The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-25
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93SaAsS

eafA 1ssSsse woman's anx-
I;saSHyr iors eyes looked
8MN 81 E.x depreo atingly
sFE into tho hus-
v-pT [St@eE band's face.
A W. SssSSss "Whas is it,
Hflf1Hi\-T@@J NNry%' his tone was
Whit yfE1sft gentle, with an under
THHEf$< r. current Of sadness
t@kfLif5 <FE and dependency in
EmI. .%:>fk @Christmas comes
II tomorrow, Lionel" She
= did not look in his face
pa@, but closely serubani"cd the fraycd
hAston as II 1t were ta,e absorbing
OBJECT OF her thoughts
~ know II, Mary"
"Could--could-yon lee mo have lit
tie money, Lionels FoT tho children.
Jou know, doar-we have mover let the
dag go past without ssSesh%ag FOR thom."
''And wo must not now" he said;
'they will never be young but onco, poor
things" He took oat worn wallet
Rom his pocket.
'I have looked over oil the old things
ia search OF bits 30 make over into gar
rnents or fancy things for thcm," she
continued apologesicany, 'hut every
thing is worn so close, Lionel. try TO
be frugal and saving" Hor eyes were
flied with tears nov.
And you arc, Mary. Where would
we have been had Ii not bccn for your
oarefuf management Will two dol
lars be enough? ID is all have
tails morning. Heaven knows
sish could mako il twenty or = hun
drod-thcYc Is no limit TO tho deserts of
tsie good vito you've been to me. Nary.
Don't cry, dear, 1t takes all my courage
and strength 10 See you anhappy.'
The faded face WIS pressed against
the frnJcd button nou in vain at
tempt to hide the hot tears which would
como, and his worn giovo, much too
thin for the season, ssncothcd tho thin
gray hair tonderly.
'"Fhon must not cry" she answered,
looking up with forced smile. Yes,
it will be enough-more than had ex-
pected, but feel so wicked TO ask you
fer money when I know you have so
laSslc to spare mo-"
Yes, debt was the skeleton which
danced, mob only IN tho closet but all
over tho house. in this humble home, and
AAAry went back 10 her work, her faco
drawn up thoughtiully as sho calculated
Just how many pennies could DO spared
for this or that, and balanced tho differ
'enees between tho strictly useful and
the moro ehildllke but less material
gifts. Two dollars after all was such q
litt1e drop In the bucket of necessities,
to say nothing Of tho ornamental or tho
beautiful. 1t was not debt Of careless
ness or OF extravngance, siio could scarce
~ have borno the solf-nproach and the
shame of 1t # 1t had been. but was tho
natural result of long years of sickness
and reverse Lionel Webb in his young
e1 days had inst escaped with his lilo
Rom IN attack OF spinal meningitis
vhfnh had resulted in q partial disabil-
iby for 1ife Hs was very ambitious, and
though obliged to accept work which
had rs lirtle Of manual labor in it IA
possible, still he did it often when
stronger mon would hayo been in bed
With a physician IN attendance did it
In sssh bodily torture that nc hardly re-
afiSed what he was doing.
Mary had her share of sickness, too;
the anxiety and care attendant on
Lsonelfs disability was enough to break
a woman Of iron, which she was not, and
IN addition to 1t all. three darling chill
dran bad siokened and died.
MoneA had secured new situation OF
1ate-be was growing better with years
and couad now take up different class
OF work, and his present employer was
nan of largo wealth, employing many
eierfss IN his great business.
An t6is day Lionel worked in q maze
OF perploxity and regret Mary's face,
with the tears on it, was ever before him.
Tonight was Christmas eve, and all day
long a procession OF richly dressed
mothers and fathers throngod the store
buying, buying, from full purses, whilo
Mary his true. faithful wife, whose
seventeen years Of married life had been
one long struggle with toll and care, had
only pftiful two dollars with which tc
do her Christmas shopping, and i,
grieved him to tho very hearts core.
The rush was over now, and in a hall
hour moro the great establishment,
world be closed, when an errand boy
SoBched his arm. "Mr. Dale would like
10 see you in tho private office, SIR" he
said respectfully.
EFsners heart sank in his bosom like
aead. Could it be that in addition to his
other Biisfortunes no was going to lose
his sftnation? This engagement tn ad
been provisionary, and his employer had
made no sign as to whether mis- service
was acceptable. He crawled rather
Than walked to the Office in his
nervous dread, for the past had
been so persistcntly unlSind to him
1aat he was coming to dread tho future.
"6ss down. Sit down. sir" said Mr..
Dalo, cheerfully.
iAonei took seas near tho prosper