Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-12-30
.
y Her Z
Santa Claus
And the "Happy Man" Are
One and the Same
BY Clarissa Mackie
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
BY Clarissa Mackie

Ramsell'S boarding house Stretcneo u
dark and gloomy tunnel from front TO
rear. Halfway down Its length small
nimbus OF light surrounded tiny gas
fame. There was an undiscovered
leak In the pipe here. and the air was
always foul with the escaping gas.
White painted doors led from the
ball into rooms at front and rear and
on the west side The stairway went
down the eastern blank wall into the
dimly lighted brussels carpeted gen
tility OF the second 6oor. Up here.
however, there was merely brown oil
cloth on the door. and 1t was worn
into uneven hillocks and was slippery
with age.
Honora Burr came up the stairs and
thrust key into the lock OF the third
floor rear room. The door swung back
against the wall and made passage
for her to squeeze In between the mar.
row white iron bedstead and close the
door. In one corner was O battered
oak bureau with distorting mirror
above 1t. There were washstand and
q rocking chair and Honora's shabby
trunk. That was all.
When she had removed her hat and
cloak and hung them in the tiny closet
Honora attached piece OF gas hose
to her jet and lighted a smah gas
stove. On this she placed saucepan
Of water and then sank YEARLY into
the chair. With the stove lighted
there was dim blush glow In the
room, and Honora sat there waiting
for the water to boil and looking out
Of the window at the dreary prospect
of tall brick structures and distant
blinking lights. From the next block
came the clatter and bang OF elevated
trains.
Suddenly all the view from the win
dow was blotted out In a mist OF tears.
Honora's bright head pressed heavily
against the back OF her chair. and she
placed her hands against her eyes.
II can't stay here" she sobbed. II
can't stay all alone in this big city at
Christmas and know that there Is no
body to care whether | have a good
time or not. nobody to give any pres
ents to. nobody to say Merry Christ.
mas as II 1t were really meant"
Honora Burr's position was pecul
lar one. She had been delicately nur-
tured In comfortable home In u
pleasant suburb. She was the only
child OF patents who had no relatives
except very distant cousins In anoth'
err city who were almost strangers to
the Burrs Honoras father had been
confidential man in large city house.
and two years before this Christmas
eve he had been arrested for embez
cling money from his employers and
in despair had killed himself. leaving
his wife and daughter almost PENN
less.
The disgrace OF the affair. combined
with the shock of her husbands death
ended Mrs. Burr's life within another
year. and Honora was left TO face
the world alone. After she had sold
off most of the household effects and
stored the remaining few with friend
Honora paid the debts and went TO
New York To seek n situation.
She had keenly felt the humiliation
and disgrace attendant upon her IA
theirs death. but nevertheless Honora
Burr never believed that he was en-.
tirely guilty That he had not lived
to make fight for his honor was his
weakness. Honora was proud. and she
would not approach any OF her fathers
friends or acquaintance in her quest
for work She would not embarrass
them by counting refusal
BY her own efforts Honora secured
a position In music store. where for
SIS n week she sold sheet music and
demonstrated the quality OF pianos by
her brilliant playing. for Honorn was
n skilled musician Her life was
very lonely one In the dreary board.
ing house. but she could not afford to
take n brighter and better room. for
she was saving n dollar week from
her wages. hoping to accumulate
enough money by spring TO give up
her situation and seek some music pu-
pills.
The kettle was boiling merrily now.
and Honora poured some OF the water
into the little japanese teapot she had
brought from home and set the re
mainder back on the stove 10 hoil AN
egg for her supper As she moved
about the blue dusk OF the room one
could see that she was small ana sien
der and gowned in black from head 10
foot Her face and the white OF her
little hands and the snowy glimpse OF
white ut neck and wrists shone out.
Somebody came np the stairs three
steps ut time whistling merrily.
tramped noisily down the hall and the
door OF the large front room opened
and closed. The whistling continued.
tits the happy man." said Honora TO
herself as she extinguished the stove
and turned on the gas light.
This was the worst Christmas eve
Honora had ever spent. Last year It