The Press., 1910-04-13

,rast approaching Christmas. carefully
counting up their boarded pennies and
fall of all sorts of pleasant little lnys-
! tories and merry receptions. without a
l thought apparently of the little sister
who had in her baby fashion only one
short year ago Joined so gleefully In
their preparations for the coming fes-
tlval
III was natural that they shorl1 10
80. as she told herspii. and vet how
could she bear to have Iipr darling for.
! gotten In the household Of which she
had been the sunshine. to have her
sous and daughters in future years
say:
.sThere are Eve of u.s.. without q
word or thought of the little sister
/ gone before2 Then M0Ilies words
cume back to her with another, and
tenderer significance: II do wish we
! could have some kind of a memorial
| for little Beth!s ss8
4 IA ''memorisl." not for the eyes of the
4 world. but one that would keep alive
! in the hearts of her children the men,
ory of that dear lost one. 1t might not
be an impossibility. after all. and the
| plan, once started in her mind. went on
unfolding. and as the last spark died
! out in its bed of somber gray ashes
and the clock counted out. loud and
| clear in the stiffness, the twelve strokes
| Of midnight she rose to her feet with
moist eyes. but Il hopeful smile upon
| her lips.
rIn that way they will be sure to
| remember her she nurmured to- her,
| self. land the little charities given in
| her name will be twice blessed
! Ii had always been q custom in the
1 Mason family for the children to hang
dp their stockings the night before
| Christ mas-s custom that. as Mrs.
| Mason declared, owed its popularity to
the one eXtravagailge in hat economic
ally ordered household-an open fire
| In the family sitting room. When
| Christmas eve came there was brought
| forth for the occasion the usual array
| of stockings of various sizes and
| hues, from Mollie's. of conventional
black Isle thread. down TO little Ben's.
ofgcoarser. home knit gray. and there
| Was a great deal of chatter and fuss
| and good n;turel rivalry over Il choice
| Of places and he finding of pins large
and strong enough TO sustain the ex-
pet.ted burden. .a II
sim going to put mine out here at
the very end proclaimed Ben. with a
| flourish of The article in question and a
desperate dive for the biggest pin in
the cushion hut his mother laid her
hand gently upon his shoulder with the
| softly spoken reminder:
moi there, dear, That's where little
Reth's stocking always hung. you
know"
The merry babel of voices suddenly
ceased. and the children turned to look
at their mother in Il Kind of awestruck
wonder as, takiug from her work
basket pair of pretty scarlet stock
ings baby's favorite naif-she careful
ly fastened hem In the accustomed
place with the low voiced explana-
ton: Ee ss-4 Bse
1--WE have no money to- build grand
memorial windows or to endow hos
pitfalls in tEa uame of our lost darling
but we can Keep her memory alive in
our own hearts at least In humber
way. Now | am going to hang up her
stockings just as she did on her last
Christmas on earth. aud we will each
contribute something out Of our own
stores that will make some poor chill.
dren more comfortable aud happy on
this he worlds great Gift day"
FMolIie slipped her hand into her
mother's and laid her cheek tenderly
against her mothers shoulder while
she whispered. with a half suppressed
Sob; 4f -a .5s.rs Fl
r:Oh. mother. dear. that's beautiful
Thought. and we'll all be so glad to
give something toward dear little
Beth's memorial stocking.
The morning saw this promise faith
fully fulfilled. and it was wonderful
when each one set his or her brains to
work what number of poor. neglect
ed children were remembered and pro-
vided for out of little Beth's gift stock
ing. I'll
Charlie found that with a new pair
of skates be could spare his old ones
for poor little lad round the corner
who never had SO much as top or
ball that be could call his own. Kitty
was glad to give a paint box almost
as good as new to the crippled girl
who always sat in her inTalid's chair
by the window and watched longingIy
the gay groups of children as they
trooped past to school. OutgroWn pic
ture books, caps and boots. pair of
warm nlittens and knitted scarf for
the ragged little fellow who shoveled
snow for the neighborhoOd and several
lace bags filled with candy and nuts
contributed from the private store that
each had found In his own. stocking,
1t was wonderful how much and what
a variety of things that pair of stock
tngs held. for whatever was given In
their maine was supposed to have come
from their diminutive depths.
Every one gave freely. and no. one
felt poorer for the hack OF what went
to comfort those who were needy. In
Mollie's pretty new portlnonnaie was a
two dollar bill with slip attached on
which was written For the new
gloves that Mollie thinks will make
her perfectly happy. !"
The little lass laughed good natured-
ly at this merry reminder of her own
words aud for few minutes was full
Of happiness over her mothers gifts
but suddenly thoughtful expression
came over her bright face. and she
went silently to her room. Half an
hour later, she came to her mother
with grave face and the question:
: S.:Can do as fbleaseswifb the motley
you gave me%.@ r a.ssFSaf 81 ].
.Certadnly." wasethe ready reply, and