The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 16, 1900, Page 7

3 THE SUNDAY CALL. s o e - —t o = — . ' ittle Bmpt | &%&ifl fmpty . By John Str > qe‘fintg‘:w\ P & ey Na al Press Agenc - B e r s WITH A LADY WHO HAD JUST [0T " O0VT OF A SARRIANE sgain and stealthily pur a few s kn hegan Mrs. Drum. oal on the redhot cinders. She K : #si4 stronger and lighter heart r s done for man s 3 r risk K ting past few day fear vl . ~ested heavily upon 1 aid, “t Y g! K ot <he great difficulty i f what is 8 thou ) his » e great festival of " LAt an awfu e ) ¢ . to do. ¥ x #aid her moth ; - him and you won't let Dolores - . . t near the fire, will you? Have her here x on the mat and then you'll have both s = your charges under y eyes. I've a li*- 1 tle matter of busine —very yortant t business—I must atte to, so you'll tak she great care of each other. And 1 1 . very good, my darling?” she acued to Do- xact se of t the world, ar ‘ V I'll be very good.” Then turning der-heartéd > : blue eyes up toward her mother. who zoes to th s - s mpty glad of t : 8 1. “under her r fr - e warning tere of the little mothes - . - s not lost upon Mrs. Drummond, and it ' A y 2 hunting with the tears near to her eyes s 1 , rea g r w_thelr « room and went r « s o Bus ng o was: a 1t ways take h t ¥ mean stingingly’ cold, but this teacal t - S e X wha mear « he walk sug : And now er own s T 11 she A wored B A r were s vei k ' 3 s life and irew the of hing AN, ¢ . man behind th 1 ea s W v a s : ant” aud thrgst “Only B 1 Ca ) X How old e > Only I alt we have v h ri afte w z n wh few tc and see 1f w - - A sxchriae N ik A s me was once a little his sake. i anraly. i oho gacs Botoothice of “*Business is busincss. miss.” rep E ankly e r te w s « g dow Ar P > BRGE I M Aty he < man: “name |h[*"’\‘ ‘n!c:; please ¥ . 1 i t girl, You think of When Ber had e e o her i T ; again and walking tows: ondon ark a little old-fa end, Mrs, Drummond found herself widely mistres > auite waae up her nuny. Her b i_on until she came to_the g . and I was & - o g oes . = k went L to I chair b, 0. my ¢ 1 nttie s that was ioc<ea uj cup. where for a penny she could he carr efore 1 had him wer me whe g is aark to 1 and, resting her elbows oh many monthe. oF 5 board. suld tna for the sek by omnibus ‘as far as her desination re r be an- £ here iz one who v ways heip me if her Knees, her chin upon her hands, she never a go0d COrresp wan. But this last ireasure her own F me reazon. why she hardly - v e car t staring int s red heart, her hear situation she got wa i she would part with to give a gleam of her instinct d her to go to look for e e kindness of . » = r a little w T i child sat in a flutter and fit to burst. “What daresay she has forg bappiness to the littie child sieeping in the Christmas among the gayly-lighted shops heart, mmond time P N n Mrs. am T do?" her thoug ran; b SHOW. aeery it I S 1oem beyond, that small faithful soul who ©f Westbourne-grove. Once she had been cover her o w wt red t it was time sk I face these children on Christmas Jopden; perhaps she will come to bad bheen her only happin through #ccustcmed to going to the most expen- into a big s s ryl was aslcep, and carrying her across day it 1 have nothing with which to keep he ever wrao to yous: Uicse sad months of her chang . sive shops and buying her Christmas gifts Sifts wit grave the room s t her tenderly into the it up, and old traditions? What sh Percival. “I've no: At last she repienished ti with a lavish hand. but now, when I am p e whi 1 e 1 do? I must hoard every penny for Jack o more . thaw carefully and no.seiessly, and must husband every penny. she passel drove through t # . g sure re w it is the diffcrence of life and death (G tweive monti Copl Lo ne w s Ltue bed the length of the principal shops, ing tle house wh e as m. Oh, T would that I b the faith It was strange how ney tho < harped Derself down upon the very edge of it. cagerly Into every window so that shs Wwe cou & bed if 1 were you w Y 1 has. She believes that upon her old schoolfellow in her hour kre sne siept sne reached out ner hand might get the utmost value for Rer money next day x her Ber hing—that will an- of desolation. Wkat should e do for #Dd tou 1a’'s gieaming golden At last she ventured to buy a doll for Ethel Drummon ght at her 1 € res would bring hated to make a comy all my faith; 1 )W Christmas—t ve those twn lirtle soui, DT, be entirely disap- sixpence ba’penny; it was slightly dam- friend’s hand ax d out a . r bad put ques rted me.” for whom the joy of life had utterly goan o yeur Christ my poor aged and s 2 bargain. Everythirng else in her heart. . Do _Where . She rutht we Kk over the out, some gleam of the old happy times Duty aid, under her breath, ‘and in the shop seemed to be beyond her Mary 2 are so good g e heafthrug i “In ms k over gone by—the when they had sufficient, and more, for SOme day when father and | have made means, so she paid for the doll and passed do all this he 08 : P e r her mother’s bed- the beneiit 1 rihood when their reeds : S our way you sh ll"hu'n a Christmas y out into rh.\r st .-;»r ag‘au'l hvn;z then : '(mr‘mwrv ry for a little s a < o Lo 3 the the Christ- i L R or once’ smart s il tememtier. “or the first time since sketful of gayly-colored balls, whic aste of what we once ave e sald, “may Dolores go o rine dased Wd Teave the iewelry she had nonc, Her once emast fhe. 'begimming of his ilness, Captain was standing by the door, attracted her us alone, dear: belleve e S ck to her vigil be ok b fashionable school where she was edu- heur She was still oung womaul the Drummond slept that night for many attention. She turncd to look at them and kinder way g 1 come,” Mrs. Drum- il cated and go home to revel in a real coun- Done e A S s e, woman, but hours without waking. and when at last collided with a lady who had just got out _*Nons You don't know what it is . er is dozing, so T'l = i e i lnv. avey J: hape wor .,,"_,, f}k ik 1 \Hf} he did so he uttered his wife's name In a of a carriage. to be in business. My husband is lik ° . the siting-room fire D her chair and She remembered how - twice BT e R R rmeraqs fad pulled voice so much stronger than it had been >h, I'm 80 sorry,” she said centurion. If that ineident w Ao ssed into the siting- yaiched he was certainly bet- nome a girl because her people were wauid got work at something And thig iof aictg time that she sprang from her I belleve it was my fault,” sald the pen nowadays, it wouldn't be with a t ter. The which the doctor nad nd “she had nowhere to go. weuld farn the corner again. Meantime lile bed as if she had been aroused by otker. “I hope I didn't hurt you?” turion, but with a business ma M F, wht & Wxpbohel predicted wst, and being 1n v life that girl had! Tndian luxury ghe and the children would hang o, liv. ©Laiarm: hb e ;O no, not at all’ " good Hermann can make a ir s the prime I W h care, re- 1 vears, then six years of school ‘ng cheaply. frugally and uncomplatning. Oh, 1 was asleep,” she said. ‘‘Have Then some familiarity in the voice of husband with s BRI £ cover 2nd be as strong and weil as ev with everytl at could be paid |yexo ag to husband every farthing to the YOU been awake long? I hope not. cach struck both women at the same mo- to please me w »n till he won-t - i With ca Ve he K care that ut 7000 miles away verv last. But at the festive season No, no, I've only just woke up,” he ment, and they turned and looked keenly know that he life as & busi- ¥ e meant mone he had 1o money, or ot living in the pititul faith of the child who belleved t replied. I am much better. I've got in each other’s face. y n't thwart m what seemed to her like r L ntry membered how Hod loved litle children and would soadq Mer the wors., Etnel, my poor girl; I'll _*“Why. Ethel Perciv exclaimed the ised t £ usb; every pe v 50 inztc jumped joy S GHtaL Eats Claum ot il owi e th get round. after all lady with the carriag iy s thi “ k 4 . ~ th h e 1 rothers lot- The Taby’s Stocking tore her very hearc She moved by msfinct to the fire, which “fs it really you. Mary Winaington®: place? K " " wa r ry v had bidden her with a sense of powerlessness and lons. Was tiil alive, aithough 1whad burnt low cried Mrs. Drummond. “What years it is _Mrs. Drumm got out of the re W or ste ) Edentall. and she would “jng 727 in the grat since we met! £ riage, still c - . . ny n. t 1 a good time. i rose rcstles: from her seat and “I'il give you some beef tea in a minute, ‘“Nay, I'm not Mary Winnington now. doll, like a some, s and drew on a ad into Mary Winnir went to look at the Laby. as they still 49¢ar.’ she said, brightly. “Don’t call me rejoined the other: “but tell me. do you ‘“Yes, all dals M o N, one of the n week her father and sometimes ecalled Doluces, Iving soundiy YCUF Poor girl Because you are better; I'm live in London—do vou live near here? misiress: “j door, no, grecust ew nair ¢ of her better th th huge Indian income, asleep in her little bed. to be pitied for ‘nm;’. That parcel looks itke a doll? Are you don't carr dressir days « was terribly tired and heavy were gone, and for the child left hehind, iagh o s i 1 can’t think.” said the sic . lying married—have you any childrer A t & aad t of bread and butier, with sleep. The sick Was IVIng et o] thase thousands of miley away e i R e s e Fibena- K amOng bis_ Dilows, ‘vv:‘fwr?fi:fg!’\;\'lf “Yes, I am married,” said Ethel. “I have Mrs. Drimme x ¢ feprecatingly across the not ve bed will was nothing next door to nothing lglwlnn-\- opened her eves, smiled, put up stfully as she busied herself with some- two children. 1 don’t know,” she added, fidently into tt mother’s lips. It was jje down by Dc the wife thought, Then Mary had been relegated to a dif- (we dimpled arms and dréw the muthery thiLg in a small pan, “I can’t think how hesitatingly, “that I can say truthfull “Now, Etkel, vou t B heard it and draw the over me. Then i ferent posiion. made a governess pupll, heeq dewn to kiss her again Other S you are going to hold out for money."” that we live anywhere now. We are stay- Mrs. Drummond ip the ML T Eeaily stirs to mind the little ones, to teach them mu- Dear Santa Claus,” she i, “then you . 'Jack, dear old boy. you mustn't worry ing not very far from here"— narrow st t on the g s € #he She was just turning away from her Sic. to help to darn their stockings. She paven't forgotten me! : ¥OU about that. I've pleniy of money till you The sharp eyes of her old friend had she paused % husband’s bed when the sound of a vojce had only gone once to Edenhall after the 'na mother crept back to the fire ang A2Te about again and really yourself, an:d gathered already that her old school fel- “Mary.” she sald jarling. there is enough: jin Beryl's t acted her. She change in her fortunes. A few months gophed, sobbed quietly under her breath, 2l You have to do is (o lie still and keep low was in anything but affluent circum- you haven't t . bed hungry. I m't crept softly across the floor and listened. after she herself had left school her fath- getermining at last that she would nof [rom worrying and take everything that stances, “Have I not Md of - oo yOu d a bit of t Perhaps the child was only talking in her er had been taken away; that meant a preak the baby heart for the sake of a I 8ive you to make ycu strong.” “‘Look here,”” she sald. abruptly. “never me! It is Mcyer—Mrs > v eloved sleep. But it was not sc 1e mother change also, because the estate went to 4 ghilling or so. She would part with her Yes; but it's getting near Christmas. mind my bit of shopping; it will do to- As they mounted each some bread and but- stood there listening a pitiful little voice, distant cousin, and Mrs. Percival founa sing “Yes, dear, but don't worry. You're not Morrow quite as well. Get into the car- stairs, the door of t} - - gently o the bed- scarcely speaking above a whisper, came herself with an income which scemed to ~ ‘Yes, I'll pawn it, then it needn’t go for- Strong enough to eat plum pudding. I riage and come and have a cup of tea opened and Beryl pe . man was sieeping. Like to her. her a mere pittance cver. Jack will understand when he never touch it and it's not good for the Wwith me and a good talk “Is it you, mother K at wed their mother to “Oh, dear God," it said, “perhaps it js _To the villa at Brighton, where thcy knows, After all it was only the gage children and there’ll be enough Christmas Mrs. Drummond turned and looked at the sight of a gorgeou lady, e nd brush out their long wicked to ask vou to do something for a had pitched their tent, she had Invited that was to keep us together till we were for them.” the carriage—at the tall horses, important whose velvet and furs seem - red toeir prayers at her Jittie child. Dolores—she is my sister, you Mary Winnington but once; and even then made one. After all, we've never been _ *But where are you going to get {t?' looking coachman and attendant footman. flow the narrow was w < the vounger girl know—is =0 little she can't understand she had gone to them with some difficulty. parted: that's something to remember.” he persisted. “Thank you a thousand times. Mary; I _ “Come here N itus g dly as her fatber. about Santa Claus. I, of course, know r several years she had kept up a She held her hand down in the red glow ‘‘That's my business, Jack,” she sald can't come to-day. I am glad to have Mary Meyer. She slipped Drummond turned back to the that there isn't a Santa Claus—that it'’s somewhat desultory correspondence with of the fire. A little flame shot between with a laugh as she came to the side of seen you, but I don’t think we can see knees as she reaches i was sitting on the hearth- only mother, and mother doesn't want to her and then she had iost sight of her al- the bars and cast a light upon the two the bed wtih a cup of beef tea in her very much of each other if your house her armful of parcels find a place could get to the spend money over crackers and rubbish together. Only once. indeed, she had rings which adorned her hand: One was hand. “Perhaps I'm lke the old lady matches your carriage and your dress.” the floor. “My dear little duck wly eating her bread and but- when father's =o ill; but, dear God, do heard anything of her and that was when the badge of wifehood, the other was a Who had a little store of gin in her cup- she said. in a choking volce. “I shouid said, taking the child's t manage somehow not to let Dolores he going to say good-by to her old school- broad gold band with “Mizpah” graven board. You mustn’t pry into my secrets.” be utterly out of keeping with it." and drawing them up to h mother's knee,” she whis- too disappointed; it doesn’t matter for mistress a few days before her own mar- upon it. 1t was the last of her wifely He drank the contents of the cup and, “Nonsense, nonsense! ald Mary, al- don't know who [ am—I'm the Chri - he t down on the ome low me; it's only for Dolores; just a little toy riage, she had happened to notice Mary treasures, this simple golden circle, and after a word or two, scttled down to sleep most brusquely. “But stay; it would be you prayed for last night—I'm Chr which redeemed the room from and a few sweets, perhaps a cracker or Winnington's photograph standing upon as she gazed at it with eves from which again. It was natural that a man who a waste of time to go home when we can and Santa Claus all rolled ir =0, and .. mfort two—just something to put in her stock- a littie table near one of the windows of the tears were not far distant, a line from had &uffered great physical exhaustion have a cup of tea together here as well the little one shan't be disappointed. and her head. “You are tired,” ing.” Then there was a pause, and the the gr at drawing-room at Beauchamp the book came to her: ‘“He that giveth to - should sleep now the good turn had come. as anywhere else. Come in here with me; there will be no empty siocking this pathetic voice went on: *“Jesus Christ House, that select establishment for the poor lendeth to the Lord.” Surely, Mrs. Drummond went back to the fire they give you excellent tea here.” -