St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-21

friends and then grow young again.
Many homes will be the scenes of happy
family reunions and jolly dinners.
Visions of former holiday seasons will
start tear or cause smile and, per
haps, IL one be in reflective mood.
teach Invaluable lessons. The day shall
be celebrated most w0rthily. and amid
the quiet joy of the old and uproarous
fun of the young. twill quickly wear
away.
On the shore of Shingle creek this
Christmas eve lives Alec Work, an
honest man and faithful wage worker.
He and his good wife have filed the
kids stockings, and now with nod and
wink at the curly heads of the sleep
ing youngsters for q moment, they
complacently view their work. But a
shadow fits sacross the hearth; comes
again, fingers and will not be put away.
In saltwater prison Is young Alec
Work, and it is the recollection of the
one-time happy face of the lad and his
hard fate that mars the happiness of his
parents tonight. There had been
trouble at the factory and young Alec
had been bold enough to defend his en-
ployers. That night he met the leader
OF the indictments, Scuffie enSued
and victim was added to the long list
of sacrifices made at the altar of pas
Sionate anger. The lad was convicted
of murder and is breaking his heart and
beating his hands against the unyield-
ing bars of his PRISONS door. The
father thinks it all over tonight,
just as he has done thous-
and times before. The boy at
ness. He was never vicious
youth, but loved his mother and was an
obedient son. Did not that account for
something's The mother said it was the
lads home life that saved him from the
Scaffold. Alec Work thought it was the
law which he couldn't understand.
After all. his son may have been at
fault in defending the men who had
given him a responsible job in their en-
ploy. What did it all mean, anyhow,
this talk and constant agitation by
workingmen, by farmers, by capitalists,
by merchants? Was no one ever salts
fed and was every man politician? Is
the world, thought Alec Work, topsy
turvy and everything at skies and
sevens? One might easily think SO
from the wrangling and constant fault
finding one hears at the shop, at the
grocery and the butchers. The papers
were full of it. Would to God his son
had heard naught of it, groaned Alec
Work. All, If the lad were only here,
with his winsome eyes and CHEEKY face.
But that could never be, and since it
were foolish to indulge such pretty
fancies he would make the best of it
and try to add, day by day. to the hap
pinesS of the wife and kids.
An elderly gentleman with an ugly
frown on his handsome face is reading
his afternoon paper this Christmas eve.
He is a rich man and some day his son
will be vastly rich. The apartment is
regally appointed and i'll entire keeping
with the social and financial position of
its occupant The door is suddenly
flung open, and his heir, with flashing
eyes and crimson cheeks, yet with
tremulous lip, eXclaims:
Father. we are ruined"
Nonsense. What do you mean?"
II mean that Margaret. my wife, my
bride, is little better than common
bawd. Why did marry her? God only
knows; l thought | loved her. Merciful
heavens, how [ abhor the woman! She
has confessed the truth. In love with
an actor Bah. Says she will not be
divorced from her art, and since l will
not submit TO her going on the stage she
will emulate the example of Mrs. Leslie
Carter. Miserable woman, who does
not hesitate to wreck her own happi-
ness and drag my name. our name.
through the mire OF a filthy public
scandalr'
but surely. my son. something can
be done to avoid"
Absolutely nothing. The woman is
infatuated with her lover and with her.
self and has gone daft. Yet there's
method in her madness. l will have
nothing further to do with her. Think
of it, father, married not yet twelve
month, and made a cuckold."