The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1902-12-25

ed Iu the Eet pavement. sheu there came.
FROM -emeehere uclov ms sa.st hne. a
small SHINE
Pea.e mum. gimme O. nickrif"
J looked 1uFr aud henr't che smallest,
curr.l most ior.tseu tile woman J had
ever seen She coa|t have BEEN 40 more
ihaa seven. huf there Nas eudle-s seata-
81. sale. iu ths uolows of her ei~eks. and
ihe ov~' bright black eye. bespoke knosl-
ctse o. hta aud Starvation aud wretch
slne.s
t penny she uhlned
st. naa Interested. A thought b.
faui n.v,c and ..m wa. Fcleluae.
Please. mam che began AGAIN
There were iat "a aents n M pocket.
f.l B att Deposited my isst dollar Nith
Ine boarding. aUls. keeper ia case tie
aautfyman .houli ctu IN my absence.
Misunderstanding tae ehA4- hardened
Hfle face tarre Was au eEprs--ion about
beg ailr MOUTH tHat attracted me. IL
ats almost mothrrIF in is maturi ".
las us tle ui0Aei sud f1e penny .ids %
.4c n ms band. D said.
"lt .s al j have. li sou take the uickei
shall have Co ralk home. but d % - ne
peuui you choose D m4s uds. aud / an
ffr ufcd
She shot 40 ampudent. inqusltivs glance
a. me
Where d'vou.c live" she asked
MECHANICALLY / repeated my street num-
Der
Zen blocks she .eornfuly replied.
OATS easy and setty grabbing ne
n.c.a shr dartcd around The corner
The ueat DAY va Chustmas. and I did
naf 30 ioNn to hrcakiasi but luncard IA
soda crackers snd some stale candy la ny
room.
"Car.tma-i Chn.tmAs'' repeated
the sord- 90 haunting memories. and
am afraid cried attir.
~oiar olc topped a. nay door
Come Ia. called 70 qu.te natter
of fac. tone The door opened tm.f1y.
aud taerc on tne threshold stood 10 other
than my htt.c hessar Of thr 1zhi BE-
tore
Sh- VA much embarrassed. but before |
coald welcome her one dirty paw shot out
suddenly ike her quick glance. and IN 30
hegr4med Hftle palm lay my nleksi
II nungec q bsek. she stammered.
- cause cause
~Becau.cg" ! suggested. smlng.
jest cause st piped youse Of a.
klnd o. Oh yuuse appers you-e owu elf.
srd / a.ot seemed g sleep sound
SIZE got no iurther--this dirty. sinful.
latle Raif for ! had gathered Der up N
my arms aud 49, holding her very tsht.
some one cared On thst desolase Christ-
mas sonic one actually cared.
"L4uie woman. 1 I'D presently. laps-
ing into the language Of him who wts
constantly iu my thoughts. there Is one
dollar coming 70 me. al on accoant Of .
dsrclict iauudrymau. What would you
rather have than anything else tu4, dbl
lar can buy,
"Has youse sOt dc dough. sure 'sousA-'
/ nodded.
Ips,antiy she answered ne. say. xhas
nd whole dinner cost. MD mashed 20
tato<s Ter both OF useuss
We must have made a eomicsl picture.
M new friend and T. a. We entered the
quiet. do~e-town restaurant. There was
Just ore other psrsor seated there on this
I CHRISTMAS day asn over in the shadow
OF the corner.
The child hsd scrambled into q ehsir
Z irdicated BY the head waiter. and I .ss
Abog, TO lake my pssee opposite. ~h<a
the man IN the corner suddenly xross
cannot, eyea nov. remember NV g
sli happened Confu-eSiy l ssw IN. young
sier's eye< grow round With wonder. and
/ the head waiter stih~6 an exciamstory
l vss 10 that strangers arrs1 And this
remember distinctly--tse nxns nass
manly words.
~forrse me. little vogsa. for act ind
ing you sooner | nave beea scoring tks
land for yea. Ne word, not a word Of
il all Wa trasA. Aud q sad that cash
bng old maid amt =
I, A voice iaferrupse> hinL h wss he
,sunss,<r'ss
Say. n;ss, dat xuy b On De square,
Aeuest--I kis tsr-~
AID b'e~ Asr isss ssssk - ~ ~
tas xatA-