The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-06-05

II NaS On NHtl>tna> uAt lDat Lue
widow Blake fought the good fight Ia
her little six-by-nlne room. on the bed
lay q black cashmere gown. faded and
rusty and carefully darned; ON the
table lay little heap OF bills aud all.
ver- The woman gathered the money
In her two hands and dropped IL into
her lap: then she smoofhed the bills
neatly one upon another. and built 1T
tie pyramids OF dimes and quarters.
Fifteen dollars, 1t must he five years
now that she had been saving that
money. and she did so need new
dress She needed 1t 10 be-why
even enf.-looking sourly at the
frayed folds on the bed.
II was on Christmas day. too. that
the little cripple who lived across the
bridge received a fiye-dollar gold piece
by registered mail DonaId's eyes
sshone and his thin fingers clutched the
yellow gold greediiy. Now he could
have those books Ibis eyes rested on
an open letter on the floor BY his
chair; a mimeograph lesty. 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
xhfry Nth FrSrhrsraI nVaS than enr.
erred his face with his hands. and
burst into a storm Of sobs.
ON the 26th Of December. the Rev
erend John Grey entered on his list:
Mrs. Blake. SIS. Donald Marsh. S."
The little ministers face grew pale
and drawn. The money came In Bit
by bit, but II wanted twenty dollars
and ninety-flve cents yet TO complete
the needed thousand. On the 2Tth the
teacher Of the infant class brought a
dollar, the gift Of her young pupils.
On the aSth. nothing came; on theI
2Nth. five cents from small boy who
rang the bell with peal that brought
the Reverend John Grey 10 the door
with startled hope in his eyes He
took the five pennies from the small
dirty fingers and opened his mouth 70
speak his thanks. but his dry lips re-
fused to frame the words.
The morning OF the Seth 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
Ii amounted to nine hundred and
eighty-five dollars and eighty-five cents.
1t was nearly midnight when there
come 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 filed with tears at the picture
OF despair before her.
1John. suppose we can take this"
said she. in low voice. reluctantly
laying 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 th.s7" he gasped.
IL saved II from time to time out
OF the household money. I meant you
should take II and so out TO Cousin
Franks for a rest and vacation after
this was over said she doggedly.
vacation Mary-vacation ~ he ex. !
claimed, with unutterable scorn. Then
be fumbled in his pocket and brought
out little change. With trembling
fingers he picked out ten pennies and
a five-cent piece. putting lone quar-
ter back in his empty pocket.
"Thank God. Mary. we've done ftr
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 il some excitement
He was to preside. and must NOT be
late. 4
The hall was full to overfiowing. On
the platform with the minister sat the
deacons Of the First Congregational
church-and the Honorable Peter /
Wentworth The weil-fed, well.
groomed honorable gentleman himself
looked about with . complacent smile
this was indeed q most delightful
occasion.
The Reverend John Grey's address
was an eloquent tribute to the great
generosity Of their distinguished Eel !
low townsman. The ministers ~oIcs
trsmbled a6ectIngly and HE thin