The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-19

ApH ,
SA Mr.. March gave an impa-
tient little fling to the last sheet in a Sc
ries ofletters he had been writing. Short
and stereotyped they were-all running
much like this;
DEAR -: Enclosed find a trife in re-
membrance Of the day, with good wishes
for all. Affectionately
JOHN MARCH"
Its a kind ofnuisance," went on Mr..
March, as he gazed at five checks which
lay on his desk with the letters, each
one dashed Off and left to dry while the
others were written. 81 don't know"
a grumbling coming into his tone
'really, l don't-why l should keep it
up year after year. There are some
things which might be considered out
grown as time goes on, and this is one
of them"
Still Mr. March had a feeling that it
would not be discontinued, this every
Christmas Offering of a small sum of
money to each one of his kindred; it
was too firmly based on old associa-
ton. With the passage of the years
he had grown apart from them; his in
terests aud theirs had become wide
ly separated, and yet he could not well
have persuaded himself to sever this
almost only link which bound him to
the members of his own family.
1t had begun soon after he had left
home and come up to the great city
in search of the fortune which had
finally crowned his efforts. He had
done well from the first; and, even now.
as he gazed upon the five checks, he re-
called with Il slight warmth at his heart
the first time he had sent home gifts of
money. They had been smaller then;
a dollar each to three cousins, five dol
lars each to his brother and sister.
What stir they had made in the fam
lily. John could easily realize the feel
ing of opulence which it spread over his
home roof and that of his uncle living
near. Later he had enlarged the gift
Brother, sister and cousins had married
and set up homes of their own. None
of them had, like himself, prospered
abundantly; and when first John
March had written out three checks for
ten dollars and two for twenty-five,
he still knew the rejoicing they would
carry into families in which money
was scarce.
He had rejoiced in doing it, all the
more that little effort and self-denial
had been necessary accompaniment of
the gifts. That was many years ago.
Time and circumstances had built up
walls between him and his relatives,
and the old heartiness of good will was
wanting.
1T is really time was letting go"
A thought crossed him of how good the
bit of money still came to its recipients.
But I'm under no obligations to keep
it up. l have made my money-they
had the same chance. Their lives are
what they have made them, just as
mine is what have made it. They eX-
pect help from me, and they have no
right to-"
He fretfully recalled the time when
it had been represented to him that I'M
less the brother who still held the old
homestead had lift of few hundred
dollars the place would pass out of his
hands. 1t had been given, and that
was the end of any trouble from David.
With his sister it had been worse. She
had made an unfortunate marriage,
and then been widowed. Meek and
mild in her disposition, she had never
directly applied to him except when
eXtremities, but was given to keep
'ng her burdens and struggles before
him in a way which he sometimes
found eXasperating.
Cousin Tom had been scapegrace-
always in trouble, always looking for
some one to help him out and set him
going again on the basis of many prom
Uses of better things. Cousin Harvey
was the possessor of a large family
and small everything else. 1t was not
so very long since MIR. March had helped
him out west, finishing his assistance
with the suggestion that in future it
would be agreeable that he should keep