South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-01-09
FHEINTELLlGENCER
FRIDAY. JANUARY ., 1891.
SISTER AGNES BASKET.


II WAS . big, tall, round, comforta.
BILE looking basket which might ea-
silly have belonged in some house.
keepers closet, but looked out OF
place at the entrances OF the great ba.
sar, where the crowds jostled IL in
passing - they hurried in and out.
busy with Christmas shopping. Still
il was plain that the basket had not
come there by accident. On its Gov
or, which was fastened back, Was a
card on which was written in q clear
hand: He that giveth TO the poor
leudeth to the Lord ! below, 10 small.
er script: ANY gifts which may be
placed in tais basket today will be
gratefully received and gladly dis
tributed by Sister Agnes
In the gray of the morning, Just
after the doors Of the great store were
opened, . middle aged woman, with
q gentle face, had set this basket in
its place. She hal stood for mo-
ment looking into it as IL calculating
how much 1t would hold; then, her
lips moving little silently, she had
gone away.
Since, all sorts Of chances had been
cast at the basket. Of the many
shoppers at the bazaar some had evil
IDENTIFY regarded It as one OF the ovs
elites OF the day, like the Santa Claus
in the window, or the Punch in the
basement, and had passed it With q
laugh. Others had taken 1t serious-
ly, and after reading the card bad
sent = nod OF approval, possibly par
eel, into the depths. A few had look.
cd apon 1t coldly. and there were ner.
vous aud belated shoppers who hurri.
ed by without seeing it. Am ong
them all, however, the basket had
hsen slowly filing. Bundles Of all
shapes aud sizes had been tossed
there together, and by Elk O'Clock
In the evening Santa Glaus himself
would not have scorned the load.
There lent room for much more in
this basket, said the CHEEKY faced
woman who had just tucked tiny
parcel OF her own down between two
larger ones. i fancy Sister Agnes
eyes will shine when she sces it. 1t
was good scheme OF hers, setting it
here
"A novel one, returned her COM
panion. One expects calls for char
ity in the churches. but here -
'Ab, but We don't all go to church
and ne do al come here.< laughed the
other. Sister Agnes doesn't mean
that any Of us shall escape. She's
always plotting and contriving how
size can help her poor. I!'s won.
jerful head that little woman has,
and q wonderful heart TO match it,
We'll, l hope she'll know what o
do With ali the things she's collected
said the other, still little obviously.
1t must be . perfect medley
Oh said the champion OF the
basket, 'she'll find just the right place
for every thing, whether it's q paper
Of pins or a hobby horse. There'l II
be hundred people made happy to-
morrow 10y means of this basket
As sue spoke portly old gsntles
man, who Was waiting for.the street
car, ed Sed q little Dearer the basket.
he was fairly loaded down with bun
dies. The pockets Of bis fur-lined
OVercoat bulged Ike school boys.
There Was a good sized box under
each arm, and he was unmistakabl "
huggIng tin cart and horse. Many
of the people who saw him smiled.
IL WAS not customary for Roger
Holden, the rich banker, to carry bis
own bundles. But not whit cared
be for their smiles. Why, IL MAS the
night before Christmas, and did not
tue greatest saint in ell the calendar
go loaded down like pack horse9
Beside. there was . danger At this
late hour that packages which were
left to be delivered might not arrive
on time, and Roger Holden, Jr., must
rot miss any OF the JOY which bis
grandfather bad planned for him.
Ii Was for this young person, aged
i've years, that all these bundles
we're intended. The old gentleman
had taxed bis wits 10 the buying, and
really he fat,ered himself that he had
left out nothing which q youth Of
that sge could desire. His latest
purchase, and the one on which ho
prided himself most, was q music
box an exquisite STAIR with a reper-
tOire OF more lhsn dozen tunes. II
bad cost . big, heavy gold piece, but
Rogers grandfather had actually
chucklsd as be laid the coin down on
the counter. This music box would
meet q long felt want, and might rec d.
oDoile his beloved uamesake TO being
denied the privilege Of playing on bis
mothers grand piano. lie was think.
log Of hts purchase With q peculiar
satisfaction, when the voices Of the
tHo ladies talking about tie basket
reached him. Evidently here was
something which be bad not noticed.
lie bent little aud peered through
his glasses at she card on the cover.
he that giveth to the poor lendeth
10 the Lord
'HuDph said Roger Holden IN
der bis breath. he bad spent a good
deal Of bic life in making loans. but
IL could not be said that he had ever
made many TO The Lord, al least not
private loans. lie had, il is true,
made oct a few rather handsome
checks for the benefit OF certsin char
tiles, but for these the city bad been
4 a