The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-05
A TagarE Of the SIunS.

IFr0m the Record Herald
Mary Lawson was sitting IN ner n.lis
kitchen repairing The scan ss,sse e''e"I i9
their beds-wouid pur on in the morn
Ing a. candle burned al her elbow 81
had bought Il at the grocery because AZ
was cheaper than OIL ana JIM ia
drunken rage haa broken neg o-iis
lamp.
As the woman worked tears fell down
her thin face and cropped on hei
ing. she was thinking of the time wneh
she had leen q happy though ha'd
WORKING girl earning her own hVlns-
Then she met Jim Lawson, the ne err
do-7veU. ana because he was lonely ana
miserable and knew the way TO glri
heart She had married him.
Jim was all right when he was sonef
and could then get plenty of work to do'
but he was weak. and hIuUr made MN
wild Ii was year now since ne mao
earned a dollar, and Mary mad cut loose
from him for the childrens sake S1e
could not have her boys contaminated
bv their fathers bad example. 80 she
again became a brsad-Winner, and IN
the past year had helped Jim many
times but he could nos eater hey doors,
for fhey were hers. not his
A row of shabby stockings hung On
the wall for this was Christmas eve.
and they We're filed with such cheap
TOYS or necessary articles as Mary's poor
funds could encompass. outside the stir
of Christmas was in th5 air. EVen l'ov-
erty Flats received sons Of that be
nignant atmosphere. The spirit Of low
ing and giving was abroad tap came
at Marys door.
who's there?" she called in a hushed
voice-she did not want to awaken the
children
It's Jirn-poor. old jim: Lemme in
Mary-my Mary" piped weak, un-
steady voice
"Tn not let you in. ard I'm not your
Mary" answered the woman in an IN
relenting tone
me in Mary or I'll die in the street =
came the pleading wall, which she had
answered generously SO often, only 70
be abused for her kindness. She stepped
TO the door and opened it, but before
doing so took something from a drawer,
something that she held behind her. a
man, sha bly,, drunken and ugly, con-
Gronted her.
I'm coming in" he said in a rough
voice. staggering forward as he spoke,
''and III nay you, my dear, Tor Keeping
me out-4'll-"
He started back as a revolver flashed
in his face. You won't come in" said
his wife. until you come home sober.
Go and find your friends and get shelter
from them. tbs none you'll get from
me"
She shut the door and waited standing
there with that broken and empty re-
volver ia her hand, until he had gone
and she could no longer hear his un=
put the useless weapon back in the
drawer and sat down to her work BUT
her hand trembled so that she could not
use her needle. She looked at the candle.
and saw the grease guttering at its side
Heaven help me" she said Its a
Winding-sheet If it wasn't for the chill
dren I'd be glad if twas mine"
few moments later another mood
possessed her. She hurried to the door
and looked out into the night
Jim. Oh JIM" she called The wind
was rising and moaned in the trees of
the park A late dog running home
was the only living thing in sight. a
child's voice talking in its sleep came.
from the room she had left
Jiml Come back. It's Mary calling
A window across the street flew open.
hey We're used to hearing midnight
nlAWls ana made no comment Mary
went in and closed the door If il had
Deen possible for her to go back to the
hIne when they first met and to know,
Of the future as She now knew the nasf
sne would have married Jim again at
that moment such is the unseifisbness
ana devotion of a woman's love Cod
Knows and He is keeping tally
Jim out in the night reeled hither and
tnither until he came to The park Had
ne laid down on the benches policeman
would have found him. dubbed him into
st4le 81 selnisobriety and taken him to
Ane nearest station for safekeepipe Fslt
soilsa IN among the shadows and
letves under bench and Went to sleep
ana i4 that sleep what dreams did
Come Warmth. light and beauty. and
Mary 8 own self calling Jim. Jim as
she used t. in the days when they first
Went TO housekeeping. and they were 50
fondly foolishly happy WHY wasn't he
colo or sorry or hungry any more? If
Mary only knew how comfy he was. and
he smiled and slept ON and on
Tie did not awaken when the bells rang
out new birth Of the Child in the man
Esr' NOT when the first arrows of Tight
chased the stars out of the sky. and the
PARK sparrQws twittered about the bench
s s-li ~nlcn ne slept and told each other.
ne awaken when Mary found him-know-
ing something Of his haunts. The smile
Merry had to comfort her. for she said.
re must have seen the angel of for
BiNeness to- look Ike that