The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-24
THE SHAWS' CHRISTMAS.

TF'rom the New York Mail and Express-1
Il do know as we can make much
Christmas fer tn children this year."
said Mrs. Shaw to her husband a few
days before the holiday; IAN they ex-
pectin' it. too. But don't see no way
'thout money, an guess it's just about
as scarce as it KIN be this year."
Its not only skurce, Mary said Mr..
Shaw, "th' simply amt any
well, we en- sell the melodeon, and
that's good for fifteen dollars, y know"
yes but Mary Civ ye that tn fuSt
Christmas we KEEP house, and I feel
repugnant to partin' with it, said her
husband.
mo more than do" she answered.
AN it seems to me that / jest couldn't
bear to see it go away. But we must
have a little money for Christmas, an
thes that six dollars balance to the
Doctor
Il suppose tn chirren IL feel putty
bad if they don't hev no Christmas,
said Mr.. Shaw, refiectively. An We
can't do much 'thout a couple of dol
lars Well, I'll see Perfesser Wilson to-
day.
He drew on a brown plaid overcoat,
wrapped muff1er about his neck, and
went out. Times had once been good
with the Shaws, but an ambitious
brother had dragged Samuel into IN
dorsing notes, with the almost invarl-
able result. He had had to mortgage
the place, and the interest kept them
poor. There were two boys at home,
Fred and Egbert fourteen and twelve
years old. They were good boys and
stood well at school Today they We're
out coasting. Fred was lad who liked
sports of all kinds, while his brother
was fond of books. Recently his chuTn,
a. year older, named CasSius, and called
Cash by his familiars, had become
possessed of a number of literary works,
bearing chiefly on the adventures of one
Keen Knife otherwise the Prince of
the PrairieS," and the boys had spent
long and delightful afternoons in a hay
NOW belonging to CassiuS' father in
perusal of the books. But even these
novels were forgotten now in the at
mosphere of Christmas, and speculation
as to Keen Knife's escape from a band
of unfriendly Indians had changed for
grave consideration of the possibilities
of new carpenters tools and a small
printing press
If the boys had known the sacrifice
that was to be made that their Christ
mas might be brighter, it is probable
that they would have been sorry. The
n1eIodeon was always treated with great
respect in the Shaw family. The boys
had not heard it in years. The last
time was on a soft summer evening,
when Mrs. Shaw's young sister was
there. She was to sail for Europe the
next day as companion to a rich woman
who had taken a great fancy to her.
Even Egbert remembered that last
evening very well. His youthful aunt
played and sang such sweet, Old-faSh-
Toned airs as sThen You'll Remember
Me- and Home, Sweet Home Little
Egbert recalled sometimes how in the
intervals of the conversation that even
ing, while he was holding his auntS
hand, he had heard the boys shouting
as they played in the old fair grounds,
which were not very far away, and ne
remembered how, drowsy as he was, he
finally put his head in his aunts lap
and went to sleep. When he awolxe, his
aunt had gone, and he had not seen her
since That was four years ago, and
some sentiment respecting the absent
sister had caused Mrs. Shaw to keep
the meIodeon locked ever since.
Mrs Shaw was engaged in her usual
occupation of mending when her nus
band returned. 1--WE sold the melodeon,"
he said, land here's the money" he
added, putting three nve-dollar bills in
his wife'S hand. tPerfeSSer Wilson said
he wouldn't send for it till the day af-
ter Christmas"
So they sat and planned what should
be done with the money 1t was finally
JortiOned out as seemed beSt-abOut
four dollars for presents for the boys,
Including not only toys but useful ar
ticleS as we'll: four dollars to the doctor,
two dollars and a half for little tokens
for other, and the balance was to be
expended on good things to eat Monday
was busy day in the Shaw household
The boys presents were safely hidden
away, but there was no keeping from
the mthe secret of the edible part of the
preparations Even in these preliminary
Indications of what was to be a. merry
Christmas there was much Joy for the
lads. A miniature pie was made for
each, and the turkey was, for the time
being, of more absorbing interest than
even the venison steak and the roasted
ears of corn upon which Keen Knife
RECALLED himself in spare moments
Mr.. Shaw could not help remarking