Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-12-22
GeOrgie's
Christmas Gift
It Was Sent by the Governor
of the State.
By EILEEN BRENNAN

Mamma, isn't papa coming home
for Christmas this year?"
mo. dear; papa can't come home fol
Christmas. Wen have to wait anoth-
err year"
''Oh, mamma; that's what you said
last year, the year before and every
year! l don't believe he will ever
come"
The mother kissed her little girl and
turned away to hide her tears She
had but faint hope that her husband
would return to her for number of
years, and when he did he would be
broken in spirit if not in health.
Evan Walker lad been a bookkeeper
i'll bank. One day the cashier went
to the president and informed him
that shortage of over $4,000 had
been discovered in the funds Asked
if he suspected any one of q defalca.
ton the cashier replied that he did
not, but he was. going over the books
in which the shortage had been carried
with view to discovering the cause.
Walker had done the bookkeeping
which covered the case, but Walker
was above suspicion.
A week later Vail, the cashier, in
formed the president that he had had
an expert accountant at work on the
books, had traced the deficiency back
several years and had learned just how
it had been covered up. Since no one
but Walker had had anything to do
with the work In question it was i'm
possible that any one else could have
effected the embezzlement.
Walker was accused. There was a
long drawn out trial, at the end of which
half the jury believed him guilty and
the other half were in doubt. A COM
promise was effected. They agreed to
find a verdict of guilty and recommend
mercy. The judge reduced the sen.
tence from the limit of twenty to ten
years.
Walker was innocent of the charge
and there was not sufficient evidence
of his guilt to convict him. But there
was weak spot in his case that he
had specialized in stocks and had lost
some money. On this evidence, to.
gether with the fact that he had had
exclusive care of the banks books, the
compromise verdict was reached.
When the husband and father was
removed to the penitentiary his chill.
dren We're told that he was going ON
journey from which he would not re.
turn for a long while. This fabrica-
ton their mother was obliged to keep
up, dreading the time when they would
grow to an age when it would be i'm
possible to keep their fathers disgrace
from them longer
The Christmas season was the most
trying period of all for her The chill.
dren always reminded her that she had
promised them their father should be
with them, and she had wearied of in.
promise. On this occasion when heI
child had reminded her of the promise
made the year before she gave up try.
ing to frame an excuse.
A few days later Mrs. Walker took
up a newspaper, and her eyes lit on an
announcement. Rushing from the room
she ran to her children, folded them In
her arms and covered them with
kisses.
what is it, mamma?
Papa is coming home.''
"When?"
Il don't know"
For Christmas?''
Possibly. He may come for Christ
mas. though he may not get here by
that time. But he will come, and he
will not come broken in spirit, but
holding his head high
"Why. mamma, what can you
mean
Il forgot myself am so happy that
l don't know what l am saying. oh
my darlings. you don't know what a
good thing has happenedr
The mother tore herself away from
her children, realizing that she had
ooAa wv iihth anu tCcL ouS
should say more. When she had read
again and again what she had seen In
the newspapers and given herself time
to regain something of her composure
her sadness had dsappeared-she re-
turned to her children and, folding
the three of them in her arms, said:
I'VE know that papa is coming home,
though we don't know that he will
come for Christmas. Nevertheless we
must make our preparations. Each
one of US must have gift for papa,
and we must have a nice dinner and
holly and evergreen wreaths and every
thing that will give us Il merry Christ
mas
but, mamma" said George, sup
pose papa doesn't come ON time:''
A slight shadow passed over the
mothers face, but she overcame the
feeling that produced it.
I'm that case. George, we will defer
our Christmas till papa comes"
"And not have any Christmas at all
on Christmas" put in the youngest
mot hang up any stockings? What
will Santa Claus think when he comes
and finds no stockings ready for him n
well, sweetheart. Wen have to do
the best we can. Well have two
Christmases-one on Christmas day,
the other when papa comes"
This did not please the children at
all. and they agreed that their mother
must write papa that he must be sure