The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-24

dreary room. ''All the rest of the world
are making merry at their Christmas fire
sides, but alone Well-Providence ap-
portions its goods strangely here below !
My little philosopher was right when she
imagined that the greatest privilege of
wealth is to aid the needy. Strange that
| never should have discovered it beforer'
He touched the silken bell rope as he
spoke
''Send Duncan the steward, to me; [
want to ask him about some of the villa
gers.
The housekeeper bowed and withdrew
The stars of Christmas night They
glOwed and sparkled like silver lilies in
the blue gardens of heaven, looking down
on the white and silent earth below Is
there ever time when nature speaks
more audible to man than at the blessed
season Of the Redeemer birth
The great logs, moss -enameled and
crusted with curious layers of bark, were
all ablaze, in the wide chimney of old Mr..
Higgins house; the kitchen clock licked
busily away and two or three crickets
were quarrying harmoniously ly among them
selves under the red brick hearth. The
old lady sat in her antique rocking chair,
mechanically rubbing the glasses of her
huge silver spectacles, and her white head
ed spouse opposite was trying to hum the
burden of some, old forgotten psalm tune.
There ain none o them baked apples
left, | s'pose wife p said he after pause.
''Not one
Good land what are We going to do
for breakfast tomorrow morning.
I'm sure don't know, Philo; unless
you 90 To some of the neighbors, and bor-
row little meal and molasses.
Il can do that, wife, said Mr. Hig-
gins, in husky voice Il believe L d go
hungry sooner than beg
1T is hard, said the old lady, trying
hard to keep back the tears, by looking
vigorously at the fire, ''We never thought,
Philo, when you and I were young, of
coming to this in our old age; and all
through no fault of ours =
eve might be good deal worse off,
wife" said Mr.. Higgins, philosophical
ly."
Il don t see how.
''Why, S pOsen one of lis was sittin
here alone this Christmas night | tell
you, Rebecca, we two old folks are like il
pair of worn out gloves-one ain good
for nothin' without other
s'Your always finding something to be
thankful for Philo,' said Mrs. Higgins,
frightening up little.
II guess I'll shut the blinds, said
Philo it snappin' cold to night. Fine
likely weather, though, for Christmas; and
if-Good Lord what on airth's this =
Farmer Higgins started back in amaze
ment at the apparition of barrel of -four,
topped off by bag of potatoes and a
goodly ham encased, in yellow cloth
bag-all familiarly encamped on his door
step.
I'Wife, wife, who do you pose would
send us those?'' he calculated.
"They can't be for us, Philo, said
his wife the momentary gleam of salts
faction fading from her wrinkled vissage.
'.Tt must be some mistake.
Mistake 'taint nothin of the sort.
Jest look here, will you? and you needn t
put on your specs to read the print nuther.
Here it is as large as life; Philo Higgins,
Esquire Christmas present. What
do you think of this, wife, hey?
I Il I bn
Mrs Higgins, rubbing her eyes doubtful
ly, land pet-O Philo, thought the
Lord wouldn't forget us =
LET us return thanks to Him, Rebec-
ca. said the old man solemnly.
There was no more quiet freside read
ing and application for Harry Martyr !
Ever since that mysterious envelope had
been thrust through the crevice of the
window easement, he had been in state
of almost bewildering excitement. \
hundred dollar bill He had never pos
sessed such thing before in the twenty
years of his hard working life.
Now though he, ecstatically, II
can 90 to college next term, instead of
drudging on here for weary years, [ mean
to study law next, and then-I wonder
what Fanny will say? who can be my un-
known bsnefactor
His meditation was interrupted by the
click of the door latch, and the entrance
of a tall, spare man in black.
''Are you here, Harry, my boy? |
knocked three times without receiving an
answer.
II beg your pardon for my abstraction,
Mr.. Gray said Harry Martyr, laugh
ing. Come in, sir. am glad you made
your appearance just now, for [ have
most wonderful piece of news to communi-
cate to you.
He laid the rustling bank note on the
table as he spoke, and related his marvel
Gus story.
Harry, said the pale clergyman, with
slight flush on his cheeks, ''there must
be some good genius abroad tonight. I,
too, have reaped its kindly influence. See
what found slipped underneath the door
way, as | was settingforth, weary and
jaded, to see a sick parishioner y
He extended package of bills duly
directed to 1.-The Rev. Anson Gray, ad-
ding
''I do not know what considerate friend
has thought of my dire necessities tonight,
but one thing [ do know--the prayers Of
him that was ready to perish will descend
like dew on his generous head.
The next day sun had not mounted
very high, we may be sure, before Harry
Martyr had found an opportunity of slip
ping across the fields to confde his wond-
rous good luck to Fanny Stewart. He
had hardly finished the recital before Mrs
Olney. the worthy hOusekeeper at Mel