The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-12-21


M Mr.. March gave an impa-
tient little fling TO the last sheet in Sc
ries OF letters he had been writing. Short
and stereotyped they were-all running
much like this;
DEAR -: Enclosed find trihe IN re-
membranes OF the day. with good wishes
for all. Affectionately.
John MARCH"
'It's a kind of nuisance" went on Mr.
March, as he gazed at five checks which
lay ON his desk with the letters, each
one dashed off and left 10 dry while the
others were written. 81 don't know"
a grumbling coming into his tone
really. l don't-why ] should keep il
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 il
would not be discontinued. this every
Christmas Offering of a small sum of
money TO each one of his kindred; il
was too firmly based on old associa-
ton. With the passage of the years
he had grown apart from them; his In
terests and theirs had become wide
ly separated, and yet he could not well
have persuaded himself 70 sever this
almost only link which bound him TO
the members OF his own family.
IL had begun soon after he had left
home and come up Co the great city
in search OF the fortune which had
finally crowned his efforts. lie had
done well from the first; and, even now.
as he gazed upon the five checks, he re-
called with 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 a stir they had made i'm the fam
lily. John could easily realize the feel
ing of opulence which IL spread over his
home roof and that OF his uncle living
near. Later he had enlarged the gift.
Brother sister and cousins had married
ind set up homes of their own. None
OF them had. like himself, prospcred
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 IL, all the
more that little effort and self-denial
had been necessary accomplishments of
the gifts. That was many years ago.
Time and circumstances Ind built up
walls between him and his relatives,
and the old hcartiness OF good will was
wanting.
1T Is really time was letting IL go"
A thought crossed him OF how good the
bit OF money still came 60 its recipients.
"But I'm under no obligations 90 keep
Il up. ! have made my money-they
had the same chance. Their lives are
what they have made them, just as
mine Is what have made II. They ex-
pect help from me, and they have no
right to-
lie frctfully recalled the time when
II had been represented 90 him that un-
less the brother who still held the old
homestead had lift OF few hundred
dollars the place would pass out of his
hands. II had been given. and that
was the end OF any trouble from David.
With his sister 10 had been worse. She
had made an unfortunate marriage,
and then been widowed. Meek and
mild in her disposition. she had never
directly applied 20 him except when
I'm extremities. but was given 60 keep
ing her burdens and struggles before
him in n why which he sometimes
found exaspcrating.
Cousin Tom had been n 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 n large family |
and small everything else. IL was not
go very long since AFR. March had helped
him out west. finishing his assistance
with the suggestion that In future'it
would be agreeable that he should keep |