The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-03

The Great Change That Was Wrought
IN Hamilton June.

In Hamilton June
Hamilton June was feeling well a. be
twisted OFF the electric light over his
desk and walked out into the fn,sty air.
Only one annoying thing had come to
him that day, and that was letter
from his sister Ellen, from whom he
had not heard before in sixteen years
Ii had been fully that time since She
came into the library one DAY where he
and his father were sitting, and had
told the latter, with the fearlessneSs
that had characterized the June family
always, that she could not recognize
his dismissal of Richard Mellen, be-
cause she loved him and wished TO
marry him.
-'He i poor and always viii be poor,
4 the father had said, and Ellen answer
ad: Il viii go with him if am
slave all the re-5 Of my life
Whether she had been or not, neiih-
er the father nor Hamilton knew, for
she had gone West with her poor hus-
hand, whom her family would not
/ recognize, and nothing had been heard
! Of them in all these years Once or
twice letters had come in her hand
writing, but the elder June had burn
Ell them unread Then he died, and
| Hamilton WAS left his sole heir.
/ To De left the sole heir Of million
aire means great deal to some men,
But 10 a man without chick nor child,
nor kith nor kin, man who has let
business absorb him all his life, who
has been touched by the finger. or gain
inherited and acquired, il does not
mean - much after all.
After time al the servants were
dismissed but Meg She had bcea
Hamilton's and Eilen's nurse, and later
their companion and adviser, almost
a mother 70 them She remained in
the hOu-e, although most of the nOOnls
were closed Hamilton lived mostly
Al the club, where he met but few, and
where he could have personal comforts
without planning for them
The first suggestion Of holiday time
was abroad - Hamilton june stepped
osIi Of his counting ncom door. Sleigh
bells were jingling and the frosty air
sIarkled under the bright street lights
II he looked up he would have seen
that the stars were like young Indian
Moons
Warmly clad ~ he wa-, the cold air
chilled him, and for a moment his
mind reverted 10 Ellen's letter received
that morning, in which she had said
Il hardly know how 10 keep the chill
dren warm this winter. Since their
fathers death / have taken in sewing,
tut times are ~ hard now il i almost
impossible to get the neces>aries of life
For the sake Of your mother, Hamilton,
won't you help me TO find something
10 do:''
For lust moment he wondered if
| things really were - had a. that, then
ne met Armstrong and they walked up
10 their dinner together
A. they met the tide Of holiday gift
buyers Armstrong said: What are
you going 10 do for Christmas this year
Hamilton? Going TO fill somebody's
stockings? Oh, | forgot, you haven't
any relatives here
Armstrong had known Ellen in her
school days, and was not afraid 10 speak
Of her TO Hamilton
..Where J. Ellen now, Junee She
and fused 10 be great ehums- / sup
pose she has forgotten all about u
| here
The letter in June's pocket seemed to
pres against him - he answered: Il
have not heard from her in some time :
And a. jose filled his glass after his
dinner and brought a plate of dainty
cakes. he couldn't forget what Ellen
nad said about it, being - hard 10 pro
vide her children with bread
The wine was left untssted, and -
were the cakes, and Hamilton June
did something he had not done before
for years he got up from the table and
slipped on his coat and went out with
out having any fixed plan as TO where
he Was going.
He stood on the wide steps Of the
club for a moment, as the wind swept
around the church corner opposite and
cui his cheeks a. il passed: then he
went down and walked up the street
Outside florists door, a. he passed,
small boy was guarding boxes of
holly and niistle:oe. The boy was jump
ing up and down and slapping his arms
and putting out his cheeks 10 keep him
self WARM
He was a very small boy, much too
small tn be al work on such a night,
and his thin jacket was little protection
from the cold-s
Hamilton June was attracted by the
brightness Of the mass Of holly and he
paused and took up a bunch The
small boy kept an eye on him n he
held il in his hand, and then, when he
caught Hamilton's eye. he said, with
the calm andacity Of youth: ''It's
pretty, isn't il ~
.'Yes. its pretty" and then, A. the
boy continued his dancing about, he
added: .Are you cold 49,
.-Cold, I'm colder than ever Was
before in my life"
"Is it Necessary for you TO be out
heres''
II ,f,- In do .amefhiuQr -