Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-25

done we'll from the first; and even
now. as he gaZed upon the five checks,
he recalled with a 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 dollars each to his broth
er and sister. What a stir they had
made in the family. John could cas-
lily realize the feeling of opulence
which it spread under his home roof
and that of his uncle living near. Lat
er 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 Accomplishments
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 it
60 A thought crossed him of how
good the bit of money still came to its
| recipients. But I'm under no obli-
cation 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 l have
made it. They expect help from me.
and they have no right to-
He fretfully recalled the time when
| ii had been represented to him that
unless the brother who still held the
old homestead had n lift of a 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 unfor-
tUnate marriage, and then been wild
| owed. Meek and mild in her DISPOSE
| ton, she had never directly applied to
him except when in extremity, but was
| given to keeping her burdens and
| struggles before him in a way which
he sometimes found eXasperatng.
Cousin Tom had been a scapegrace.-
always in trouble. always looking for
someone to help him out and set him
going again on the basis of many
promises of better doing. Cousin
| Harvey was the pOSSeSsor of a large
family and small everything else. 1t
was not so very long since Mr.. March
had helped him out West, finishing his
assistance with the suggestion that in
future it would be agreeable that he
should keep his difficulties to himself.
Cousin Matilda had a sckly family;
wall from her on the subject of press
ing doctors bills was frequently heard.
No" resumed Mr.. March. as he
folded one of the checks, people have
no right to infiict their misfortunes on
someone else just because he has
achieved success where they have
failed.-That you, Mixer
Its meslf sur. Ready to shut up
when you say the wurrud.'
TN take the key myself. I'm not
quite done yet, but you needn't wait"
Mike, however, showed no hurry to
leave, but busted himself about the
room. with occasional glances at Mr..
March.
"That'n do, Mike" at length said the
gentleman, somewhat annoyed by the
rattle of shovel and tongs, which
seemed to show unusual excitement in
Mike. He came slowly towards Mr..
March.-an understood little figure of
an oldish man with painful limp.
If I might be thrubbln' We jist
minnt, sur
Go on, Mike. No more lawsuits,
hey?"
mo more O. thin. It's the funny man
we are sur" Mike shook his head. his
whole insignificant face beaming with
delight. It's only that bein' it's the
blessed sayson comm SO near-Christ-
mas Eve tomorrow. glory be to Cod
that I'm akin a bit o. help o We,
Muster March. to sind a bit of a prsent
to me two brothers. Pat an Dennis"
"Oh. So you have relatives, too, have
you?
"Thanks to the blissed saints / have,
sur. An SO I'm comm to ye to fix up
the bits O. paper thatll carry some
money to thin two.--the leetle mite of
a shcrap that names so much" Mike
laughed aloud as if in great relish of
the subject.
Checks, hey? Well. here Mr.
March again opened his check book and
again began rapidly filling blank
ITO the order of-what's the name?"
patrick OToole, Mike paused a
moment as the name was written. then
proceeded,-"five hun'erd dollars
Hey? MIR. March gave his chair a
little jerk and gazed into the thin
freckled face surrounded with its fringe
of i'll kept red hair streaked with gray.
give hun'erd dollars to Patrick
O'Toole," repeated Mike in the deliber-
ate tone of one taking special pains to
make himself understood.
what do you mean, Mike?'
"Jist plat I'm afther sayin', sur
Five hun'erd uuIiars to Patrick O'Tooie,