The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-01-03

| can't tie any more boxes. My wrist
is very bad.
Esther's voice trembled. She knew
it was the busy season.
You did a nice thing, Esther. / con-
graduate you. That's the sort of at
tention to customers that counts
Esther gasped. Could this be the
stern man she so dreaded?
You look worn out, Esther. Sup
pose you take rest till after Christ
mas? Here-Fll pay you your full
weeks salary two and half" AS if
apologizing TO himself, he added.
After all, it's Christmas time"
Esther, glad at heart, left the shop,
but she did not go home at once. She
generally went to confession late at
night, but now was golden oppor-
tunity, and right goldenly did she
use it.
Esther was younger than her years;
practically a child of IL in innocence
and experience. During the entire
month of December she had besought
the Christ-Child for nice Christmas
GIT. Sometimes she wanted a prayer
book, other times a new dress, again
bit of jewelry or a toy Unable to
settle the matter quite to her own sat-
lsfaction, she had finally left it to the
Infant Jesus.
In the beginning of this simple mar
rative [ said that Esther was practic-
ing heroic virtue. Other girls, it is
true. were doing the same work in
much the same manner. Other girls
stationed behind counters, continued to
smile when they would fain weep. 9th
er girls were gentle of word and tone
when eXasperated nature called out for
quite different expression. But these
of rNf he,
looking only to outward seeming. 1t
was with them a matter of appearance.
They were polite under difficulties be-
cause it was a question of bread and
butter. With Esther it was struggle
within and without; struggle to
bring the heart into accord with, the
outward demeanor; struggle not only
to look, but TO be, gentle and sweet
and brave and kind. In a word, Esther
was constantly practicing purity of in
tention.
On this particular afternoon, the
child was unusually devout; she be-
sought the Divine Infant to give her
mother and herself nice Christmas.
Perhaps there was an over-ea gerness
in her prayer. Like the gentle sex in
general, when Esther wanted a thing
she wanted it very much.
On Christmas morning, Esther sat in
a little room warming her toes at
little stove. Her wrist was heavily
her face had lost nothing of
its pallor, and her expression to tell
the truth was anything but Christmas
like.
Her mother was seated near the win
dow, looking out into the deserted
street. The day was foggy, traffic was
at standstill, the quiet was melan-
choly.
well, my dear" said Mrs. Moore,
lis your wrist giving you any pain?"
Nothing to speak of, mother But
it's such funny Christmas. No snow,
no Christmas tree, no gifts, no moth
ing"
You went to holy communion this
my little girl"
Yes, mother; but that's understood. |
Every Sunday is a Christmas in that
sense"
Our Lord, when He lay in the crib |
on Christmas day, didn't get any gifts" |
Yes; but He loves the poor. And !
we are so DOOR"
80 was He. my dear"
But Esther was not to be consoled. |
The poor child had set her heart on |
getting a prompt answer to her pray
or. and the heavenly mail had presum- |
ably miscarried.
We'll, my dear, I've been making |
ready for your Christmas this long |
time. You see, l can't give you pres
ents, but I'm going to tell you of the
oveliest Christmas stories"
Esther frightened at once. Going !
over to her mothers side, she threw |
herself at her feet.
Go on. mother; do so love a story
Esther was a very little girl again.
For over an hour did she listen with
sparkling eyes to pretty legends and
ingenious fables. She forgot her dis
appointment, and became again the
happy Esther of other and richer days.
Mrs. Moore had just finished a pretty
title story, and was clearing~her throat
while endeavoring to recall another,
when a flush suddenly came to Esther's
heck, new light to her eye.
"Oh, mother, There she is, Look. |
It's that nice, young lady. And l be-
ieve she's coming in
There could be no doubt of it. 1t
vas the young lady, and in she was
coming.
Esther ran to the door and threw it
,pen.
Merry Christmas." she cried.
Merry Christmas to you and many.
many more!" returned the young lady.
is she entered. Her face was rosy
rom contact with the breeze. her eye,
f possible, kinder and merrier than on
December the 23rd.
This is your mother, is it? Mrs-?"
Moore prompted Esther.
"Ah, l am glad TO meet you. Mrs.
Moore. My name is Laura Hartnett.
found out yesterday that Esther had |
lurt her wrist. The candy people gave !
ne her address, and / would have come I
to see her had l the time.
Here's little bunch of violets man
ICED to get for her.
Presently Miss Hartnett was chat
ing gaily. She had the knack of being
pleasant in sick room. For several
tours there was much laughter, and.
lespite the fog, the room grew radiant
Y cheerful.
At last the parting came
Good bye, my DEAR said Miss Hart
lett, as she stood at the door. You
nd | are going to keep UP our ac-
aren't we?''
IF you please Miss Hartnett.''
And We're going to be friends?"
"Oh. how l should like that
Esther was lying in her modest cot
t o'clock of that evening. Her moth
r was bending over her.
d." ~
Yes, mother. I did pray so hard to
he Child Jesus for some little present
Or you and for me. And he hasn't
card me. I felt so sure"
What did you ask for, darling?"
oh, for a dress, or a jewel. or a nice
1y, or almost anything. / left it all to
i'm. And for you, l left it to him.
1o.'
We'll. my dear the c'h-'et-C'hild has