The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-12-25

cameo pin. Her wholesome face was a lit.
tie hard fcHtIred, but it smiled q welcome
TO her son.
81 thought you'd like ham and eggs, ~
she sid, land apple sass goes COOL with
that, and my bread has turned out lovely,
and made some OF the dough into plain
cake. know you love plain cake, For,ly." !"
He bent over and kissed her on the top
of her head where the hnir was thiuuest.
He remembered it thick and dark, nnl hoyp
lie used to play with it as II baby Cnd pull
it all down. Mariorie hud hurt him, and
he turned to his mother for comfort.
after all. rather think that People eau
be happy without much money" he s.i I.
1--WE arc as happy as they are Up yrnler G. n
Broad street and on he lIc:ghts. Manlsy,
you never wolld have been happier with
fatlicr if he had been rich, would you!"
The mother strengthened herself us lie
spoke, and came toward the table boldina
two hot dishes carefully with opposite ends
of clean crash towel. Christmas is the
time for hopes with young people, oi
memories with old folk.
"Fortiy, dear" she snid, ''it's kind ol
Gurus that you should ask me that aues,
tton, just When was thinkin how | used
to wish was rich; seemed us if my young
years all went that way, and my good
looks, pullin to make both ends meet. Oh,
yes, should have admired to hev your ma
real rich, specially ut Christmas time,
when wanted to give you presents, and
your little sister that died. Yes. For,lv,
cvcn pa and me would have been happie,
togethcr-tliough we always done our duty
By cuch othcr--ef we'd Ind money. Mar
rie'l folks find than out pretty soon, though
when they are courtin it don't secm Doss;.
BILE Ies-yes-ycs; lots of things wouldn't
hev been said that feel to he sorry for ci
your pa and mo had been forehandc,l.
Even the little legacy have como intn
since hadn't come then, and / couldn't do
nothin wanted To"
Herforl turned his back on his mother
for moment, and stood looking out over
the little half curtain into the back ga-.
den, where the vines and rosebushcs were
all wrapped mp In straw, and where some
garments pinned TO the lines were dancing
wild fandangocs in the evening breeze.
''Eut il he had had to leave you, mother.
to go away for years i'll order to make the
money!" he said slowly, "and had given
you the choice between being as you were
and parting. Whit then!"
"Well, Forty," answered the old woman
with sigh, ''considerih all things, I'd hcv
had to say, lord, bring you back safe, but
should have had to say 'yo.' But your
pa never had no such chance, my son, and
Aewarn't ambitious. Icoultln't rouse him
up. l used to wish was tho man some.
times, I'd have showed him."
little touch of reproach was in her
voice, and tho hart look was strong upon
her face as she poured the tea into the old.
pagoda pattern tcacups. They were very
quiet that evening, and Herford went to
his room very e;lry.
The dag before Christmas Groton ia
buster than ever. There are extra clerks
In all the shops. Servants are running in
haste to the groceries. Mothers are slip.
ping in st side doors and bnck entrances
with parcels under their wraps. Children
whose faith iii Santa Claus IL fast fading
are watching them with big, round eyes.
Behind locked doors girls are hard ut work
putting the finishing touch to bits of fancy
work. Wagons go about the streets loaded
with little Christmas trees. A white head.
etl old negro hobbies from house to house
selling lunches of dried yarbs." Mrs.
Wayne ,uys so,ne for the st;,fiiny OF her
turkey. She is making mincc pies. Her
heart is very soft. for in the annual clean
ing up she come across old Christmas
gifts marked "Eben to Annah." No one
calls her by her odd, old fashioned name
now. She remembered what a soft sound
it ,:ed 10 have on Eben's lips.
"lle was just rs good Il man as ever
livc.!."> she says to herself, "and ef we
warn't rich we was real happy, Enen and
me, mostly; anyhow, twas my fault ef We
warn'c always"
The demon of discontcnt has totally de-
parted from Marjorie's heart. She sings
us she ties up her Christmas gifts in little
parcels, adding painted card to each.
The pret!icst OF oil the gifts is for Herford,
hs.l OH his; lard is n tender little motto,
II wc!" what allied me yestertlay?;'
she asks IL. .' If us she looks in the glass.
"Im sure don't envy any woman, rich or
poor" and she kisses the little ring to
which she gave contemptuous thought
the day before.
AT this moment Herford, at his desk In
the factory, where he has IL clcrkstip, sits,
feeling very bitterly. He is disappointed
in Marjorie. Yes, and in his mother. Like
most men, he failst to comprehend the evan
ascent iiatIre of wom.n's uiscontent. and
fnncies that what they say one day they
think this next.
"lioi,i!is WAS right he says to himself.
Money and whit money will brir g H. what
she: value most. Even mother i,lan,a,
,oof father yet for not having been ri:h
All, well; it is IL hart. truth to know, but it
iB bctter than to deceive myself"
Kite has made out the paJ roll, with it's
extra work and deductions. Orc name hus
been scored ont. The poor fellow hanged
himself last Sunday.
"If man a;n't rich, he'd better be dead"
Herfortl had heard him say. He gave a
bitter smile us he thought of it. Then hs
1rew pad of paper toward him, wrote
;wo letters and directed them. and beck
oned to old Mike Flanagan, who was max
.Dg up the fire in the Office stove. The hours
wore on until it was noontime und half
holiday. As the paymaster paid the men
;hcy filed out of the building. Old Mike.
with his Wages in his pocket, came back to
sweep the place out.
AT o'clock Herford's mother looked ont
II her window, wondering that her bow
| li,i not como to dinner.
Marjorie was ut hers. Herford often
Vent out of his way to pass her house and
get Il word with her, but this time she
.aited in vain. Suddenly low rumble
ell on her ears-I sound that she would
1nre taken for thunder but that it was
.rosty winter day. The mother heard it
also and ran ont upon her porch. The next
moment Marjorie lay on the floor in
;woon, and Aunal Wayne was one of a
certified crowd all bent in one direction.
The rumble had been followed by a re-
sort AS Of cannon, and flames were issuing
rom the factory windows, and before their
'ery eyes the tall brick walls of the build.
ny bent and swayed like Il card house
:arelessly touched by a child's finger.