Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-12-20


can she be merry and think of the An
gels and of the Christ Child when she
viii lhave a dollar less at the end of the
week, while already it is difficult to feed
and clothe herself on what she gets and
be honest It's hard to be an ant, bear
ing an enormous burden, when you
are young and see beautiful things all
around you and know full well that
these beautiful things which are for
other people would make a dainty but
terfiy Of you. It's hard to be merry
when you are thoroughly tired out and
yet, / am sure that out Of her miserable
wages this girl has saven enough mon
ey TO buy a tri1e for somebody. 1t
may be for the girl who runs the err
Tands, for the poor are so beautifully
thoughtful of those. others who are
poor also.
Did you ever think that it was not
easy to be merry when you are
TWELVE YEARS OLD AND A CASH
GIRL
in a toy shop, Your heart goes out to
the lovely dolls which you can never
possess. Your brain, made quick by
the artificial life you are leading, would
conquer every game that is sold for
happier children to puzzle over. You
have no individuality-yOu are simply
CASH Sometimes this name is yell
ed out in way that makes you shud-
der. That's when it comes from the
impressive-loOking foor-walller. Some
times it comes in gentler tones, for the
irs1c no fno fr,,.
you. But always it means hurry,
hurry, as fast as you can, or at the end
of the week you will be discharged.
All" says some charitable lady, but
each girl is allowed to have either a
toy or its value in money as her pres
ent from the firm" Do you think that
the girl called Cash, dare take a toy?
and if she did, when could she play
with it?
YOUTHFUL MARTYRS.
Because some ladies fancy shopping
late in the afternoon, the cash girls
work doesn't end when the store closes,
and the money that is given to her for
a present cannot be used for merri-
ment. 1t either goes to buy her some
thing that she needs Or-and this is
more than likely-it is absorbed into
the general fund at home, and is that
much more bread and butter.
How can this child me merry? Poor
little ant, already her back is weaken
ing under the burden. Look at her
overnight eyes, look at her pasty face,
and, when she dares, how she does
cough. She wonders what it is to have
a Merry Christmas She has read in
some of those irritating books given
out at the Sunday school where she
| goes, when she's not too tired, or when
she doesn't have to stay home and get
! dinner, or when it isn't absolutely
J necessary for her to take care of the
baby, that there are children who have
! a fine dinner, no end of toys, and a
Christmas tree all lighted on this day.
She can see how these little children
can believe that the angels song was
! meant for all the world. But she doubts
much if angels sang to girls like her.
GOOD CHEER WITH A FREE HAND.
What are you going to do about it?
make a speech about the impossibility
of giving happiness to the Whole
! world? That is what you will do un-
less you stop to think about it for a
while. Then, if you and your neighbor
and do our duty, we will each take in
hand the little ant about whom we
know and relieve it of its burdens for
one day If everybody would only do
that! What a jolly time the ants
would have. There would be feasting
and merriment and thanksgiving. My
friend, there is nothing quite so fine as
to have a sincere gratitude. 1t need
not take the form OF thanks in words,
but if you see it in a look, if you see it
in an action, it will give you the puTest
| happiness that ever came to you. But
! there will be no Merry Christmas for
you. for your neighbor, or for me if we
are simply foolish. If we only give to
those who already possess. If we only
make happy those who are we'll ac-
Quainted with happiness. If we only
find our Merry Christmas
SURROUNDED BY THOSE WE
LOVE:
and those who love us. We've got to