The Wrangell sentinel., 1916-12-21
A Christmas
 Moaning
On Which a Bride Gave
 Her Husband a Present.
By MORTON STRINGFEuOW

i ~N s >-S NAaAO tAaAo Vdi AA Se
 Christmas together" said Tom
 Wentworth 10 his bride. but the
 fact nevertheless remains true.r l And why not" asked the young
 wife, with surprise written on ev-
 cry hne of her face.
 Let ne tell you" He took both her hands in his and drew her down
 on To & seat beside him. Il have
 something to impart that l have
 kept to myself for years. You
 know Shuster
 l Yes; 1 know the old curmudg-
 aon."
 l Well, I am indebted to him to
 the amount of sl,000." l Why. Tom. And you never told me-"
 Il told vou before We were mar ried that l had barely enough in- come from my own profession to procure for uS the neee>Saries of life. with not cent for pleasures, The celebration Of Christmas comes under the latter head. You remem- Der that when l finished my four years al college my father failed and l had not the wherewithal to attain my profession. Then sud- denly I told you that I had obtain ed the means. but was pledged to tell no one whence I received it."
 -Yes: I remember that"
 .'One day while l was lamenting my hard fate in being obliged 10 go into business after expecting to be- come q lawyer met old Sinister on the street. Sinister. as you know, , lends money at high rate or inter- est. To my surprise. he offered to lend me the money required to study for ny profession. But I said. YOU only lend money on security. and I have no security
 "'I want no better security than the word ot an honorable man he replied. I know when II is safe to lend money and when to refuse to lend
 "'But you will require high rate cf interest
 "'Nor in this case. Six per cent will do.' He agreed to furnish the money as I needed II and declined to take any notes for the amount loaned. I borrowed little over three hun dred q year from him for three years, earning myself aS much be- sides On getting my degree I in- sisted on giving him two notes Of $500 each. one note ID be paid each year. Now, you know that my sal ary with BuSbv & Busby is s1,500 & year. Or this amount $500 must go to Sinister, leaving Us s1,000 on which 10 live: consequently for two years VIZ have absolutely nothing for pleasures"
 While the husband was speaking the wife drew closer and closer to him and when he had finished look ed up into his face and said: Il will help you all can in the matter of giving up pleasures till the debt Is paid"
 This dialogue occurred previous to Tom Wentworth's departure for his office. With the last words he kissed his bride and went out. She appeared at window. and he threw her 8 kiss
 Unknown to her husband. Ella Wentworth made such preparations ! for Christmas as she chose to make. 1 bringing home the articles herself when she knew Tom was at the of ! fee and storing them away where he would not stumble upon them. 1 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.
 i Tom saw Christmas approach with something of displcasure-
 that Is. the Christmas of his own
 household. Holidays We do not cele- brate ourselves are not only irk-
 some. but al times unpleasant Tom
 knew what he had asked of his wife
 in suggesting that she give up en-
 tering upon the pleasures of Christ
 mas in order to pay. as he expressed
 1t, ~for a dead horse" He told her
 when he went to his office the day
 before the holiday that he would be
 obliged to spend the evening there working over the papers of a case that had been referred to him to
 put in order to be used at an ap-
 preaching trial. His purpose was to
 furnish sn excuse for spending
 Christmas eve. which they could
 not afford to make a joyous occa-
 sion. away from home. He expect