Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-12-20
Written for the American.
CHRISTMAS EVE.


his supper first True, the subordinate
had declined the honor with thanks, it
being Christmas eve, Saturday night.
close upon the new year, and the books
OF the establishment sadly in need OF
posting.
The subordinate did not relish the
prospects of lonely Christmas, Sunday
at that on the tall stool behind the big
desk among the cobwebs, mackerel and
onion scents, ssrdine boxes, nail kegs,
co : Of Darbed wire, soap-smeiling cotton
stuffs. molasses and coal oil. So he gave
up his supper and the half hour with the
cripple ne sighed for he half hour more
than for the supper, contented himself
with a bite Of cheese and cracker which
he forthwith entered upon the book IN
clear. clerical hand. a. he had been
ordered to do: TO {. Hastings, cheese
and crackers, ~ He wrote it the best
he could. to cover up the smallness Of 1t.
perhaps for it was a very small entry
The subordinate's face Wore something
Of a sheer a he made ii, although he had
the consolation of knowing the smallness
of the transaction was upon the side OF
the creditor.
1t was general kind Of store-this
country grocery, little out OF the way,
beyond the regular beat OF the city
pedestrians, but convenient to the people
Of the suburbs. 1t wasn't a mammoth
concern. although its stock was varied
The boss, the real owner OF the establish
ment, and Hastings, the bookheeper, ran
it without other help than that OF black
Tom, the porter
Hastings was both book keeper, clerk
and, he sometimes suspected, general
scapegoat to the proprietor. Tonight be
was left to attend to everything. for he
knew the boss would not leave his warm
hearth to trudge back through the snow
to the store that night. His daughter
had come for MIN in a sleigh and had
carried him off amid warm furs and the
jingle Of sleigh bells. TO CHEEKY Christ
mas eye with his family,
The book-keeper sighed as he muncheG
the cheese. There wss a little lame giri
away VI in the att5c=ou II. ~tephen'- LAM
that hastings called home. Size would
hear the sleigh te'l- 70 by and pep Town
from her dipey H4t4e window. and clap
her hands aI3 wish daddy would come
home for Christmas, too. There Wash, /
any mother up there n the ettlc. for out
in the little cemetery, in the portion
allotted 10 the common people the sno"
was falling sattlv on the young metaer
grave.
The clerk ate h. cheese IN silence. {
Suddenly ne dropped his fist upon the
desk heavily. sometimes wish -he
was out there with her mother, he SAID. .
sometimes l wish il specially a Christ
mas times. Let me see; she Is ten years
old tonight; We called her our Christmas (
gift, and never step have the little feet
taken. Poor Sadie, poor little Christmas
snow bird poor little Christmas sparrow,
always think OF her somehow when the .
boys 90 by in the holidays with string
of dead birds they've shot. My poor
little daughter"
He sighed, and took up his pen; it was
busy season. a step caused him to look
up; then he arose and went to wait upon
customer. 1t was woman, and
Hastings saw that she had been weeping. I
"Howdy do, Mrs. Tucker he said. .
what can do for you?'
II want to know the price Of potatoes,
Mr.. Hastings, : she said.
sixty cents bushel. How IS the .
little boy tonight, Mrs. Tucker? Is he .
getting on well for Christmas
Yes, aaid the woman" Hes already .
well; well an happy. fetched him 10
the graveyard this mornin'.'
Hastings dropped the potatoes he had
taken from the tub and looked to see the
woman's lips culver.
Nv hats the price Of them potatoes
Fifteen cents peck
She laid a silver dime upon the counter.
Gimme them many, -he said; there's
four more lief to feed sides the dead one,
though, she added quickly, LIANT
begrudgin Of en- victual-."
Hastings measured peck Of the po-
tatoes, and emptied them into her basket.
Four mouths besides her own, and one
little staryeIing left that day, THAT
blessed Christmas eve, IN the graveyard.
He found himself hoping, be went
back 10 his ledger that they had buried
the baby near his own dead. The big
graveyard wouldn't feel 20 desoatc, SO
weirdly lonesome. a. be thought it must,
to The dead baby, if the Gttle child
mother, his young wife, could find it cut
there among the array OF all the common
dead. 40 c. Hastings, IA Of peek Of
potatoes, .o5." the blue blotter had
copied, or absorbed the entry, made il
double, a. if he debt had ALREADY, begun
to drsa interest. The clerk, however,
had not noticed the blotter; other Gus
TONERS came in and claimed his atten-
ton They were very impatient, too. 1t
was a very busy night. and the books, he
feared, would not be balanced after all.
1t was shabby, downright mean Of the
boss not TO come back at time like this
The new customer was old man Gun
bingham from across the river, the sub
urbs. He had been rich once, owned a