San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-19
AFTER MANY YEARS.

Mrs. McGregor lay sick abed, starry
ing, and it was Christmas morning.
She turned over YEARLY on her side,
and tried to recall remembrances of the
past; for it was only in these that she
could obtain moments pleasure or
even rest.
Again she saw herself young and
courted by the man she preferred.
Their courtship was short-toO short.
Too short? No. For then she would
have lived happy wife. Immediate.
ly following their engagement came
their wedding, when she found herself
the wife of an honest young shepherd
and the mistress of little cottage,
which he had built with his own hands.
Their year of married life was a hap
py one-a very happy one, and then a
little son was born to them. Their
happiness now seemed to have reached
its limit; but like the tide it began to
recede. Her husband, taken with
dread consumption, the result of
nights exposure, fingered along for
several months, finally dying out like
the light of an exhausted lamp.
On this fatal event she was left only
the little cottage in which she lived
and 4 few sheep-her husbands share
in flock near by-and she had her
child to support. But she did not de-
spond. She would do her best and
leave the rest in the hands of God.
She sold her sheep to the man by
whom her husband had been employ
ed, obtaining sufficient therefrom to
last for nearly year; then took in
sewing and washing from the few
neighbors that could afford to have
such things done. Thus she barely
gained the plainest support and as
year after year rolled by they brought
no change with them.
In time she began to more closely
notice her boy. He had grown into
fine-iooking little fellow, bright and
wanted to learn; but she was not COM
petent to instruct him-she could not
even read and write. But she had not
long to worry on that score. \ school
house was set up in the neighbOrhOod.
and Jamie was allowed to attend in
consideration of several little odd jobs
he did therein.
Then she saw him in the first flush of
manhood on his way to take employ
ment in a neighboring city. Oh, how
she missed him at this, their first sep
aration! How long the days now
seemed! How sleepless were the
nights!
The wages Jamie received were
small-very small-and he could send
her but little. That little, however.
descended her work so much. But she
felt she could do without it, if her
Jamie would only come home again.
Finally her longing was gratified. ia
mic returned His work had been
finished, making his services no longer
necessary. And she was happy-yes,
truly glad, though she felt some little
qualms at her own selfishness.
A month passed by with nothing to
do and then Jamie conceived the idea
to 20 to America to make his fortune.
To go to America. When would she
ever see him again if he went to that
distant place? Perhaps never!
But Jamie was not TO be dissuaded,
and at last there came a day in which
he babe her goodbye for the last time
and left her for the land beyond the
sea.
She could see him now as she saw
him then, with his knapsack over his
shoulder, stalk through the gateway
and gradually become lost to view.
He had refused to take a lunch from
their scanty stock of provisions, and
the poor fellow had to walk twenty
miles to the nearest shipping point.
The next day neighbor came to the
cottage. She had seen jamie last. The
young man had arrived at the shipping
point without incident, had been so
fortunate as to get the place of seaman
on ship about to set sail. He had
told the neighbor goodbye and had
sent her his best love.
Some two weeks later she received
a letter from Jamie, telling of his safe
arrival in America and of his search
for work. Work was not so easy 10
find as he had supposed.
A month elapsed before she heard
from him again. He had obtained
steady employment and hoped to make
her nice present on Christmas.
Christmas came two weeks later,
and sure enough, JAMES present was
found in the letter she received from
him. She took it to be n Christmas
picture. But it was unlike any Christ
mas picture she had ever before seen.
But perhaps the American Christmas
pictures were different from the Scot
fish ones.
She showed it to no one, not even to
little Flora Mcdonald, the minister's
daughter, who read all her letters from
Jamie to her. She thought it might
not be considered as nice as the Scot
fish Christmas pictures, but tried not
to let herself think so, because it came
from him. Her secrecy seemed almost
childish to her, yet she could not but
indulge in her within.
A year passed by. During this time
she had received many letters from
Jamie, telling of his continued prosper
ity and bright hopes for the future.
And then another Christmas came, |
bringing with it several more presents |
like the first from him.
Christmas followed Christmas until |
nineteen had come and gone. At each |