Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1899-12-21

the usually quiet avenue, now thron ged
with package-laden pedestrians and de-
livery wagons heaped high with good
things for the morrow. The expression
OF her countenance as she regarded the
hurrying throng was mixture of pain
and perplexity. She had considered
her own plans for tomorrow settled
some weeks ago, but sonnet hing she had
just read had Jared her out of har-
mony with them and it seemed too late
to make new ones. Tt 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; t5
Himself, his hungering neighbor and Me.
Not that the words were new to her
oh, no! They had been her Christ
mas mas motto every year since, when a
girl of Is, she had first read the Vision
OF Sir Launfal. It was this that gave
the words such power over her, for on,
this particular Christmas she had de.
cided for til the first time il IL years to.
set aside her rule and give her aims
without giving herself. She had sent
' turkeys and other good things to nu-
mllerous needy families, bestowed lar
gesse upon sundry orphan asylums,
homes and hospitals, and otherwise used
without Is stint the money Of which she
had abundance; but for herself
( l house was to be- closed her servants.
4 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 wed ding day, and the husband
TO whom She had confded her Christ
! mas 81 motto had said, with eyes shining
with joy and tenderness Il. ..,
And this year the gift is mine
literally yourself my priceless Christ
mas gift!'
They had enjoyed three months of
cart hly paradise and then there was
4 q railway accident, and horrible
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 nd, and all the light OF the world
had for her gone sudd denly out.
They had wanted her at home this
Christmas, but how could she 90 where
everything would remind her Of that
Joyous wedding day? No, solitude was
best for her, and so her day had been
planned.
~ But as she b sat now in the deepening
twilight with the words Of her dis.
.carded motto echoing in her mind. this
quaint ain saying lodged there from some
long long past reading awoke to keep them
company.
35 She She gave a quick little. gasp and
hot Wave--Was it shame, remorse. or
pure 3 amazement ??swept over her. IA
coward t'',fa Certainly not! But hero
what was a hero? A hero thought only
OF OF ct hersto save, to succor, to upIift
others. For this he sacrificed comfort,
honors, hrs even, that is, he gave him
self. So It all came back to that after
all; and ST she. carried out her plans
TOT The morrow, would she be a COW ,y.-a
ard? But it was so late to make new
plans plan TWilig died slowly away and
the electric lights flashed out over the
busy avenue and still Mrs. Saxton
thought. At length she turned from
: the, window, closed her magazine, drew
down the shades and turned on the
light II her coy sittin groom and,
touching a bell, summoned the house
maid.
on will be taking dinner with your
sister-in-law tomorrow, Nellie ?',s
Yes, Mrs. Saxton,' = responded Nellie.
with the tone and manner Of we u.bred
lady.
Do you think il would put her out
much-that is,sdo you thi1. 4 she, would
enjoy having me dine with her also?'' Il
The girls face lighted with surprise
and pleasure.