St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-25

steps he noticed that his overcoat was
plating Christmas without tree and
presents for the children and Will.
maybe Santa Clans will not come"
she said, gently, and wondered as she
heard her own voice uttering such a
statement!
"Why, he always comes to good chill
dren, you said!" IAlas, so she had
"And Ise been just the coolest girl ever
seen for ever so longw
! IAN Pve been gooder IN her, amt I,
mamma" cried Ned, complacently.
Guess there never was such good boy
! anywhere" at the same time keeping a
, hand over new hole in the knee of his
| stocking.
Mrs. Parlee's thoughts drifted back
to her own childhood. to merry hours
with each wish anticipated, its rich
| gifts, its joyous festivals, and she
| sighed again. For her parents had been
wealthy, and in marrying William she
| had cut away from the brightest pros
poets and forfeited the affection OF her
| family, none of whom she had seen for
years.
Monday morning William Parlee rose
! before the winter sun. All day long
! he tramped the streets. The snow had
turned to rsch black slush, as snow does
! in New York, ankle deep in most
| places and knee-deep in unsupported
| spots. A cold, cutting rain fell steadily,
! soaking his thin clothes and chilling
him to the bone.
Under the best conditions his pursuit
would have been difficult today it was
diSheartening indeed. To one more ac-
customed to seeking situation it might
have been bearable. | have seen men
who never seemed to mind being out of
job. They seemed to enjoy seeking
work. After they get job they can't
seem to rest until they are discharged.
! William felt ashamed and disgraced.
! and thus put himself at Disadvantage
at the start.
He had tried every possible opening
and failed at every place. He gaZed
with sort of envy upon the car drivers
| and street cleaners, wondering what
| influence was needed to procure place
| among them-for he had found that a
| bookkeeper at any price was drug on
| the market.
When night had fallen he found him
self applying at all sorts of piaces-ask-
| ing for any kind Of work at any wages.
| in / desperate state of mind. He had
eaten nothing all day, and was faint and
sick at heart. He realized the horrible
| temptations that make men criminals.
and he shuddered at the thoughts that
thronged into his mind as he aimlessIy
! wandered along the streets, now brill
liant with lights from stores where
crowds were pushing in and out loaded
with Christmas gifts.
He stopped and looked into the win
dow of one of these stores. Dolls ewes
Knocked HIM maliciously, rabbits that
squeaked and toy horses that seemed to
move before his eyes. He felt desire
to smash the glass and seze some of
them for the children. As he stood
there tramp edged up to him
with the intention of asking
for help, but promptly turned
away after quick scrutiny He was a
Notwithstanding, blear-eyed wreck.
and as Parlee'S eyes followed him he
! felt that it was possible to be more mis-
cradle than he was at present. The
thought did not cheer him, but it braced
| him up.
moment of his life, the tide turned.
| He was slapped heartily on the back.
and voice said: ~"Ah, there, Billy.
picking out something for the kids.
! eh?"
He turned, and was confronted by
Jim Dushington, travelling salesman
for Wolfe & Lamb. jim was tall. flash
lily dressed fellow, whose profane vo-
! cabulary was ineXhaustible, and whose
| repertoire of otf-cOlor stories was SIM
| ply marvellous.
| William had always Stunned him as
much as possible, and always deeply re-
sented his familiar manner, although he
could not but envy man who drew
$4,000 year from one of the "closest''
firms in this city, although he had en-
| tered the store as an errand boy only
| FIVE years before.
' But now the sight of Lushlngton's