Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-12-22
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5 A ROMANTIC 3
aNA HISTORIES

II 1S Bale W dHI III IudL no sCQTlSl-ts
mas card played SO important "a part!
in mans life as one which hangs in
a frame over the writing desk OF
certain we'll known journalist. The
remarkable story connected with this
card was related to the writer short
time ago.
About twelve years since, the jour
nalist to whom the card belongs went
to a large city with great literary as
pirations. Against the advice of his
parents, he threw UP situation which
would have brought him in a steady
if not large income, so long as he
cared to do the work. But he con-
sidered literary work was his forte,
and he came to the great metropolis
to earn fame and fortune with his pen
as free lance. To be BRIEF the re-
suit appeared to be dismal failure;
for after nearly two years incessant
struggling the Journalist found him
self one Christmas eve without sufiis
cient money in his pocket to pay his
railway fare to visit t'the old folk at
| home"
Too proud to admit his failure after
going against the advice of his parents
he began to think seriously of de
stroying ali traces of his identity and
committing suicide. While sitting in
his lodgings with this idea running
through his mind, however, the post
man brought letter which contained
a small Christmas card sent by five
year-old niece to whom he was great
ly attached. The words on the front
of the card were simple: Wishing
you merry Christmas and prosper.
ity";; but on the back was written,
in the child's scrawling handwriting,
from your little sweetheart, Nell.
The thought that the little girl was
looking forward to seeing him quick
ly dispelled all thoughts of suicide
from the journalists mind, and, put
ting his pride in his pocket, he Dor.
rowed sufficient money to take him
home 1t was the turning point in his
career; for he determined to try again
after the holiday, with the result that
he was able to go home the following
Christmas and tell those who were
dear to him that his work had won
for him lucrative post.
Maybe there are some readers who
still remember the pathetic story at,
tached to Christmas card received
by the German emperor two years
ago from a little girl whose father
had been imprisoned for lese majestic
The girl, who was about ten years of
age, had no mother, and, probably
feeling very miserable at the thoughts
of spending Christmas without her
father, conceived the idea of sending
petition to the emperor for her par
ents release in the form of Christ.
mas card.
The card was but cheap one,
bearing the very appropriate words,
Good viii! toward men" 3; while on the
back the child had written in Ger
man, Please. Your Majesty, let my
father come out OF prison for Christ
mas day The appeal interested the
kaiser to such an extent that he
caused inquiries to be made, and, find.
ing that the man had not committed
a very serious offense, ordered his i'm
mediate release. Il AS
|, A gentleman living in Wales still
preserves a Christmas card which
cost him one penny and brought him
fortune Of 40, 900 He was once
doctor at Sheffield, and one Christ
mas bought shilling box of q dozen
Christmas cards to send to- his friends
After dispatching eleven he found thai
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