The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-12-15
A Christmas
Story.

Well call him BILLY" because lots
OF people call him that, and also be
cause that ia al good name as any.
And Billy will never forget one
Christmas about seventeen years ago.
HE was living In a big western city
then but not working. His idle
ness was due to 90 fault Of his; II
was the fault OF industrial conditions
which threw many men out OF work,
and which caused Billy to lose bis
position on big daily paper.
And as Billy had a wife and boy
dependent upon him and the Saturday
night before that particular Christmas
found him with just one lonesome sill
yer quarter in his pocket perhaps
you can imagine how he felt. That
was the situation on this particular
Christmas.
Now to bark back about six o. sew
en- years further. Billy was working
then. a politician OF statewide note
had been nominated for office and he
wanted a Speech-a riproar1ng' high
Galutin' speech-and he asked Billy to
take the facts and figures he had and
write up just that kind of a speech.
Billy did ii for old friendships sake.
Et must have been pretty good
speech for the candidate was elected.
But I'm the excitement he never
thought of asking Billy what Billy
wanted for the work.
Now back to that particular Christ
mas once more. Billy and bis wife
canvassed the Christmas situation i'm
mediately after supper, first seeing 10
II that the boy was In bed and asleep.
They Just knew that boy was ex-
pecting something, for the Christmas
o. two he remembered, had been IuLl
of 10y and presents and things 20
Billy and the wife decided to ask
neighbor to come over and watch tne
youngster while they walked down
Gown and expended that sole remaining
quarter. The neighbor came over
all right and Billy and the wife walk
cd three miles down town through the
cold and snoW-walked to save car
fare. IL was about the first time eth
Or OF them had taken much thought
bH what Christmas flxin's cost, but
they had to this time. An quarter
won't 20 far i'm making Christmas TOT
1 IuSIy 10Y. LAC P61k - LAOA4
wandered through two or three big
stores. and finally decided o. 20
orange. trumpet, a pound OF very
cheap candy and nickel Mother
Goose" book That would exhaust the
quarter. But before they squandered
all their wealth they paused to gaze
az the expensive things In one big
show window.
AnI Ahnr cnwnd alarmed
Billy on the shoulder and shouted
Hello. Billy; merry Christmasi"
Whereupon Billy grasped the hand
of his old-time POLITICAL friend and
omothering his real feelings returned
the greeting In kind. a few words
passed and then Billy introduced his
wife. a few more words and the
subject or politics came up, and as
that didn't interest the wife she turn
ed again TO the show window. Then
ga1d the politician:
by the way, Billy never paid you
eor that little article you fixed uD for
me-"
Forget It." said Billy. That was
squared by friendship years ago"
"Say not So" quoth the politician.
Ct insist on paying something for 1t
and paying It right now. Name the
amount"
Now Billy yearned nightly to say
"ten dollars" or such a matter but
being somewhat proud and unwilling
Eo expose his poverty he grinned
cheerfully and said:
"Oh, well, If that's the way you
feel about 1t, old man, Just buy the
misses a little trinket she can hang
ON the wall, and that will remind us
both Of you, and wen call 1t square"
Agreed" said the politician" but
\ haven't got time to buy It; got to
make q train. But TIL give you
piece OF money and you can select 1t
and give Ii to her with my compii-
mentg."
"Nuff said" replied Billy.
Whereupon the politician pressed
something into Billy's hand shouted
CHEEKY farewell and rushed for .
street car.
Billy watched the departing polite
iaA until he disappeared from sight
then turned to the wife and remarked:
We'll, sweetheart, we've got more
than a quarter now"
"HoW's that? queried the wife.
why, Blank just gave me some
paper money to buy you ~ Christmas
knick-knack, and they don't make
paper money I'm less than dollar bills
It's va cinch we've got at least dol
lar and quarter, and guss it's five
and Quarter-maybe ten and a. quar-
ter"
I hope it's ten and a quarter" said
the sordid-minded woman.
well. here's seeing" said Billy
opening his hand.
And 10. and behold, there before the
protruding eyes OF Billy and the wife
were three beautiful, artistic, perfect
ly lovely bills-two twenties and a
ten-flfty good old dollars!
Maybe the Christmas lights didn't
grow brighter. And maybe two
hearts didn't follow suit. And maybe
there wasn't a sudden change Of
Christmas program. And don't you