Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-25

/ SOGuOE. 9O IL - oAAlPAJ PoOUAAS I'll CAO
| grand doings until New Years day."
| YES" assented Mrs. Roberts.
'Old Mrs. Barnes said it would be a
! great deal better times for her to give
up the two rooms to u.s." went on Miss
Crimp. '.And Kitty and Harry'll wait,
| just like two little sweet-hearted angels
as they are," kissing them both.
On the thirty-irst Miss Crimp again
stood at Mrs. Monroe's door and rang
the bell. waiting then a respectful
while. No answer came. and again and
again she rang, hearing the bell sound
loudly and coldly. as if in an empty
house. A chill struck to her heart as she
waited in the keen wintry blast. She
had never before been so near the end
| Of her resources. The desired change
| OF rooms could not. be made without a
/ payment in advance, and she, although
Mrs. Roberts did not know it, was des-
titute of common comforts in her own
! garnet.
mo ones at home," was the answer
to her inquiry next door concerning
Mrs. Monroe.
! Her knees seemed to weaken unde,
her as she turned away. She had not
| realized how firmly she had depended
i
she was in need of it.
| Seventy-hve cents were left in hel
purse. 1t would not do to diminish it,
SO the long way home must be walked
! She only shook her head as in utter
WEAKNESS she again sat by Mrs. Rob
erts' fire.
''But don't give up yet, children
she said, after half an hours rest. 81
haven't. If things were not for the
best of course things wouldn't be So
No, can't stay now"
Up to her room she went, forgetting
| the cold and darkness in the one idea
which now filed her mind. Searching
among the few things left of long age
prosperity she found a small bundle o.
embroidered lace which she wrapped VI
| and again went out.
cts hand-embroidered and very
fine," she said, timidly offering it at the
fancy counter of large store.
Sorry" said the busy clerk, with
glance at her wistful face, ''but there
are so many new varieties of lace:
now that we should have no sale To-
this
Out again on the sidewalk she took
few uncertain steps then turned into
less pretentious store. How could sucl
little things as Kitty and Harry believ,
that all things work together for good
they were entirely disappointed in wha
they had hoped for at this holiday sea
son?
The seventy-five cents were spent TO
doll and a book, and she came GU
with a smile on her face as chile
passed before her whose soft curl
might have belonged to Harry himself
The boy smiled back at her and wa
passing on when there came a noise an,
confusion in the street close by.
Miss Crimp looked around in Devil
derment. Some frightened horses cam
rushing b1indly toward the sidewalk
The child, who had just got out of
carriage and had been slow in following
those in charge Of him into store, w:
exactly in their track.
Miss Crimp never could recall an
, thing between the moment in whic
she caught the smile of the bright fac
and that in which she held the child i
her arms on the ground outside tn
curbstone. while a noise of grindin
; hoofs. shouts and ordinations auickl
drew a crowd about her. Then came
dim remembrance of confused inquir
as she was raised by kindly hands.
mo, I'm not hurt at all" she il
, sisted. 'How is the boy?"
s'Lively as cricket" said polic'
man.
: She only waited to see him seized an
! cried over before picking up the parcs
: containing her New Years gifts, an
quietly making her way out of til
? crowd. She was not hurt, she was su,
. of that. Perhaps it was the memorie
brought up by the sight of the old lac
in the bright gas-light which ha
: brought such mist before her eyes an
I such weakness to her feet. causing hi
almost to stagger as she went on ht
, way. And-the lace was gone. Ho
could she have forgotten to look for
in the place where she fell? But it W,
too late now, her feet absolutely +
o fused to obey as she half turned to {
back.
l. The light was out in Mrs Robert
room and she passed on to her own Il
y four bare walls were all, it seeme
. which cruel world granted her on tn
q New Years eve. No light. no warmt
no food. no strengthens couragee