The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-03
CALISTA'S
CHRISTMAS
How a Girl Was Changed
y From Selfishness to
Charity.
BY cLAR,ssA MAcKiE.

=
sssssssssssssssssssssss
For twelve long years Callsta Thorp
had fought against that grim fate
which had removed her loved ones
within the space Of short twelve
month and left her hopeless and dry
eyed in the midst Of an empty house,
even now echoing with happy voices
stilled forever.
She was frail little woman. with
= bruised heart which she hid behind
a cold exterior, defiant blue eyes and
a bitter tongue. All the softness of
her youth had CONCEALED. She was
estranged from happiness. \,
Twelve times since that awful year
had Caiista hung the stockings before
the fireplace In the sitting room
mothers warm woOlen hose, fathers
large sock. Bobby's two stockings
Gaping expectantly). little AIMS white
ones and. last Of all, her own limp
black one.
And twelve times with shining eyes
and swelling heart had Calista filed
them. Then when Christmas morning
dawned and she awoke to the bitter
ness that awaited her in the silent
house and In the sight Of the row Of
bulging stockings hanging before the
smoldering FIRE she would fly down to
the sitting room and tear them from
the shelf and empty each one Of Its
burden.
The bureau drawers In the slant
rooted bedrooms were filed with tho
little treasures Calista had bought for
her loved ones.
Again 1t was Christmas eve. and
Callsta had come home from shopping.
Her arms were full Of parcels. and the
snOwflakes powdered the dark hair
that framed her small pale face
paler than usual, for the young minis
ter had met her at the corner and
walked home with her.
At the gate he had timidly relieved
himself of a burden that troubled him.
He had demonstrated with Calista
Thorp because Of her selAshness.
Her cheeks burned as she remember.
ed how his spectacles had reflected
the moonlight until they seemed like
luminous supernatural eyes reading
her soul.
He had ventured only a few words
and his concluding sentence still rang
In her ears:
"Surely there is room In your heart
for others outside your loved one,
who have gone! God grant you hap
by Christmas, Miss Calistaw
He was very young and very poor
and very much In earnest, and he had
young wife and family ut home
awaiting him. yet he had found time
to concern himself over Callsta ThOrp
the most skeptical member of his flock
For the first time II light broke In OF
Callsta's brain. For the first time she
saw herself I'm her true character. She
saw that In giving herself up to those
who were gone she was hiding her tai
ent In "A napkin.
1t was not those loved ones she was
benefitlng; 1t was the living she was
denying. What right had she to keel
| uII Nuc WIN NOuiu uSc uVtuiut
she would give them?
Was she not In giving 1t to then
boarding II for herself? All Of n sud
den Il realization Of her true position
rushed upon her with resistless force.
And how long had she shut herself
In this world of her own selfish max
ing? Twelve years.
A shame cnme In her heart that sh,
had all this while taken no interest II
a single living being ut Christmas time
There were the children among hel
relatives, the children OF her friends
but, above all, the children of the poor
When she thought Of the many littl,
delight she was seized with desire OF
this Christmas to wipe out the stain.
The parcels ratified to the floor--th,
pipe which her father would nevel
smoke. the soft woods which her moth
er's fingers would never knit. the toys
with which Bobby might not play. tn,
wax doll which could not afford littl,
Ann any delight!
The next morning. when Christma'
broke over the world. Caiista Thor
was stirring around her house. Tw,
great baskets were filled with gift
from the overaowing drawers In tn
closed chambers, and Calista's bes
cloak and hut lay on the sOfa.
The po0rhouse was three miles ava!
on the highroad, and snowplow hat
leveled broad track to the very door
So Calista. clad In her best. put on he
overshoes and started forth. a baske
In either hand.
She was quite pale and tired wheI
she turned into the high white gat
and advanced mp the path, bOrdered OF
either side with gloomy cedar trees.
DIR. Reyes was the overseer Of tn
Clovedale poorhouse, and II was con
sidered the best managed institution
OF Its kind In the state
Breakfast was being served In tn
tong dining hall when Calista rang tn
bell and when the door opened til