The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24

l should have had to say go But your
pa never had no such chance, my son, and
he warn't ambitious. / couldn't rouse him
up. l used 10 wish 1 was the man some
times; I'd have showed him" :
A little touch of reproach was in her
voice, and the hard look was strong upon
her face as she poured the tea into the old,
pagoda pattern teacups. They were very
quiet that evening, and Herford went to
his room very early.
The day before Christmas Groton is
buster than ever. There are extra clerks
in all the shops. Servants are running in
haste to the groceries. Mothers are slip
ping in at side doors and back entrances
with parcels under their wraps. Children
whose faith in Santa Claus is fast fading
are watching them with big, round eyes.
Behind locked doors girls are hard at work
putting the finishing touch to bits of fancy
work. Wagons go about the streets loaded
with little Christmas trees. A white head
ed old negro hobbies from house TO house
selling punches of dried yarbs.' Mrs
Wayne buys some for the stuffng of her
turkey. She is making mince 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 remem bered what soft sound
it used to have on Eben's lips.
He was just as good a man as ever
lived" she says to herself, land eff we
warn't rich we was real happy, Eben and
me, mostly; anyhow, twas my fault eff we
warn't always"
The demon of discomfort has totally de-
parted from Marjorie's heart. She sings
rs she ties up her Christmas gifts in little
parcels, adding a painted card to each.
The prettiest of all the gifts is for Herford,
and On his card is a tender little motto.
II wonder what allied me yesterday"
she asks herself as she looks in the glass.
Pm 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 q clerkship, sits,
feeling very bitterly. He is disappointed
In Marjorie. Yes, and in his mother. Like
most men, he fails to comprehend the evan
escent nature of women's discomfort, and
fancies that what they say one day they
think the next.
"Robins was right" he says to himself.
Money and what money will bring is what
they value most. Even mother blamea
poor father yet for not having been rich.
All, well; it is q hard truth to know, but it
Is better than to deceive myself"
| He has made out the pay roll, with its
extra work and deductions. One name has
been scored out The poor fellow hanged
! himself last Sunday.
IF a man amt rich, he'd better be dead, "
Herford had heard him say. He gave q
! bitter smile as he thought of it. Then he
| drew a pad of paper toward him, wrote
| two letters and directed them, and beck
| oned to old Mike Flanagan, who was max
| ing up the fire in the office stove. The hours
wore on until it was noontime and hall
holiday. AS the paymaster paid the men
they filed out of the building. Old Mike
with his wages in his pocket, came back tC
sweep the place out.
! AT o'clock Herford's mother looked GU,
Of her window, wondering that her boy
did not come to dinner.
! Marjorie was at hers. HEREFORD often
went out of his way to pass her house and
get word with her, but this time she
waited in vain. Suddenly low rumble
fell on her ears-a sound that she would
have taken for thunder but that it was
frosty winter day. The mother heard il
also and ran out upon her porch. The next
moment Marjorie lay on the floor in {
swoon, and Annah Wayne was one of {
terrified crowd all bent in one direction.
The rumble had been followed by re
port as of cannon, and flames were issuing
from the factory windows, and before theil
very eyes the tall brick walls of the build
ing bent aud swayed like a card house
carelessly touched by child's finger.
That Christmas day many workman's
wife thanked heaven that her husband was
safe at home when the factory fell. Ont
or two had been bruised or cut as they flee
from the courtyard. Poor Mike flanagan
had been brought home to his daughter
house dead. They. guessed that spari
from his pipe had fired some explosiv.
stuff slowed in the building, butt no ape
ever quite knew what happened +.
Annah Wayne stood on the street al
night, watching the men who were york
ing among the debris of the factory. Al
dawn some neighbors led her home anl
put her to bed.
The doors were streaming wide, tn,
mince pies still stood upon the window
Sill, where they had been set to cool. The
thoughtfully put them away and mad
preparations for funeral No one dare
to look in at the lid of the coffin aroun
which they stood while the old clergyma
prayed for the widow who had an onl
SOD, and he died"