that is rightfully theirs on Christmas
uays Lear uGJl0 1tODDle! lie WOULD near
the other children blowing their tin trum-
pets and beating their drums, and his sturdy
little heart had always desired one and the
other by turns. And good, gentle Ruthie!
How her mot y soul had longed for real
doll! Not the old rag doll, but a real one,
with fair hair and blua eyes. And this
mother had promised long ago that she
would write long letter to Santa Claus and
tell him what good little children they were,
and now they would grieve over his neglect.
What should she doa She had nothing to
sell that they could by any possibility spare.
had been sold long ago that
could bring anything at all; and now, to add
10 her despair, a huckster's wagon, loaded
with cheap toys, stopped just in front of her,
and the strong lunged hucksters began cry
ng out their wares Again she quickened |
1er pace, and went ON blindly up the stairs to
1er miserable home, all the while her heart |
nearly bursting with its agony as memory
pictured this home as it had been only ten
hort years ago. Yes, on this very anniver-
AIRY, and she dressed in white satin, with |
pearls and beautiful laces, was the envied |
beauty Of the great ball. Where now were |
III those brilliant lights, the flowers, the SCR
yants, her sweet faced mother and noble I