The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-12-19
PEACE ON EARTH.
BY JULIA W. SEARCH.

MdAtud JOyCC WdlhSQ QOWu TIC
path that led from her door to the
road, with quick, firm steps she
closed the gate after her with a sharp
click, and as she did so looked back
toward the house with an expectant
glance. No one was to be seen at
the windows, so, drawing her warm
woolen shawl close about her shoul-
ders with an angry jerk, she walked
rapidly with swinging steps toward
the village.
Clouds, leaden gray, hung low.
Once in a while fake of snow would
drop lazily down and rest on her
shawl or hood. The road was almost
as hard as iron, giving out ringing
sound from Martha's heavily-s -soled
shoes. No one was in sight +; even
the cottages scattered here and there
seemed to be without inmates, so
Martha had nothing except her
thoughts to keep her company. The
deep line between her eyes, ,thestraight
firmly closed lips, the angry upheld
head, betokened anything but gen.
tie mood, and, indeed, who ever could
have called Martha Joyce gentle at
her very best?
AS she neared the village, signs of
busy life began to show. People
passing each other with baskets load
ed down with packages and yards of
Christmas greens. Several spoke to
Martha, calling out, "Rare fine
weather for Christmas" but in too
great hurry to stop and talk. Their
salutations were returned by Martha,
but the sullen face was never lighted
up by the glimmer of a smile. She
went into one of the shops and bought
quite a number of things, the store
keeper treating her with Difference,
as she was always good pay, and
bought the best of everything. To-
day, however. even though only
few days before Christmas, she bought
only necessary things-things home
ly and plain for the kitchen-and
shool, her head with a grim smile
when the owner of the store, Mr..
Trask, showed her regular buster
of turkey" telling him she had
much finer ones at home of her own
raising.
"Wel1, Miss Joyce, you amt going
to let Christmas pass without buying
some greens, are you, jest to spruce
up your house? And, see here, Miss
Joyce, I want to show you some fine
Christmas cards that came in yester-
day. He hurried over to- drawer
and took out some fancy cards we'll
sprinkled over with diamond dust !;
one of them, representing church
lighted up and bearing the inscrip.
tion: "Peace on earth and good will
toward men," he spoke of as being
very choice.
eyes, that is right pretty" Martha
said; "but laws, Mr.. Trask, I don't
want any such card as that. It's
only fit for children and you know I
haven't any,"
"But other folks have, Miss Joyce,
and at Christmas time we all ought
to think of others. There's John
Halliday's children, for n Instance,
somebody ought to do something for
them-excuse me for speaking to you
about it, Miss Joyce-but he's down
sick, and 1 hear the whole family is
suffering for necessities. My wife is
going to send a basket of things, and
if you would buy a few toys for the
children, and this card, it would do
heap of good. Peace on earth, good
will to men, he read, holding it at
arm length, sounds kinder warmin' !;
just think it over, Miss Joyce, and
I'll go and wait on them people while
you decide.
AS Martha stood looking at the
box of cards her face seemed to have
taken on few more lines and grown
white and drawn. She leaned heavily
against the counter and her thoughts
were far away. SoJohn Halliday had
come to this, sick and in need !? Well,
it served him right Hadn't he
spoiled her life years ago? Hadn't
he let her get her wedding clothes
made, and the invitations all ready to
60 out, only to jilt her at the last
minute to marry pretty Hetty Lee
Hadn't she been pitied by all the
country folks? And how she had
loved him Well, we'll God had
answered her prayers at last. Mr..
Trask had said John Halliday is sick
and poor, and that is what she had
prayed might come to him. Just see
how her life had been ruined To be
sure she had married, but what had
she married? A poor, sickly man,
who could do nothing about the farm.
Of course, he was always gentle, but
she wanted something besides gentle
ness.
Only that morning Martin had riled
her all up by saying, "Marthy, can't
we have a real Christmas this year
Your people and mine is pretty well
died out, but there's sister Kate's
family and your sister James family,
let's have them all here and romp
about with the children. Will you,
Marthy? I'll get all the things ready
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