The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-12-12
A Christmas
Morning
On Which q Bride Gives Her
Husband a Present
By Martin Strinsfellow
Copyright by American Press Asso.
citation 1911

mas together" said Tom Wentworth
to his bride. but the fact neverthe-
less remains true"
"And why not?" asked the young
wife. with surprise written on every
line Of her face.
LET me tell you" he took both her
hands In his and drew her down on to
seat beside him. I have something
to impart that / have kept to myself
for years. You know ShusterT
Yes. know the old curmudgeon."
"Well. ] am indebted to him to the
amount Of $1,000"
why. Tom! And you never told
met
Il told you before we were married
that had barely enough income from
my own profession to procure for US
the necessaries of life. with not cent
for pleasures The celebration of
Christmas comes under the latter
head You remember that when i fin-
ished my four years at college my ia
Their failed and had not the where
withal to attain my profession. Then
suddenly told you that had obtain
ed the means. but was pledged to tell
no one whence | received it."
Eyes; remember that"
Zone day while l was lamenting my
hard fate In being obliged to go into
business after expecting to become a
lawyer j met old Shuster on the street
Shuster, as you know, lends money at
a high rate of interest. He asked me
what proposed to do now that had
been graduated l was full Of my dis
appointment and told him about It
To my surprise. he offered to lend me
the money required to study for my
profession
but said. you only lend money
on security, and have no security
"'I want no better security than
the word of an honorable man. be re-
piled, 4 know when 1t is safe to lend
money and when to refuse to lend
But you will require high rate
Of interest
"'Not In this case Six per cent will
do
He agreed to furnish the money as
l needed 1t and declined to take any
notes for the amounts loaned Dor
rowed a little over three hundred a
year from him for three years. earn
ing myself as much besides. On get
ting my degree ] insisted on giving
him two notes Of $500 each, one note
to be paid each year. Now, you know
that my salary with Busby and Busby
is 1880 year. OF this amount $500
must go to Shuster, leaving us $1,000
on which to live; consequently for two
years we have absolutely nothing for
pleasures.
While the husband was speaking the
wife drew closer and closer to him
and when he had finished looked up
into his face and said:
81 win help you all can in the mat
ter Of giving up pleasures till the debt
Ia paid
81 knew you would. sweetheart. You
see, / shall not only wish to show my
self worthy Of Shuster's confidence
His confidencer'
Eyes. Did he not prove 1t In lend
ing me the money on my bare prom
Use to repay himr'
"Oh. certainly-yes. I suppose So"
swell. then. 1t is understood that we
give no presents on Christmas. We
can tell every one beforehand that
we intend to make nothing of Christ
mas this year. and next year wen tell
them the same"
mo. we won't"
"But dear. shall have another
note
Never mind next year. will agree
to all you suggest for this one except
one thing, There shah be one gift be-
tween Us. and only one. That will be
from me to you"
well. be IT as you wish. But let 1t
be some trifing article made with your
own hands. shall prize 1t all the
more If you make 1t yourself"
This dialogue occurred previous to
Tom Wentworth's departure for his Of
dee With the last words he kissed his
bride and went out She appeared at
a window. and he threw her kiss.
Unknown TO her husband. Ella Went
worth made such preparations for
Christmas az she chose to make She
was the financial manager Of house
hold expenses and was not required
to make an accounting As to the sub
Ject OF her conversation with her hus-
band. II must be confessed that she vic
lated his wishes She purchased such
gifts as she would have bought had be
not signified desire that she should
not do So But she maintained abso
lutte secrecy in these matters. bringing
home the articles herself when she
knew Tom was at the office and stor-
ing them away where he would not
stumble upon them. She provided for
an elaborate breakfast for Christmas
morning. inviting every one Of her
own and her husbands families to join
them on the occasion
Tom saw Christmas approach with
something of displeasure-that is, the
Christmas of his own household. Hon-
days we do not celebrate ourselves are
not only irksome. but at times unpIeas-
ant Tom knew what be had asked of
bis wife In suggesting that she give up
entering upon the pleasures OF Christ.
mas 70 order to pay, as be expressed
i. for a dead horse. He told her
when be went to his office the day be-
fore the holiday that he would be
obliged TO spend the evening there
working over the papers OF case that
had been referred to him to put In or
der to be used at an approaching trial
His purpose was to furnish an excuse
for spending Christmas eve, which
they could not afford to make a joyous
occasion. away from home. He ex-
pected that she would demur at this,
but she made no objection whatever
Indeed. since she was intending to
celebrate Christmas morning with con-
siderable profusion ana fearing that
he would notice some indication of the
coming event. she was glad TO have
him away from the house.
Tom came home late Christmas eve,
heaving sigh as he turned his latch
key. Ella was waiting for him up
stairs and. instead Of re-echoing his
sigh. received him with smile
What treasure you are. sweet
heart" he said, embracing her, ito give
up so much for me-
There was twinge of conscience on
the wife's part at this undeserved en-
comium. but she threw 1t or and be-
gan to speak of other subjects We
are but human. and 1t is not best to
put too great strain on one another.
To deny woman or child all partic-
ipation in celebrating Christmas ia as
signing task without giving adequate