Year: 1875

THE HEAD OF DANIEL WEBSTER


Doubtless a great many people bought
oysters that Christmas Eve, after Old No
rocco. but the only one that concerns us is
Joshua HomebOdy. This worthy gentle
man was feeling a good deal more hopeful
than he had felt few days before. The
panic was over, business was improving.
and his salary, ~hich depended somewhat
on his success as a salesman, was not going
70 be reduced. On the contrary, The head
Of the firm had given him decided init
nation that after the first Of January. if
nothing unforeseen occurred, it would he
increased. and this pleasant hint had been
accompanied with twenty dollar note for
n Christmas present Some employers re-
ally do such things So he came home in
generous mood and with a happy conscious
ness that he would not be obliged to % to
the store tomorrow, and on the way he
stopped and ordered some oysters, paving
for them with the twenty dollar note, and
receiving in change our old friend Y and a
lot of small bills. After Sophy was abed
he thought Mrs. Homebody and he would
quietly clip out and buy a present for the
child.


At supper everybody was good -natured;
Mr.. Homebody, for the reasons already
given, which he had also communicated
to his wife. Mrs. Homebody, for the ad
ditional reason that the Christmas pies had
come ont Of the oven Just right and Sophy,
because she had been Lady Gray all the
afternoon and nobody had contradicted
her But she was tired Of that now. and
So after supper, in her own proper charac.
I - -. n. ~ E.
and began to tell him of the bookbinder'
family. where she had been making a
call. Her mother was 50 busy about
some household matter when the story be-
gan. but she came in while Sophy was ia
the full tide Of description, telling partly
what her keen eyes had noted, partly what
her keen questions had drawn out concern
ing the uncomplaining poverty Of Old Mo
rocco's household.


And only think, father, there weren't
chairs enough, and sat on the bed, and
Jane said a bed was ever 81 much better
than chair to sit on, and ! asked them
what they were going to have for Christ.
mas. and they said stockings they hoped,
and said of course, everybody has stock,
ings to put the other things in, and they
said no. not that kind Of stockings, but
warm stockings ID put on, and Willie said
pretty loud, yes, and mittens perhaps
think OF that, and the sick woman SAID
softly snow, don't set your hearts on any
thing my dears You know it depends
and, father. she turned ber face on the pill
low and ] saw her cry tear, and shoulC
not wonder II she seAsd a whole lot, but d
course wouldn't look any more because i
wasn't polite"


BY this time there was one person cry
ing tears, namely, Mrs Hour ebody, VII,
now realized how much disappointment hel
hasty refusal to pay Old Morocco's bill hac
probably caused He was here to-day I,
collect bill uf ten dollars for some work
and put him of


Ohio said Joshua, shrewdly, won W
been getting the Christian Unions bound
for me. Now that's Just what wanted
But well pay for them out of my Christ
mas box. We can call at the bindery to
night; it won't be too lite to make EN-
happy. Seel" And with that he laid be
fore the astonished gaze Of his better hal
our old friend X


She knew Y in a minute by the mari
she herself had put uLder Daniel Webste
in the left-hand lower corner. All in
whirl of amAzement Mrs Homebody rushe,
up into the attic without any candle
Down ON her knees she went before til,
brass-knobbed palace mean trunk-an,
rumaged. She found the hannels and I'll,
stockings and the glove. and she felt tn
note inside as she hastily squeezed tn,
glove. How strange!


Back to the parlor she went, clutchinI
the glove tightly, as the boys from tn
country, invited upon the platform At