The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-01-16
Christmas
Bells
They Turned the Course of
a Mans Life
By F. A. Mitchell

Os"s.s.e"s
The other day | heard man say
in bored tone of voice: "Christmas
is coming round again, and we've got
to endure the usual Christmas racket
suppose. The man Of family must
make hole in his bank account. and
the bachelor must stick to his club
for if he makes visits on his women
friends they ask to be excused from
seeing him because they're working
hard preparing for Christmas. They're
all making things which take up lot
of time and which they can buy at the
stores for a few cents each. If the
bachelor tries to solace himself with
magazine or his newspaper Christ.
mas stares him in the face in big let.
tiers. He goes out on to the street and
sees no end Of Salvation Army Santa
Clauses ringing their everlasting bells
I'm always sorry when Christmas is
coming and glad when it has passed"
Ii that mans whole life had been
turned from bad to good by Christmas,
as mine was at critical period. he
wouldn't talk that way. Christmas, |
admit. is not the gladstone season tc
me it is to many others. 1t is solemn
season. season for thankfulness. re
Numbering. as do, what it did for me
l never hear the bells that usher In the
day that | don't feel great awe at
what | escaped and great comfort at
what gained on one memorable
Christmas.
| wasn't born with silver spoon in
my mouth. No. indeed. | used one
made of baser metal and. though II
would hold plenty Of food, there was
very little food to put in 1t. But, not
withstanding the poverty In which
was born. | was a dreamy child, con.
stantly building castles for the future
which my imagination made all the
more beautiful In contrast with my
miserable surroundings.
At seven years of age lost all help
from others and was obliged to rely
solely on myself. Would that l could
obliterate all remembrance of those
days of suffering when / was selling
newspapers by day and sleeping any
where could find a place to sleep In
by night. My imaginative disposition
rendered me unfit for work that was
distasteful to me. and I made little for
food. clothing and shelter. But
learned to read. and with reading
picked up writing and other bits of
education. One thing astonished my
comrade gamins. With piece of
chalk l could draw pictures on a flag
stone that were very like the objects
l represented. What surprised them
most was that my dogs ran. my horses
galloped. my men walked. AS for my
policemen, they actually hustled their
prisoners to the station.
The gifts Of the poet and the artist
do not enable them to feed and clothe
themselves. except in rare instances
and l as a child not only failed to de
rive any benefit from my talent. but II
indicated an impractical disposition.
When ] came to be eighteen years old
/ was more than fmpracticable. l was
not a worker; ] was considered lazy.
but was not lazy; simply could not
force myself to work at that In which
I did not take an interest. During
season when / got chance to attend
night school ! showed myself to be
one of the best scholars In the class.
When / was on the threshold of
manhood was in despair. have not
the heart to dwell on the sufferings
that led me to join the criminal class.
will only say that one day before a
Christmas. while passing before a
house into which boxes and bundles
were being carried, looked in through
the windows on which evergreen
wreaths were hanging and could see
q Christmas tree at one end Of room
where blazed an open coal fire. The
sight of so much comfort maddened
me, hungry and ragged as l was, with
no hope for my future. 1t occurred to
me that II ! could get into that house
and carry away some of the articles
being taken into it 1 might sell them
for money with which to buy some
thing to eat.
While i was thinking Of this the
front door opened. and little boy
about FIVE years old came out with his
nurse. He was bundled up in fur
coat, fur cap and mittens and was be-
ing taken out for walk. The nurse
was tidy girl sixteen or seventeen
years old and as she passed me looked
at my rags. then up into my disconso-
late face. and a plying expression
came into her features.
I reasoned myself into the de!usion
that this prosperous family would not
miss one piece of silver that would en-
able me to buy good meal and that
would steal this once and never
again. That same night when all in
the family were In bed went around
the house. Trying the windows. and.
finding them all locked. took knife
out Of my pocket with one broker
blade in it and, CUTTING av"r ~" 49,