THE MIRROR Patrick Dolan's Christmas "T am afraid it's goin' to be a poor Christmas for us Bridget," said Pat- rick Dolan to his wife one evening about a month before the holiday season. "Shure! wasn't the boss sayin' this mornin' that he was afraid he wouldn't have work fr the whole of us all winter. And wasn't I wan of the last to be tak- en one. Shure! then I'll be one of the first to be laid off. Last comes first goes, is the rule in the shop. And roight they are too. Not but what it's hard, for I was hopin' we'd have a grand Christmas this year. For faith! it's long since we were ' able to have a good wan." "Shure! Pat dear, don't be worry- ing,' replied his good natured wife. "We'll get along somehow, let us he' thankful that we all have our health. Just look at poor Nannie O'Conner losin' her pretty boy; just the same age as our Tim. Och! the darlin' didn't he say to me today, "Will we be havin' rale goose for Christmas, ma?" And all the questions that he's asked me about the good _ Saint. Shure! it makes me head spin to think of answers for him. Aye! it's too bad, Pat; there ought to be a law to forbid men being laid off un- _ til after the holidays." The next morning Patrick's = sur- mise came true, for the boss. told him that he had better keep his eyes open for another job, for in about two weeks they expected to lay off ten or twelve men. Then indeed did Patrick see their little dream of a joyous Christmas fadins, and it was with a heavy heart that he went about his duties. They had only been about a year in this country and with the expense of crossing the ocean, and the high cost of living, he had not been able to lay by a dollar. The majority of the men went home for their dinners, but as Pat- rick had a long distance to walk, Bridget generally gave him a lunch with him, and then had a hot bite of something for their supper. That day the manager also intended vre- maining at the factory during the noon hour. It was nearing the end of the year, and he was trying to get the books straightened out for the new season. His wife had prom- ised to send the children over with | his lunch. It was about half-past twelve and Patrick, having finished his dinner, was standin by the window smoking his pipe, and won- dering what they would do when he was thrown out of employment. His fingers beat a tattoo on the window- sill while he sullenly watched an engine and one car that was being shunted up the side track to be loaded with boxes when the men re- turned at one o'clock, The track ran right up to the mill, so that the cars could be loaded without any trouble, at the side entrance. As Patrick opened the door to speak to the engineer on the coming engine, he noticed two little girls coming hurrying along, one of them with a basket on her arm. "?'Tig the boss's children with hig lunch," he thought. "Look at them wrapped in furs, and maybe in a month's time mine will be shiveriag with the cold." Whist! Surely they are not going to attempt to cross-in front of that engine. Shure! child ren would be ever keepin' a body with his heart in his mouth. '"Heigh, heigh," he called. But his voice was drowned by the wind. The children came on. It was plain that they did not realize their danger. Still if they hurried they could make it. There, the biggest one was across, and just as Patrick was about to give a sigh of relief, the youngest one slipped on the wet rail and down she went in frontof the coming monster. "Gracious Heaven!" shrieked Pat- rick, and with one leap he cleared the steps and bounded down the track, and with almost supernatural power he reached the child and threw her from him. Then he felt himself hurled into space and all became darkness. When he came to himself he was lying on a little white bed in a long room full of sunshine. From some- where Bridget came and bent over him. And he felt her tears on his face. "Whist! dearie,' he whisper- ed, "don't be cryin.' Tell me what happened to the wee girlie; was she killed entirely?" "No indeed, Patrick dear,' Bridget answered, "You threw her to. the side of the track and she was not even scratched. It was yourself who was run over." And then Patrick felt a sharp twinge of pain, like a red-hot coal, running up his right side. He tried to draw up his 'legs, and then he knew--his right leg had been severed at the knee. For a moment neither of them _ spoke. And then Patrick said with true Irish spirit: "Never mind, dearie. Shure! haven't I my two arms left t oprotect ye with? Supposing it had been our little Tim; wouldn't ye have been glad is someone had sav- ed him? Only I am afraid this will spoil our Christmas entire. Just then their conversation was_ in- terrupted by the entrance of the doc- tor, and a fine looking man and a lady. "Tis the boss, lass," whispered Pat. They came up to the bedside. "We have come to thank you, Pat- rick," said Mr. Bruce, and his Voice sounded unstealy, 'for the treasure you saved for us yesterday. We both feel that there is nothing in our pow- er that we can do to reward you, but if you would accept these little tok- ens we would indeed be grateful to you." He held out two pieces. of paper, which Pat took mechanically. And Mrs. Bruce in a few tearful sentences told him how her heart was too full for words. "Shure! don't be thankin' me," said Pat. "I just felt as if it was my own little Tim. I don't be want- in' any reward, unless you would give me somethin' to do for the win- ter months, though I don't suppose a wan-legged man would be much good around a factory." The boss smiled. "Oh, we'll see that you don't want for work, Pat- rick," he said. 'We must be going, for the doctor says we must not ex-- cite you," and the two of them left the ward, the doctor accompanying them. "Did you hear what he said, Brid- get," said Patrick. '"'He'd give me work for the winter. what do ye suppose is in these bits. of paper? Open them, dearie." Brid-- get took them and spread them out on the bed. "Lands of mercy, Pat- sy,' she shrieked. "Listen to this: 'Pay to the bearer the sum of one thousand dollars,' Patrick, Patrick, > fortune." And = it's money; it's a this as she opened the other; "'Tis a life-long membership as an em- ployee in the factory. Shure, the blessed Lord is good. But there, I forgot your poor leg." "Never mind the leg," said Pat- rick, smiling. "Shure! even if it is gone it has left us a grand Christ- mas, and we have no cause to regret $7 GEORGIA G. WINKLER. Shure, now tera yey rich and pure are th e notes of the Mason & Risch. As beautiful in encasement as in its musical qualities, the Mason & Risch piano is giving lasting satisfaction everywhere throughout Cana --there is one to sui and play the various type is no obligation to buy, easy to own a Mason & da. Made in many modeis--grand and upright t your home and your income. Come and see, hear s of piano on display in our showrooms, There but if you do make a selection, you will find it Risch at our convenient terms. « "Phone 171 ee THE MIRROR "Doc's Column" ---- A happy New Year to all. * * * And may your resolutions never be broken, if they are good ones. s @ * The weaker the argument the stronger the words, as a rule. Ed * co Nowadays when a skirt reaches be low the knee the deduction is that something has slipped. at * « Some bank accounts just now wili likely be like most fish stories, some- what overdrawn. * * * Christmas fable--Once upon a time a big truck went into the ditch as a result of the driver trying to edge over enough so a smal] car would have plenty of room to pass. % % * "Pa." asked Clarence, "what's in an air pocket?" "Rxactly what's in mine after Christ- mas," growled his dad. & 2s s An official report states that there are five hundred kinds of material used for making men's shoes. We wonder if leather is one of them. * Ey es A husband should' tell his wife everything. She is sure to find out before any one else does. s & ae Fashionable people are going abroad for the winter, but we don't have 'o. We can get plenty of it right here. * * Ed Jingle Bills, Jingle Bills, Jingle all the way, Don't you know those Christmas bills Come out of Papa's pay? s * 8 : The honeymoon is that part of a girl's life that comes between the lip- stick and the broomstick. * * boy Santa Claus has been and went, And in our bankroll there's a bent, It's all been spent with good intention, So we have no regrets to mention. bd cd * Some one asked us if we remem- bered way back when the maid did the cooking, washing, ironing, and scrub- bin, was up at 5 a.m. to start the kit- chen fire and bake a pan of biscuits, received $3 per week and sang as she worked? s & & A Berlin husband advertises his matrimonial trouble in a local paper: "My pious, faithful wife has departed from me. Will the honorable finder please keep her?" s e 2 A man in police court asked the judge to excuse his nervousness as he did not feel at home. Some guests at a restaurant were looking through the menu when a po- lite waiter came to their assistance. "The ham is not and the chicken nev- er was," he explained, "so will you = * ae A BRIDGE BALLAD She was a damsel fair to see; A gallant bachelor was he; He offered her on bended knee, ONE HEART A richer rival came in view; s Of maids he'd learned a thing or two; He flashed before her eyes: so blue, TWO DIAMONDS They married. Next a change of scene, His love became a mere "has-been"; He spent his time (he said) between THREE CLUBS And so this once too pampered bride. Forlorn, neglected, pined and died. And four grave-diggers grimly plied FOUR SPADES The moral is: Don't wed for gold A marriage bought's a marriage sold; A loveless match is proved to hoid NO TRUMPS. have your eggs tight or loose?" * * a Husband--That's a pretty sash for your dress. Wife--Stupid! That's the dress. ae a * Grandma heard them speaking of "joints being raided" during Christ- mas week and she said she didn't know what raiding meant but she could tell them about some good lini- ment to take rheumatism out. * a * The Ontario Government has 4n- nounced that it will make extensive investigations of the lignite deposits that have been found about one hua- dred miles north of Cochrane, Ontario. The machinery and supplies are to be taken in during the winter and the exploratory activities will be carried on throughout next summer. In that way it will be determined whether these coal deposits have any com- mercial value. The discovery of coal that could be used for manufacturing operations would prove of enormous importance to the business of this province. Coal is the one product of essential! usefulness in which Ontario is lack- in.ge The development of electrical power has largely taken the place of coal in manufacturing operations and with evcellent results, but the en- ormous quantity of coal that has to be imported for fuel imposes a ser- ious burden upon the country and ren- ders it necessary to spend outside of Canada large amounts of money that ought to go into circulation at home. 2 = m % And that's that! Yes, Indeed We Do! Wish you one and all a Hap- py. and. Prosperous. New Year, and thank you for your patronage during the old one. . ; L. COOK 110 Downie St. Phone 175 Plumber and Electrician YES AND NO "Walking to the dance?" "Almost." "Why almost?" "Well, I supposed to go in that collegiate Ford of Henry's." The Art of Eeny has been well called ' The art of all arts preservative." Your business printing reflects the character of your business to a greater degree than you imagine. 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