Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-12-23
Mrs. Eimore's Christmas Dinner.

"Shall we invite few friends to
take dinner with us on Christmas
day - said Mr.. Elmore to his wife
about u week before.
who is there in this little town
that we would care to have g was
the reply. 'As far as | know, we
would only be bored by the presence
of any OF the families whose acquain-
tance we have formed"
There's Lawyer Barker, and Mr..
Benton, and old Judge Window.
They are ell pleasant"
Eyes, but Mrs. Barker would talk
about nothing but what she did, and
how she lived, in Boston, and how
unkind fortune is to cast the lot OF SO
refined and delicate u person as her
self in the west. Mrs. Benton would
entertain lie with her troubles with
the hired girl and an enumeration Of
the children's ailments, and old Judge
Window would gurgle the soup, and
put the turkey stufling in his mouth
with his knife. | would really rather
just have good dinner all to our
selves, since we cannot go home to
eat it,"
We'll, Mary, just as you feel about
it," said Mr.. Elmore, as he put on his
overcoat preparatory to going to his
office, "only | think it looks little
unsociable in us. We owe something
to society here, even if it is a small
western town. / think, dear" he add
ed, as he kissed her fair cheek, that
you would be happier and more con
tented if you could only take little
more interest in people"
Mrs. Elmcre sat thinking over the
matter after her husband went out.
He was railroad official holding a
very important position, and in re-
ceipt of very large salary. His
duties required him to be stationed
at small western town on the line OF
the railroad, and it was great trial
to himself, as well as to his beautiful
and accomplished wife, that she was
deprived of the pleasures and advan-
tages of city life to which she had
been accustomed. She had always
looked upon her stay as temporary,
and to be endured as period OF wait
ing only. The people of any preten-
sions in the place who had called on
her had all been uncongenial to her,
as she really was woman oil very
superior cultivation and accomplish
ments and she had gradually with
drawn herself from social intercourse,
and occupied herself with her books,
her drawing and painting, and III
keeping up a very extensive cores
pondence. Not that she felt herself
above or any better than the people
of the town-she was too genuinely a
lady for that-but they were uninter-
esting to her; they appealed neither
to her sympathies nor her taste, and
she preferred her own society to
theirs.
Mrs. Elmore was interrupted in her
thoughts by the arrival of the pretty
little seamstress, whom she had EN-
ployed for several days. After she
had given her some general directions
about her work, a sudden thought
struck Mrs. Elmore.
What are you going TO do on
Christmas day?n she said.
Il suppose shall just NOPE around
all day in the boarding house there
is nothing to do and nowhere to 60
and have no acquaintances here"
Where is your homer" said Mrs
Elmore, with genuine interest.
And then the pretty little seamstress
told the rich and beautiful Mrs. FL
more all about her home and her
childhood. 1t was a commonplace
story. because there are so many
Thousand similar stories. Her father
and mother had had a good start IL
life. were prosperous and respected
They had moved to the west just
when the period OF imitation began
She and her sisters had been sent tc
good schools, had taken music les
sons and knew every comfort in life
Then came the general financia
crash; then the death of her father
then the hopeless struggle of hel
mother to keep the family together