Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-12-27
MisteIlamenMs.
HEYSER'S CHRISTMAS.

and the streets of the busy factory town
of l. were crowded with eager, ex-
cited shoppers. Silrs variety store was
like a great beehive, and the clerks
we're kept busy wrapping up dolls. trum-
pets, drums, toy pistols, and other toys
dear to the heart of childhood; while
the buyers jostled and crowded each
other good naturally, too thoroughly
imbued with the peace and good will Of
the season to mind dig in the ribs or
bruised toe.
"How happy everybody isl" exclaim-
ed bright-faced, middle-aged woman,
pausing moment on her way past the
store to look in. Then she drew her
old plaid shawl closer around her and
hurried on, the sawdust-filled limbs of
big doll dangling from cumbersome
parcel on her left arm.
If she had paused moment longer
she might have caught the derisivo,
contemptuous sneer on the face of
young man who lounged in the open
doorway, his hands thrust into his pock-
cts and his soft hat pulled down over
his scowling brow. His eyes followed
the woman in the plaid shawl until she
disappeared in the crowd, and short,
hard laugh escaped his lips.
Everybody happy" he muttered.
"What fool remarks some women do
make !"
A little girl passing before him just
then dropped a bundle but he didn't
stoop to pick it up for her. He wasn't
in the humor to do kindness for any
one. All this Christmas excitement and
hurry had filed his heart with anger
and bitterness. In his pocket were his
weeks wages--twelve bright silver dol
lars, but he didn't expect to spend a
cent. There was no one to whom he
felt inclined to carry even a dimes
worth of candy. no one who expected
anything from him.
He remembered Christmas Eve Of last
year. He and Nan had gone shopping to-
gether. They had bought wooden cape
for old Mrs. Bosley, with whom Nan
had lived previous to her marriage, and
a trumpet for little orphan boy Mrs.
Bosley was "raising," and stockings and
flannel for the Widow Wisk and her i'm
beetle daughter They had also laid in
a stock of good things for their Christ
mas dinner, TO which old Mrs. Bosley
and Sammy had been invited, and had
deliberatcd long time whether to have
plum pudding or fruit for dessert. Nan
hadn't been sure the plum pudding would
prove success, for she had 80 little ex-
perience in cooking, and so, they had
bought fruit.
What fun it had been to buy their
presents for each other Nan had made
him promise not to look while she made
hasty tour to the counter on which were
mems furnishings, and where she had
| bought a crimson mufFier and two bor-
dered handkerchiefs.
Then they had stopped at a jewelry
store, and Nan had waited outside while
he went in and made a mysterious pur-
chase, which she found under her plate
at breakfast the next morning, and
which proved to be plain gold ring.
Hcyscr remembered how she had
kissed him and told him it was just
what she had wanted, for she had al
ways regretted not having been married
with ring.
The wind caught one end of the red
muller around his neck and whipped it
against his cheek, and Heyscr flung away
from the store door with an angry growl,
the scowl on his face growing darker
He turned from the busy main street into
one that was comparatively quiet, and in
few minutes was at the door Of the
great, barn-like tenement house 10 which
be had lived ever since he and Nan had
quarreled and parted.
That was nearly nine months ago, and
he had never seen Nan since--bad never
heard word from her nor sent her a
message any kind They had parted in
hot anger he had told her she Was a
wretched cook, aud he'd warrant she
! could spoil anything she turned her