The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-26
ECHOES OF CHRISTMAS.

ECHOES OF CHRISTMAS.
The postmen had hard time of itI
One day just before Christmas one of
them stepped along the street with light
bag and jaunty heart.
"You don't seem to have much of
load" called out an acquaintance
"Nope; the New York train is late" re-
sponded the man of letters. Then he
added with sudden fall OF countenance,
"But what raft of stuff tEere'll be next
trip"
It was sad Christmas, too, i'm many
places. There is a double house up Elm
wood way and Grape hung from both
doors-knobs on Christmas day. There had
been death in each of the two families
living there.
1t was warm Christmas, following
warm season. A mosquito, the Last rose
of Summer" so to speak, buzzed abut my
pillow early in the morning. l once
found live grasShoppers out OF doors in
January.
Toys new and strange come to view
with each succeeding Yule, but the old
favortes last pretty we'll. An East Side
boy opened "A box of jackstraws with great
delight, and ran with them to grandma.
why, they are just like some / had,
when was little girl, /" she said, peering
over her specs"
Just the same grandma" ?"
Yes, only that there are more kinds of
things. Here's telegraph pole. you see
Now we didn't have any telegraph when
was little girl"
Gracious how old you must be F"
My neighbor was in at Fosters Christ
mas eve looking for a trinket Cor his wife,
when a flashily dressed girl came in and
wanted TO buy diamond ring. A con-
siderable assortment was shown TO her
and finally she SAID, well, / would like
one to cost about 81" The remark
created quite sensation in the crowded
store. us that good enough for the
NEWS ?" asked my neighbor in telling Inc
the story.
On the platform of a crowded car a
Brown sttttfcrt, with n couple of evergreen
wreaths, jostled couple of errand boys
from a candy store with big bundles of
candy TO deliver. Wishing TO be sociable
he presently asked boy No. what work
he had to do.
Huh" said boy No. .. ''He don't do
nothin' 'cept eat peanut candy all day
What's them wreaths for /? What good
are they ?"
What good is your hat :" was the re,
joinder. "With such a thick skull and
heavy head of hair you don't need 1T to
keep your brains warm"
And boy No. l, grinning serenely, felt
himself avenged.
It was as gloomy Christmas eve as
could well be imagined, but the shopper
was out in force And how many a wet
mother or father or brother or sister or
son or daughter or other relative or friend,
reaching home with an armful OF bundles
f.fal
happy, must have been disgusted TO see
this in his evening Bulletin:
This is the day when a great many people
who flatter themselves with self-classifcation
in the intelligent portion of the community
proceed to tire themselves out so thoroughly
in preparing for the morTow's holiday as TO be
totally Incapable OF enjoying il when IL comes.
"Am foolS" such an one might MUIR
mur. Perhaps, but I'd sooner believe
that the Bulletin doesn't somehow catch
the Christmas idea.
Did you get any Christmas presents
No doubt you did get a.great many or at
least one, which showed that there was a
friend who thought of you on the day
when everybody is supposed to be happy
and generous.
In narrow street on the East Side
there are some narrow and poor streets on
that side-live two boys and girl whose
father is a teamer and whose mother is
never had any encouragement, and the
girl was of no particular concern TO the
father except for the reason that he is not
obliged TO hire housekeeper while she
does the work.
None of them ever expected to get
Christmas presents. for they knew by eX-
perience that il was useless and you may
very easily imagine their amaZement and
JOY when they awoke yesterday morning
and found that there was a nice cloak and
hood, and shoes and gloves for the girl,
and caps and gloves and neckties and sew
eral other things for the boys
The father didn't seem displeased at 1t,
but was very much interested in the
gifts.
The children don't know yet where they
came from. but ] was told that the father
was in n saloon with other men the even
ing before, and in the conversation ridi-
culed the idea of giving presents.
"Well, you're "A nice fellow" said one OF
the men, who knew the family. "If had
n family like yours to take care of i
wouldn't be loafing around here spending
money for liquor. Why, the only things
I've got to care for are my horses, and they
always get Christmas present of some
kind"
you're right about it." said the man
with the family. IL guess you treat your
horses better than do my family, and IL
shan't be said of me again"
That is how il happened that the two
boys and the girl got Christmas presents
--
THE PULSE OF THE PRESS.