Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-12-20

+ of the Christ child, came but once a
year"
Christmas, Christmas Old season of
mirth and misery, " no really enjoys ii
among his Golfers?
The clerk ran his eye along he counters,
the shelves. and even took n the big
barrels, pushed back IN the rear, out Of
the way.
We'll. Aunt Hannah, What hall the
gift be-
He could See the bare toes V here her
torn old shoes fell away from her stock
iHE.s.> ret. sac needed shoes; tie was
about % - fer pair When she stopped
Hiia ~ d gesture.
sDem Oar things, insrster,s -he SAD
pointing to a string Of masks-guady,
a5ae7u- things. festooned from the cell
ing i wants one o den ar. Deehilan
II mex Dat. -ao'.
II, lowed hor Il eject one; il was the
face OF a king, fat, joyal, uhite. She
enjoyed it like a child. Then, I'M
wrapping mt oi -oiled muslin, she took
from j. three pieces OF silver, three
bright. precious dollars They repre-
scented precisely three fourths of her
months wage. She purchased tin
horn fur de bahy, honey; candy
sheep fur Ephum &c naix un2 a string
Of yellow beads fur jimmy. Dat yaller
gal ain got no reason-mint she am dat
Sc; on habin' dem beads plug OF to-
bacco ''fur de ole mans Chris mus;
jews harp fur sam; dat chile gwi Farm
music, he am; doll fur Lii Ria; she's
de poly one, Lii Ria am and last, "a
dust Oh corn meal ter make hoe-cake
fur dey alls Chris, mus dinner
She had been lavish, poor beggar; with
out stint she had given her all; FOOLS hly,
perhaps, but she spologized in full for
the folly: at am Chris mus marster.o
Aye, Christmas Wear your masks, poor
souls; fancy that you are kings. Dream
that pain is myth and poverty joke.
Make grief phantom. Set red folly in
the seat of grim dou bt pay your deroirs
one day! Tomorrow the curtain rises on
the old scene; the wheels grind on, the
chariots of the rich roll by, and your
throat is choked with their dust your day
is over.
The clerk made his entry in the day
book, 40 c. Hastings, one mask, .20,"
before he waited on the three newsboys
who We're tapping the floor with their
boot heels, Just in front OF the counter.
The largest Of the trio took the role OF
spokesman;
II want pack o fre-cracGers, mister
an Jack wants one, an 20 docs Bot
Can't W have EN- all for ten eents?a
The clerk thrust his pen behind his ear
They are five cents pack, " he said.
Cant You come down ON three packs?
They do up town, an ~e amt got another
nickel
Hastings read the keen interest OF the
transaction in the face. betore him But
he had ORDERS couldn't do it. boys,
sorry.
'.Weu, then,'-but a half ,ish said it
wasn't "vell, ''-"give Us gum. We can
divide that up anyhows.9
1t was poor compromise very poor
compromise. The voice. the very face Of
the l.ttie tesgar, expressed contempt.
Hastings hesitated "Fshaw." said he,
christmas without racket Is just no
Christmas to a boy know, for I've been
boy myself And it only comes once a
year. Here, boys, take the three packs
for ten cents, and run along and enjoy
yourselves
And as they scampered out, he sighed,
thinking OF two poor little feet that could
never throw off their weight and run, as
only childhood runs, not even at Christ
mas time.
''To c. Hastings, / pack of fre-crackers,
rs.
Then it was the clerk who took himself
to task He was a poor man on small
salary. He had a little girl to look after,
a cripple, who would never be able to
provide fer herself, and for whom, in
consequence, someone else must provide.
She would expect little something for
Christmas, too. And the good neighbor
in the attic who kept an eye on the little
one While Hastings was at work he must
her. 1t was so pleasant to give,