The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-31
The Euenir1g Story
Angy's Post-Christmas Gift.
(By Catharine Creamery


paralyzed so much of the activity of
| the city that Angy Lane had been
| unable to find q days work as sales
woman, for it was the depressing sea-
/ son which follows the inflated Christ
mas trading. On the first moderate
| day within weeks Angy was walking
down a business street looking for
work when she saw long line of pale,
StarYed-looking people waiting their
turn to enter a large building in tenn
pOrary use MS a distributing point for
| food and clothing contributed by the
city's well-to-do citizens in response
| to an appeal from a relief committee
| In the doorway stood a big policeman.
Down the sidewalk for a third of a
| block stood the women, up the re-
naming two-thirds of the block stood
! the men. Among them were sad
| faces, hardened faces, delicate faces
! pinched by hunger and suffering, but
in all the throng not a happy face
Angy passed shudderingly by, think
| ing that not even for her sick mothers
sake could she become one of that
| Zine Then she remembered that
| for her mothers sake she must not
go home until she had secured either
work or food, and she knew that her
mother actually needed warm gar
ments. Illness had frightened upon
her mother just when the business
| depression had taken Angy's position
from her, and it had been hard
fight to get enough money for the nee
essary food and medicine and rent.
She thought of how they had once
lived so happily N the suburban cot
tage where her father had mended
musical instruments and tended their
pretty garden, and had sent her with
gifts of flowers. or fruit or her moth
er's good chicken broth to many a
humble home and to some quite pre-
tentious. BLESSINGS and sorrows
were made to be shared had been a
faVOrite saying of her fathers, and as
she remembered the quaint philos
# HI IL
mined to let her Weather fellows
share their blessings with her and her
mother. She deliberately turned back
and took her place at the end of the
waiting line of women.
AS she stood waiting her turn to en-
ter the building, she recalled the
handsome, laughing boy they had
known only as Harry who used to
strung, and who always went away
wearing some flower from their gar
den. Sometimes he had brought
them rare flowers from his
a TeaI GARDENER safde Af kept every Ne
thing in formal order. Once Harry
sprained his ankle as he jumped from
the garden gate post, and she had
helped him on his limping way home
until he was picked up by the family
coachman. He called to her from
the carriage as it rolled away, "Angy,
when you take a tumble you must let
often intensifies itself by contrasting
it's gauntness with the fullnesS of
other days.
Some warm clothes for my moth
er and little food" was Angy's tim
id response to the inquiry of the moth
erly woman at the head of the big dis
tributing counter inside the building.
This box seems to have been just
meant for you" smiled the lady, as
she held out a large pastboard box
EoS Ii INN
knitted shawl and slippers and some
stockings and underwear. AT another
counter Angy received packages of
coffee, bread and bacon. Then she hur-
ried to her mother, wondering how
she could introduce the various things
source of such plenty being suspected.
Hear the good news mother" she
exclaimed cheerily. THE snow is be-
ginning to melt at last. And see the
spread the packages before the rheu-
matte cripple's surprised eyes.
Glow good that coffee smells!" ex-
claimed her mother.
And soon you shall taste! Oh |
we're going to have a regular game of |
the five senses, for you're going to feel
something good, too. pretty soon.'
With many a gay hint. but no direct |
statement, about where it came from, |
she held the soft kimono before her |
the chair to spread the warm garment |
over her mothers shoulders she felt in /
it's inner pocket a small package.
Fearing it might tell story, she re-
moved il to her own apron pocket.
After supper was over and her mother
soundly sleeping. Angy opened the
package. 1t was but a folded envelope
of note size. She drew out the con-
tents which proved to be a sheet of
paper containing written message
\ lao V01lfa l
paper.
MY dear boy began the note in q
delicate and cramped handwriting, |
because one girl proved undeserving
Of this gift, you think you'll never
want to bestow it on another; but
in the world is a good true
girl who will love you for yourself
alone, as 1 did your father when he
gave this gift to me. After I am gone,
Seep this until the right girl comes
nto your life; then give it to her with
ny blessing. l am sure you will find
1ne who will become as you say your
wife must be-like your loving moth ]
n" /
Unwrapping the tissue, Angy found
small chanois bag containing a ring
et with an old-fashioned cluster of ]
diamonds. Inside the ring was en- {
,raved Arthur and Emily, June, s
SS5.' Within the chamois bag was :
written the name. Emily Harrison {
1ads." Across the top of the sheet I
# note paper was ar engraved street
ddress-''44 Oxford Place" {
Ansy sat a long time huddled near +
he. family heated register planning I
low she would return the ring to its 5
wner. She reflected that as these 7
'eople had shared their bounty with J
Ter she must lose no time in restoring
o them their lost treasure.
Early next morning she was at a I
awnbroker's shop with q tiny gold I
encil which had beer a gift to her
ather from the boy Harry, and which r
nti1 now she had not consented to .
art with. The sum she received for it
Tas very small. but it would leave her
feM nickelS after naNirg car fare I