Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-24

across the hall. Il had promised to do
this copying for Lawyer CoTtright, and
now I've sprained my wrist so that [
can't even lift a pen. A twenty-dollar
job, too
Cant 1 90 it?" gasped Janey, feel
ing as if an angel from heaven had
come to light up her dreary lot with
his torch of promise II write a legible
round hand, and 1 would take great
pains to be accurate. Oh, please let me
try"
ct must be done Immediately" said
the neighbor.
Il would do it at once, even if I sat
up nights to accomplish it, said eager
Janey.
WELL said Mrs. Rayner, Il don't
see why you shouldn't make the at
tempt. Mr.. Cortright has righteous
horror of type-writing, and one does
like to earn little money when one
can"
But you must promise not to tell
John"
Mrs, Rayner laughed.
"I'll promise said she.
And to secure still greater secrecy
Mrs. Jones did the writing in her
neighbours room, pretending to John
that she was spending the evening with
this friend or that, and making all
sorts of excuses and evasions
yes" said Miss Eloisa Elton, Johns
maiden aunt, who had not been in
vited to the Christmas dinner, and who
resented the omission highly. She
stood in front of the little glass window
in the bank where John Jones stood
all day paying out money in various
sums, from thOusand-dollar bills to
packages of the cOrroded cents
There's something very queer about
it. I've been there several times of
late, and found her gone out And
there's been more times than one. John.
when I've been pretty certain she's
been 30 home all the time, only she
didn't choose to open the door. CYes.
I'll take it in small bills, please-twOs
and Ones) And that amt the worst
of it! I've seen her with these eyes
that's a ragged bill, John and I amt
certain O bein' able to pass it-a-com-
in out of them down town law offices
with a regular dude of a fellow holding
the door open for her to pass out, and
grinning as polite as a basket of chips.
And | dunno what you think about
such carryings-On, but I'm of opinion
they'd ought to be looked into, Much
Obliged to your' and she went away
with the proceeds of the check she had
been having cashed safely clasped in
to her alligator-skin reticule, leaving
her nephew with a heart as heavy as
lead within his BOSOM
At this very moment Janey Jones
was walking swiftly over the snow
carpeted roads past the TraXal bury
ing ground, toward the old red farm
house with the wellsweep in its rear,
and the small, many paned windows.
"A merry Christmas, Aunt Chryste-
nah!' she said, bursting brightly into
the room where the old lady sat pairing
deep-red apples for a dumping. I've
brought you a pair of knitted slippers
to wear over your shoes when your feet
are cold, these windy nights I made
them myself. And, oh. Aunt Chryste-
nah, may | just run up to the garnet
and get bunch of dried boneset?
johns cough troubles him, and your
dried herbs are so much better than we
can get at the druggist's!'
So the twenty-dollar gold coin was
put back among the blankets and
shawls in the blue chest, and the hun
dred-ton weight was off Janey Jones
heart at last.
Stop, Janey!' called out Aunt Chry-
stenah's shrill old voice from the foot
of the crooked wooden stairs, I've been
last, and l want you to open the old
blue chest
Yes, Aunt Chrystenah."
And look in the corner below the
till, where Grandmother Biggitt's green
striped coverlet is folded"
Yes, Aunt Chrystenah."
And take out two O. them gold
double eagles you'll find there in an
old stocking-one for you and one for
your husband. You're young folks
and it's most pity you shouldn't en-
joy little of your inheritance. A
Christmas present, Janey, from the old
aunt, who may never live to see an
other Christmas day"
The tears were streaming down
Janey's cheeks, as she Rugged and
kissed the wrinkled little old fairy
godmother; but she was obliged to
make haste to catch her train, with
the precious coins in her pocket, and
the bunch of dried boneset in her hand.
John was sitting solitary and forlorn
by the ash-choked fire when she came
home, with sparkling eyes and cheeks
redder than Aunt Chrystenah's big red
apples.
''Ah, John, is it your" she said, gay
ly. Come, we must make haste and
do our Christmas marketing now. |
saw some beautiful oranges at Linsey's,
and such holly berries, and trails of
princess-pine and cluster of real mis-
tletoe-only think of that"
John looked up with pale face and
haggard eyes, but he made no motion
to rise.
What is Christmas to me- said he.
''since my wife has deceived and be-
trayed me?"
"Jchnr'
Go to your darling young lawyers
office. Jane"' said he My home is
-1,oo e..