The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-12-25
"Allie, what is hard times2,

allie, what is hard times?''
The tot who asked the question
sat in his high chair at the kitchen
table, watching his twelve-year-old
sister wash the breakfast dishes.
Alice did not answer, and baby
Paul went on. us it anything like
Cwismas!"
mo, dear" answered Alice.
Does Santa have any hard
times?"
"He has this year, think"
Alice" called mans voice from
another room, "take Paul in, and Sci
him by the fire. He'll catch cold
out there"
Alice took the baby from his
chair, carried him into the living
room, and sat him on the hearth-ruG
between Carl and Mary.
A slender, dark-haired woman sat
at the window, in this large, bare
looking living room. She was sew
ing, and glanced up now and then to
watch the wind as it drifted the
dry snow. Her thoughts were net of
the beauty of the storm, but of the
hardships it was bringing to the
household. There had been, in the
lives of the Patrick family, a time
when storms and snow brought hopes
of joyous sleighrides behind swift
ponies, instead OF forebodings of
want and cold. That was the time
when the father worked at is trade
and they lived in a snug cottage in a
pleasant part of the city.
sorrows come not as single spies,
but in batalliOns." Patrick was hurt
by a fall from a building. For many
weeks he lay in the hospital unable
to be removed and not expected to
recover.
Hospital expenses, doctor bills and
family necessities, without any in
come, soon consumed the bank ac-
count which had been reserved to
pay the mortgage off their home.
Finally it was thought best to sell
the property before the mortgage
should come due in order to avoid
losing it entirely. This was done
and about the time the father was
able to be taken from the hospital,
the family moved into this dwelling,
on which, poor as it was, they found
it difficult to pay rent.
Christmas time had come again
and found them almost destitute.
The family now subsisted on what
the mother could earn by sewing,
could obtain. But she was not a
strong woman, and often she would
break down so that she could not
work at all. The little ones who
could not understand this gloomy
state of their fortunes were still
hopeful. Christmas is for the child
his day of days. These children,
especially, had great faith in Santa
when everything was going wrong.
Often when their mother became
discouraged and let the tears flow
down her cheeks, Carl or Mary
would hug her and say: "Never
mind, mamma, Santa will bring our
home back to us with lots of things
to eat"
But the rent had not been paid
for three months and it seemed AS
if they would be deprived of this
poor home instead Of being provided
with q better one.
The pain of disappointing the chill
dren distressed the parents most Of
all. They felt that they could make
almost any sacrifice to spare the
children.
Matilda" called the husband
from the bedroom.
She stepped quickly to bis couch.
Matilda, we mustn't oisappolnt
the children. / cannot bear it. |
can get along without everything,
if need be, but don't disappoint the
babies"
Alas, what was to be done? The
mother sat down on the edge of
the couch, the baby climbed into her
lap and put his chubby arms about
her neck lisping, Don't cwie, ma
ma. Tomorrow is Cwismas. Santa
will come"
kind heaven aid us!" grOaned
the heart broken woman.