The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-12-23
A CHRISTMAS CARD.

ANA SAAsS W WV ~ N>">
conditions. looked anXiously into her
husbands face. She was holding up for
his insp ,ction a large wax doll, II of
the treasures for M:,dgc, the blue-eyed
darling of four years, who was count
ing the days until Santa Claus should
come. Every stitch Of Miss Dollie's
elaborate costume was the work OF
Mrs. Austin'S busy fingers in hours
when Madgc was dreaming Of full
stockings and Christmas trees, and the
last stitch set, the result was displayed
for papa's approval.
Now papa was quite as devoted a par
ent to Madge and two-ycar-old Harold
as mamma. and took deep interest in
all nursery matters. 1t may be that
the memory Of two other curly heads
and baby faces that had frightened the
nursery for Il few brief months and
then been hid by cofiin-lids dccpened
the love for the children who came
later to comfort the aching hearts.
But 1t Is very certain that the little
ANSAAh1S WCAS i'll NAS AVNCu AN
as children could be, and did not dream
more hopefully Of Christmas treasures
than their parents did lovingly Of sup
plying them. ~.
So it was with some alarm. too, that
Mrs. Austin put aside her last triumph
of needlework and threw her arm
around her husbands neck.
What is it, Cllarlie?" she asked.
He drew her into a loving embrace
before he said, sadly:
Il met my father again to-day. Mar
garet, ii will kill me to have things go
on so. He was downright shabby,
feeble and broken; looking SO old and
so sick that 1 could not keep the tears
out of my eyes. But he would not
speak to me. L said all I could say in
the street, and tried to follow him
home; but he stopped short and said:
I do not know you, sir! You will cease
to annoy mc!' And I could not make Il
scene in the street."
There was Il choking sound i'll Charles
Austin's voice as he ceased speaking,
but, being Il man, he kept back tho SOD
that would have followed. Mis-. AIS
tins tears were falling fast.
"At Christmas time, TOO" II SAID.
"It is useless to send presents, Charilc;
he has sent them back. every year.
The story this conversation referred
to was an old one, Il true love marriage
made in the face OF disinhcritance and
patcrnal %dispieasurc. Mrs. AUSTIN Hau
been a poor girl, employed in the fac.
tory of Simon Austin. then Il man OF
great wealth and good social position;
a man pu%rsc-proud, arrogant ana 1un
of his W impnrtanca. When his only
child, his idolized, INDUCED son and
heir. told him Of his love for pretty
Margaret Hay, a factory girl, living IN
the factory boarding house, wearing
calico dresses, and earnilg a mere NV
ing. the old man was Il maniac III LIS
fury. ~
He would not see that the girl was
pleasing in manner, refined in taste'
well educated and swcct-tempered, ohe
to brighten n home and make any
good man thoroughly happy. He gave
a fierce command that the matter
should end then and there. Charles
Austin, utterly unaccustomed to being
crossed in any fancy. refused obedlence'
never before eXacted, and the conversa-
ton ended in a stormy quarrel m the
young mans expulsion from home.
But with a good fortune that does not
often follow disobcdient sons. charles
was ut oncc taken into the employ ana
favor of his mothers brother, an &C.
centric old bachelor, who gave the
young couple a home in his own \
rious house. 1t was a new life to the
old gentleman. and lie took the keenest
interest in all the household affairs as
Margaret managed them. loved and
mourned the older children, and dying,
when Madge was but a year old, left
his entire large estate to his beloved
nephew, Charles Austin"
And while the sunshine Of prosperity
had no clouds for this Maynard son,
the fathers fortunes had all gone awry.
Some commercial panic was the first
blow to Simon Austin, and an effort to
repair the loss by speculation only
added to disaster. He missed the cool,
clear head Of the son who had of late
years been his active partner, the judy
ment he had first trained and then
trusted to guide his large business. He
was angry, and his angry impulses led
him into dire blunders, until he grew
so involved that there was no escape,
and he failed for more than his entire
fortune.
AZ OASC SAAdtAACS AAhSlcACu ~ uAAA,
Offering his entire wealth to save him,
Only to be met by a proud, fierce re-
fusal to be under any obligation to a
d%isobedient child or his beggar-wife.
Over and over again, as poverty be-
came more and more bitter to the man
broken and aged, did his son implore
him to allow him to help him, offer him
aLhome. love, care, obedience. even, only
to be thrown back with angry scorn.
A proud man always, Simon Austin
cherished his wrath as the last rem.
nant of the old arrogance, and would
not bend one inch. He found letters
telling him anonymous sums of money
were in the bank in his name and
wrote back refusing to claim them. He
mistrusted every offer of service, as
dictated by his son. and returned to
Charles every scrap of aid sent to him,
often perplexing his son by sending
what had not come from him. though
he always refused to believe this.
/. And being old and broken in health.
he sank lower and lower, unable to fill
lucrative positions, and taking the work
that gave him barely food and the
poorest clothing.
Very sadly the son and wife talked
Of the impossibility Of helping one who
would not let any appeal touch him,
until suddenly Margaret cried:
Charles! l have an idea! Let me
fry fO win vonr father over. 7 wifi sond