Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-12-13
The Shaws' Merry Christmas.

HSVo NlSltS SllI tSatRuSs
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 expectin'
it, too. But don't see no way 'thout
money, an l guess it's just about as
scarce as it kin be this year"
It's not only slurce. Mary" said Mr..
Shaw. 'th simply amt any"
We'll, we en- sell the melodeon. and
that's good for Sl5, y know"
Yes, but Mary, Civ We that tn fust
| Christmas we KEEP house, and | feel re-
| Pugnant to partin' with it, said her hus-
land.
NO more than I do" she answered.
An it seems to me that l Jest couldn't
bear to see it go away. But we must
have little money for Christmas, an
the's that So balance to the DOCTOR
Il suppose tn chil'renll feel putty
bad if they don't hev no Christmas said
MIR. Shaw, reflectively. AN We can't do
much thout couple of dollars. Well,
I'll see Perfesser Wilson today"
He drew on brown plaid ovcrcoat,
wrapped a muller about his neck. and
went out. Times had once been good
with the Shaws, but an ambitious
brother had dragged Samuel into endors-
ing notes, with the almost invariable re-
suit. He had had to mortgage the place.
and the interest kept them poor. There
were two boys at home, Fred and Egbert.
Ia and u years old. They were good
boys and stood well at school. Today
they were out coasting. Fred was a lad
who liked sports of all kinds, while his
brother was fond of books. Recently his
ohum, year older named Cassius. and
called Cash" by his familiars, had be.
come possessed of Il 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 atmos-
phere of Christmas, and speculation as
to Keen Knife's escape from 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 melo-
deon was always treated with great re-
spect 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 COM
paniOn to Il rich woman who had taken
great fancy to her. Even Egbert re-
membered that last evening very well.
IL ,,1 10
sweet, old fashioned airs as Then You'll
Remember Me" and "Home. Sweet
Home Little Egbert recalled some
times how in the intervals of the CONVEX
sation that evening, while he was holding
his aunt's hand. he had heard the boys
shouting as they played in the old fair
grounds, which were not very far away.
ard he remembered how, drowsy as he
was, he finally put his head in his aunt's
lap and went to sleep. When he awoke,
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
ncl0dcon locked ever stree.
Mrs. Shaw was engaged in her usual
occupation of mending when her husband
returned. I've sold the melodeon" he
said and here's the money" he added. |
putting three S. bills in his wifes hand. |
"Pcrfesscr Wilson said he wouldn't send
for it till the day after Christmas.'
So they sat and planned what should |
be done with the money. 1t was finally
portioned out as seemed best-about 81 /
Tor presents for the boys. including not |
only toys but useful articles a well: - !
to the doctor $3.50 for little tokens for |
others. and the balance was TO be OK |
pended on good things 10 eat Monday /
was Il busy day in the Shaw household /
The boys presents were safely hidden 1
away, but there was no keeping from !
them the 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. \ miniature pie was made for |
each and the turkey was. for the time
bcng. OF more absorbing interest than
even the vonison steak and the roasted
ears OF corn upon which Keen Knife re
called himself in spare moments.
Mr.. Shaw could not help remaTking to
his wife a. he saw the generous prepara-
tions foe the morrow that these advan
tages might have been more common if
things had been different. 1T always
seems a. though all our trouble came at
once. First. paying them notes. then
losing those government bonds, and Lucy
going away" added bis wife.
When the boys had gone to bed, which !