The Van Buren press., 1899-12-23

AS\ ~ was not reading,
@SIx however, but was
looking out upon
the usually quiet avenue. now thronged
with paekage-laden pedestrians and de-
livery wagons. heaped high with good
things for the morrow. The expression
Of her eountenance as she regarded the
hurrying throng was a mixture of pain
and perplexity. She had considered
her own plans for tomorrow settled
some weeks ago, but something she had
just read had Jared her out of har-
mony with them and it seemed too late
TO make new ones. 1t was not the arti-
Gle on christmas Giving" that had
done the mischief, but the time-worn
quotation with which it ended:
'Who gives himself with his aims feeds
three;
Himself. his hungering neighbor and Me-"
Not that the words were new to her
oh, no! They had been her Christ
mas motto every year since, when a
girl of Is, she had first read the Vision
Fof Sir Launfal. 1t was this that gave
the words such power over her, for on
this particular Christmas she had de-
cided for the first time in 12 years to
set aside her rule and give her aims
without giving herself. She had sent
turkeys and other good things to nu-
merous needy families, bestowed lar
gesse upon sundry orphan asylums,
homes and hospitals, and otherwise used
without stint the money of which she
had abundance; but for herself-her
house was TO be closed, her servants
given an entire holiday and she, in the
solitude of her own chamber, shut away
from all sight and sound of merry
making, would indulge the bitterness
of her grief for the husband she had
loved and lost. Last Christmas had
been her wedding day, and the husband
10 whom she had confided her Christ
mas motto had said, with eyes shining
with joy and tenderness:
And this year the gift is mine
literally yourself-my priceless Christ
mas giftl"
I They had enjoyed three months of
earthly paradise and then-there was
bruised mass, upon which she was not
allowed TO look, but from which they
extracted the ring she had given him
and the watch on whose dial was her
own picture-this had been brought
home at an hour when she expected her
husband, and all the light of the world
had for her gone suddenly out.
They had wanted her at home this
Christmas, but how could she go where
everything would remind her of that
joyous wedding day? No, solitude was
best fe- her, and so her day had been
planned.
: But as she sat now in the deepening
twilight with the words of her dis
carded motto eehoing in her mind, this
quaint saying lodged there from some
long past reading awoke to keep them
company.
She gave a quick little gasp and a
hot waye-was it shame, remorse, or
pure amazement?-swept over her. A
coward? Certainly notl But hero
what was hero? A hero thought only
of others-to save, TO succor, to uplift
others. For this he sacrificed comfort,
honors, life even, that is, he gave him
self. So il all came back to that after
all; and if she carried out her plans
for the morrow, would she be a cow
ard? But il was so late to make new
plans. Twilight died slowly away and
the electric lights flashed out over the
busy avenue and still Mrs. SaxtoR
thought. At length she turned from
the window, closed her magazine, drew
down the shades and turned on the
light in her cozy sitting-room and.
touching a bell, summoned the house
maid.
You will be taking dinner with your
sisier-in-law tomorrow, Nellie?''
Yes. Mrs. Saxton," responded Nellie,
with the tone and manner of q well-bred
lady.
do you think it would put her out
much-that is, do you think she would
enjoy having me dine with her also2'
The girls face lighted with surprise
and pleasure.
DO you really mean il. Mrs. SaSton
Would you? Amy would be so glad.
She speaks Of you so often. She feels
so"
The girl hesitated.
"Yes. know. Nellie. My friends are
all very kind-kinder than deserve.
Well. then. IL you think shall be well
come would you run over tonight and
tell her TO expect me? Say that TO-
morrow will be sad day and ! should
Ike 20 be among friends. STAY shall
no; need you any more this evening.
You may as well stay all night. Then
If my coming makes extra work YOU
can help her"
"Work. o Mrs. Saxtor, how can you