The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-29
ARCHIBALD SAWYERS
By Porte Wool

It was the dag before Christmas, DARK,
dreary aud cold. AL day long the snow
bad been failing, driven hitheF and uiither
BY s..s sharp Northern blasts. TWAS late,
and the streets were almost deserted Here
ana there night be seen some late home
goes, loaded down with parcels that were
full OF happiness 70 young, expeetsnt
hearts.
Along the principal street Of the town, al
about 1t o'clock that night, old man
Sawyer was slowly walking from bis little
one.story Office 10 his little tHo-roomed
home. Archibald sawyer was one 81 the
oldest citizens Of Triptowa. and bad been
Identified with the place ever siaee Jared
M:nef built the first log cabin. and he put
up a slab store right opposite. No one
knew 50 very much about sawyer, although
everybody had known him all his life, ex-
cept that he was very rich, had money In
the Yanktown baak. owned nearly all the
stock OF o railroad that would have entered
Triptown If IL had been four miles longer,
ard oencd al the land adjoining him.
There vas one other thing that every
body knew about the old man. Everybody,
young and old. white and black, good and
bad, knew it very well and some OF them
by experience: Archibald Sawyer was
me4n- He was 4 mean, hard, cruel man,
with no ssnieney, no kindness, for any one.
II there CHANGED % Us poor widow with
whom the world had gone wrong, aad
whom an evil fate peyssstently pursued, sha
was sure to be IN some way indebted TO old
Sawyer. and be was very sure TO make her
hard lot sIill harder.
0nIy that very day he had ordered writs
OF eiecIment to be issued against Widow
Pierson, who owed him one months rent,
and whose watch, sole relic of better days.
he had long held as security; against the
Widow Bates. the mother Of four chllGen,
all of sire. and two OF them down with the
fever. and against Miss Fay, a large
hearted, good, but unfortunate spsnster,
who lived alf alone In miserable. tumble-
down but that was part OF the property
OF old man Sawyer.
Mr.. Sawyer was particularly cross and
sour on this particular Christmas eye He
didn't believe In holidays, any way. The
slir at Christmas time, the laughter and
Joy. the sight OF presents for the young
folks. always annoyed and yexed him.
But there were other causes for his lll-
humor. Mrs. Boyee. who was 20 have
paid him So for rent had only paid him 81,
because her husband had been thrown out
Of work by the closing of the mills. and
one I her children was III with typhoid
fever; and poor Me-. Bentley had told him
that he wouldn't be able 90 pay any more
rent until the foundries, which Mr.. Sawyer
principally controlled up again.
Then, Of course. ali these tenants had been
very promptly and emphatieally informed
that other people, who could pay, were
waiting TO take The houses. and that il
would save trouble II the premises were
vacated early on the third day. so Mr..
Smiley. old man Sawyer's private secre-
tary, was informed 20 serve the papers
early in the morning.
Perhaps because of the day. Mr.. Smiley
had vensnred to suggest that az Mrs,
Royce had SIX small children, one a Cripple.
and ether very I'll, aud Mr BentiY had
three small children and his wiie's aged
mother a. support. il would be good idea
TO give them eli little more time
I15d you fully understand what said,
Mr. Smiley 20 croaked the old man.
Whose fault i il that these people have
80 many children 10 support II surety
ISN'T mine. Anyfssstly who wants children
should see to Il that khey are ahle 10 sap.
port the things. If these people had A.
many young pigs a. they have brass. they
would be independent
So Mr.. Smiley said nothing further.
The old man truaeel slowly homeward
never looking into the faces of those ns
met. nor glanssne into the windows filled
70 overlooking with the things that MAKE
veane hearts glaA, What cared old Saw.
yer Tor Christmas day, or Christmas gifts
Christmas bad to 10 with ohiidrea oaly
ne hAda't aay eAIIdreu. and he Was glad al
IT,
A Tong @alk brought the old nan "a
what hc dieniaed by the name home
IL Was cherries enough. 50 he sure. bal
stsil Is scented strangiy In keeping with ths
mar. Ii was 3 sFaala, gw0-story house. ghs
under yaft of whieh vas ased ~ a saloon
and il hsd nos been painted since, mamy
wears before il had come into Ssxyar',
possession hy the foreclosure az a merit
gage While tbs old uan hasi a resg<scta,
tds stsies IN q sHore respectable bailsltne oa
a Fssofe Tespeesah@e street. Tire rexpee 4st glisx
af these surroundings lid nog extend IS his
tpsgsnes- gfu oecepsesi one xuaasl, Ill far,
usshed roem ever she fare part ol Paddy
hyanss ss3ean. snd ais usd and faithful
clerk, AesAsosn Smiley. occaplsd tl,s mex
and onlv remaining rssal, SO rs % he 18th.
in raSv call W his sxacssms master.
"a this particular Christmas eve, Mr.
Snalsey haa eaten has frugal supper Asd -
sired to his racua heaore ais master nolssly
stumbled up stars "a tAe darkness ana
enteTed his owa den.
Aefuss the n&FFow stress. and directly 81,
rs,ssse he sne uindow II RE room ecsa
pssf b Ar SAWyzr. wAs the bedroom al
Ton tueky's oldest girl. she, fas mAny
usaasAs AzG heea ~ 81 as 10 require Gen
stant atsontsen. ~ ever nigat l4inp wss
psa1esi 81 Der u8nsaew. is glare bssag shsi
eat isusa tAe SEX girls rssam by aruppius
ths ceFtSsa ayaF H.
KFv5a rs FscehEizf position tR tie fgsnseN
sas Light sAene ssTeetsY tnsa sAsysE'
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