West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-12-25

eass travels. ,,,yss and i've w.r. .
- .r-iHW wcman's anx-
ious Dyes looked
2O - IN doprec atingly
X :if into tho hus-
~, A~ bands face.
Y - "what IL II,
E,-E\-7%% Nary his tonc was
E(H ~ gentle. with an under
SWNjk: n current OF sadness
NsfYi(N and dependency In
MEX y NV. .chfis,mas comes
IL tomorrow. Lionel" She
Il did not look I'm bis face
now. but closely scrutinlzed tho frayed
button a. ~ Ii were the absorbing
object of ber thoughts.
al know 81, Mary"
'Conld-could--yo let mo have lit
tie money, Lionel? For tho children.
! you know. dcxr--~e have never let tho
day go past without something for them"
And wo must no. now" he said;
'thcy will never be young but once. poor
things" lie took out worn wallet
| from his pocket.
II have looked over all tho old things
/ In search OF bits 20 make over into gar
ments or fancy things for thom," sho
continued apologeticaily, "but every
thing Is worn so close, Lionel. try To-
be frugal and saving" iIcr eyes wore
! Gl!ed with tears now.
! And you are. Mary. Whore would
/ we have been had IL not been Tor your
! careful management? viii two dol
lars be cnough2 IL is all have
! this morning. Heaven knows
! Il nl- .
dred--theTeis no limit 10 the deserts os
tho good wifn you've been to nc. Mary.
Doa't cry. dear. Il takes all NY courage
I and strength 10 SEQ you unhappy"
! The faded face was prosss Il against
the fraycd button now In vain at
/ tempt to hide tho hot tears which would
como. and bis worn glove. much tos
/ thin for the season. smoothed tho thin
( gray hair tenderly.
! Then must not cry" she answered.
loosiFp; sp with n forced sn,iln .'Yeg.
IL wl.f be enoagb--inorc than hri cS.
pcc;cd, bet feel "a elcised To al, y,i
tor money wheS hnow you have so
liitlc 70 spare mo"
Yes, debt wss tao skeleton which
! danced. mol only in tic closer but all
over the hcmso In this humble home. and
Mary went hack 10 her wprls. hor faco
drawn mp ;hcaghiiuiiy as s.sc caiculatci
j"s1 boa many pennies could bo spared
for this or thai. and balanced tho differ
cne<s hctwocn tbc strictly useful and
che more chiidiike but less material
gifts, Two dollars after all vas such q
lutte drop in tho bucket of necessities.
TO Say nothing Sf tho ornamental or tho
beautiful. II was not debt OF careless
Of. 4.
~ have borne the self-rcproach and the
shame 0f IL if Ii had been. hut was the
natural result OF long years Of sickness
and reverse. Lionel Webb in his Young
er days had Just escaped With his life
from an attack OF spinal meningitis
which lad resulted In partial disabii-
ity for life. lie was very ambitious. and
though obliged TO accept work which
bad as littio OF manual labor In IL as
possible, still 10 did IL often when
stronger mon would have been In bed
With a physician in attendance, did IL
In such bodily torture that he hardly ro-
allied what he was doing.
Mary bad her share OF sickness, TOO:
tho anxiety and care attendants on
Isionefs disability was enough TO break
n woman OF iron. which ghc was not. and
|
dren bad sickcned and died.
Lionel had secured a new situation OF
late--hc was growing better with years
and could now tako up different class
OF work. and his present employer was
q man Of large wealth. employing many
clerks In bis great business.
All this day Lionel worked IN a maze
Of perplcxity and regrot Mary's face.
with she tears on #, was ever before him.
Tonight was Christmas eve. and all day
long a procession Of richly dressed
mothers and fathers thronged tho store
buying. buying. from full purses. while
Mary, his true, faithful wife, whose
seventeen years Of married life had been
one long struggle with toll and care, had
only pitiful Two dollars witb which to
do her Christmas shopping, and IL
grieyed him 70 tho very hearts core.
The rush was over now. and In a half
hour moro tho great establishment
would DO closed, Wbcn an errand boy
touched his arm. "Mr. Dale would Ike
- sec you in the private Office, SIR" he
said respectfully.
Idone1s heart sank IN hia bosom like
load Could IL be that IN addition TO his
other niisfortuncs ho was going ~ lose
his situation2 This ongagementhad
been provisionary, and his employer had
made no sign as 70 whether his service
was acceptable. fIe crawled rather
than walked 20 tho Office In his
nervous dread, for The past had
beou 20 pcrsistently unl,ind 20 him
that he was coming to dread the future.
'Sit down. Sit down. sir" said Mr.
Dale cheerfully.
Lionel took . seat near she prosper
Gus businoss man, who noticed, az he
afd so, tho took Of care and detection on
his employees thin face
1T has been my custom, sir. for some
years % make my employees little
present on Christmas evo," be proceed
ed geniaiiy, 80 he book n bill from his
desE draMer and laid % M Lionera