The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1922-05-19


preached. The tree for the Sunday
school had long since been given up.
but Christmas eve forlorn group OF
wistful-eyed children gathered In the
church and spoke Christmas pieces
and sang Christmas carols, with long
ing gaze fixed on the empty corner
where was wont to be the shining tree.
It was on Christmas day that the
widow Blake fought the good fight In
her little six-by-nine room. On the bed
lay black cashmere gown, faded and
rusty and carefully darned; on the
table lay little heap of bills and sill
yer. The woman gathered the money
In her two hands and dropped it into
her lap; then she smoothed the bills
neatly one upon another, and built lit.
tie pyramids of dimes and quarters.
Fifteen dollars! 1t must be five years
now that she had been saving that
money, and she did so need new
dress! She needed it to be-why-
even decent looking sourly at the
frayed folds on the bed.
1t was on Christmas day, too, that
the little cripple who lived across the
bridge received five-dollar gold piece
by registered mail Donald's eyes
shone and his thin fingers clutched the
yellow gold greedily. Now he could
have those books Ibis eyes rested on
an open letter on the floor by his
chair; a mimeograph letter signed
"John w. Grey" Gradually his I'm.
gers relaxed: the bit of money slipped
from the imprisoning clasp, fell to the
floor, and rolled in flashing, cleaning
circles round and round the letter,
ending in glistening disk, like seal.
just at the left of the signature. The
lad looked at the yellow, whirling
thing with frightened eyes, then COW
cred his face with his hands, and
burst into a storm of sobs.
On the Goth of December, the Rev.
erend John Grey entered on his list:
Mrs. Blake, SIS; Donald Marsh, S."
The little minister's face grew pale
and drawn. The money came In bit
by bit, but it wanted twenty dollars
and ninety-five cents yet to complete
u.
teacher of the infant class brought a
dollar, the gift of her young pupils.
On the 2Sth, nothing came; on the
Doth, five cents from small boy who
rang the bell with a peal that brought
the Reverend John Grey to the door
with a startled hope in his eyes. He
took the five pennies from the small
dirty fingers and opened his mouth to
speak his thanks, but his dry lips re-
fused to frame the words.
The morning of the 30th dawned
raw and cloudy. The little minister
neither ate nor slept now. The door
bell rang at brief intervals through
out the day, and stray quarters, dimes.
and nickels, with an occasional dollar,
were added to the precious store until
1t amounted to nine hundred and
eighty-five dollars and eighty-five cents.
1t was nearly midnight when there
come a gentle tap at the study door.
Without waiting for permission the
minister's wife turned the knob and
entered the room. Her husband sat
with bowed head resting on his out.
stretched arms on the desk, and her
eyes filled with tears at the picture
of despair before her.
"John, I suppose we can take this"
said she, in a low voice, reluctantly
laying a little pile Of silver on the
desk; there's just ten dollars there"
Then she recoiled In terror, so wildly
did her husband clutch the money.
"Where did you get this?" he gasped.
81 saved it from time to time out
of the household money. meant you
should take it and go out to Cousin
Franks for rest and vacation after
this was over" said she doggedly.
vacation! Mary-vacation he ex.
claimed, with unutterable scorn. Then
he fumbled in his pocket and brought
out little change. With trembling
fingers he picked out ten pennies and
q five-cent piece, putting lone quar-
ter back in his empty pocket.
''Thank God, Mary. we've done itI''
and the mans voice broke,
New Years night there was ju-
bilee meeting in the town hall. The
Reverend John Grey hurried through
his bread and-milk in some excitement.
He was to preside, and must not be
late.
The hall was full to overlooking. On
the platform with the minister sat the
deacons Of the First Congregational
church-and the Honorable Peter
Wentworth. The wellfed, WELL
groomed honorable gentleman himself
looked about with complacent smile
this was indeed a most delightful
occasion.
The Reverend John Grey's address
was an eloquent tribute to the great
generosity of their distinguished fel.
low townsman. The minister's voice
trembled affectingly, and his thin
cheeks flushed with emotion. The
First Congregational church was deep
ly indebted to the Honorable Peter
Wentworth, and would fain express
Its gratitude.
The minister's wife listened with a
faraway look on her face, and little
Donald Marsh gazed with round eyes
of awe at the great man who had been
so very generous; while over in an
obscure corner of the hall pale lit
tie woman stealthily rearranged the
folds of her gown, that she might
hide from inquisitive eyes the great
darn on the front breadth of her worn
black cashmere.