i85l.'] A Story for the Holidays. 2| 



blinding violence into the face of any one who ventured abroad, the 

 broad flakes were falling slowly but more heavily than since the 

 morning, though the ground was covered already to the depth of 

 many inches. It was a night to make the poor feel sober, as they 

 gathered more closely around their small fires, and thought of the 

 few sticks of wood, or pecks of coal, that yet remained of their lim- 

 ited store. 



On that dreary night, a small boy, who had been at work in a 

 printing ofiice all day, stood near the desk of his employer, waiting 

 to receive his week's wages and go home to his mother, a poor widow, 

 whose slender income scarcely sufficed to give food to her little 

 household. 



' You need n't come to-morrow John,' said the printer, as he handed 

 the lad the two dollars that were due to him for the week's work, 'to- 

 morrow is Christmas.' 



The boy took the money, and after lingering a moment, turned 

 away, and walked towards the door. He evidently expected some- 

 thing, and seemed disappointed. The printer noticed this, and at 

 once comprehended its meaning. 

 'John,' he said kindly. 



The boy stopped and turned round ; as he did so the printer took 

 up a half dollar from the desk, and holding it between his fingers, 

 said : 



' You've been a very good boy, John, and I think you deserve a 

 Christmas gift. Here 's half a dollar for you.' 



John's countenance was lit up in an instant — as he came back to 

 get the money, the printer's eye rested upon his feet, which were 

 not covered with a very comfortable pair of shoes, and he said: 



' Which would you rather have, John — this half dollar, or a pair 

 of new shoes ?' 



' I 'd have the new shoes, replied John, without hesitation, 

 ' Yery well ; I '11 write you an order on a shoemaker, and you can 

 go and fit yourself,' and the printer turned to the desk and wrote 

 the order. 



As he handed to John the piece of paper on which the order was 

 written, the lad looked earnestly into his face, and then said with 

 strongly marked hesitation : — 



' I think, sir, that my shoes will do very well if mended ; they 

 only want mending. "Won't you please to write shoes for my moth- 

 er instead of me ?' 



