The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-15
rnr cnRIsrMAs spIRIr.

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Bertha Miller stood pressing her fore
head against the window-pane and heav
ing such deep-drawn sighs as only TN
heart-rending troubles of the very yount
need for their expression.
whats the matter, Bertha, asked
Aunt Fanny; 'you seem to be Ver!
unhappy" -,
"Oh, Aunt Fanny, how can you ash
what's the matter? You know" Inn
sentence was punctuated by geuuin'
sob. and forthwith the girl sat down tol
a good cry.
Bertha Miller was having almost hel
first experience of real trouble, ana she
found it bitter
1t had commenced about three
months before, and eliminated now,
Bertha was sure: for what could be
more dreadful than not to keep
Christmas.
Bertha's father had held high posi-
ton in a manufacturing company. For
many years he had been in receipt OF a
large,salary. He had always lived within
his means, had bought and paid for
handsome house, and had saved some
thing for a rainy day, although he really
anticipated no reverses.
But in October of this year an aceum-
ulation of misfortunes had caused the
firm that employed him to fail, and with
almost no warning he was thrown out OF
employment.
He was not man to live idly, hoping
40, oeitio, oUe 'ai. 81 n c,t Jnwp his nresenf
expenses and prepared to accommodate
''T Mrs NIilinr iT L,S and thn ei"ht children ha
d'i, ti,i,, 80 ''ts" Ill, and Rertha the
IL. I'od ,t ~, 10. tbcir raverses
,ritI' I9,, ,,amdorf,I ," Eli oboo,Fniross Rnt last
Mint came stroke almost too hard TO
hnor
o'Si, Sftor oro,irr ,rorors Mr. Miller had
said GrayeIy"+ond Il cost him more to
co., tbon n had +o T,,rcbaso ali the
~; ~ ',,'' rrosants ", az Le had ever
bommht
"SbiIJror r,otbcr and have talked Il
o,,o,. and ba,n cnncIndcd that tbis wear
,'o,, Iii ho,,a to GO ,ystbont Christmas
1rosonts Van have evoyything that Won
,aod now, 30 ti,at Won w1uid 9nlv feel IL
neru oLorl Iv% 9T of 1' TIri:tmos to recaiye some
a,;ao S,,oi, as We conIJ civa We tbinl,
~ ,ro,lJ ba better to he contented with
n Cbiistmos dinner and try to keep
tho TbriStnoos sn;rit in our hearts #
, ,o,,it Ia,'o ,,rasorts +o loon n ont
,',o,.ii,, ,,
No Gno snol,o for moment after Mr..
u;IIor ,,odn tLis Statement
Rnt GmoiI,, tI,ree.vear'oid Robbie who
oriy nartiaiiv camnreLanded the state of
ort5 oGsi,, r'',rai' ,raiJ ycra,ei,,.
"Has Santa Clans failed nanop"
| pnbhic had hoard 90 mnch talk of
faiInre lately that he Thought such ruin
could rcacI evcn fine immortal Saint
NicL
Thev all laupbed at Rohbie's question.
and d"o3 Soi5 ~ thov,j rot olnng norfcrtIy we'll
,ritl,ont nresnnts
Pat an, afraid e;gLt nilIows wore h, :
do,ycd with tears fiat nioht and | am
S,,rn tbat tbnre were eiSbt very sober
fares next dav in the Miller home.
Rertho had struCgled AGAINST the gen
oraI domrassion % ,s,, ~ hr55SSeIv nntil Amt Fan
ni"'s symnathctic o1ostion aid. what
syrnotRv is smre to do melt the GIRL ali
ant IF cnmnosmre into n nerfect storm of
toors
Amt Fanny 1ot partbo cry until n LITTLE
of thc natnrL bitterness WIS washed
mt of the trial and then she said
oontlv.
GTm afraid Won haven't the Christmas
,r;,it in vnui. hrart dear You know
tbc christmas sniIit if there is any that
is worthy of the name must he a spirit
20 ,,;,,i,a! wViv! not nf recni,,in" Christ gave
himself for ms As n rift he came a,
Christmas. If we want to be happy al
Ch,istmos we must he like him"
81 l.nn,y II A,,nt Ea,,ry and that's
;,,st ,,,Lara tl,n trorIIe comics Trulv
- n,i,,d ah,,,t. NOT receiving nrcscnts
|
tI,a I,nuob+ HronuI,t a frash oufburst M
criof orH f''o't t"' 0'''7'' " - 0'' ~ W
e"I1rt ,o, c,r d,rl;nr The Ribl,
o,l wS wa ;S,rst ~" S, Giyo srrnrdinC to what w,
have not according to what we hay,
m"t'' n"t If ~ wo,, wanted +, Won MIGHT max,
groot nanv bannv tl,fs Christmos h,
n M ~ what " II have y
"w mar do van mean auntiep I mich
,,,o,d tho ,,,6noy I Lnyn in tba hank I'm
, 'apothor 'ph thimGs i ba i batter NOT ;,
Amt Eanmy wanted to into q # Rerth
in somatb,ng definite 81 She was read
Vii, hs, rn,'iv
| ..I,u toll ynu what mean. There ar
| ory rrn,her Of nnor children who conl
4 ba madn h ,nnv bv wbat wonld seem yer
j ';,,i. tn ,,n, 33ni would COST Won aImos
4 ,,otI,inCr Iii, I,,,t ,,,o,,,Iahn,. ;,
4 I'm foil mo your man ountie fo
Lnov yo,, Toyn one Inv rho looks n
4 your focn'.,
1 'TSa Partho had co,snd +, sob now an
ltoai,ad n cod Jnoi lilo bor hright
homny Golf
""dtyy XIV Man Is inst This Think I'M nbor
dozSpP nonr ,,IiIJran make them som
!, clothing nmt of tLe worn-out garment
,homt 10 house nick nm a few tovs II,
cbildren have discarded invite m
Jnnon % i;tt,o ORC, to soc Cbri ,tmas nich,
%THe r;ye tben, % the nresents and make the da
5anoraIiv r" doiidhtfml for Them Won wi
7hinl, - tbe iataiIs much better than
LII ,,,, VI '''0
''T Ill, ,r,l,to, ,,hor Mr. Nt;ll, = com
,,'o "o 81, ~ - H." ciiv he ,yas erected NV
/: nfoot noHe t'Onl ,,,hi,I,,in3 1r Of daliSbt as
! ! PotnroJ tI,n boIi
MI 'iJ o,,+ so oxo;tod ap
o,,, nv ti,1 ti,at Co.. tho tine he forgot fa;inr,
maPpS T"'t atho, ,or vno tro,hIo. III earS we,
dnotonad anu %ad o bu dei;"Ltf,l sbonts o'
."11a,,,,a - ~ ,,.o oaS, ;f Won, no yiII;p0
ssnn sa,, ''9s '9s -
uUo w. s"y gtIi' "a orv trrl,ov for din, q
~ WTi MI 50. = ''J ~ ,,,,,,'ay,