圣诞节的感人故事

recentlydivorced,iwasinmy20s,hadnojobandwasonmywaydowntowntogotheroundsoftheemploymentoffices.ihadnoumbrella,formyoldonehadfallenapart,andicouldnotaffordanotherone.

isatdowninthestreetcar--andthereagainsttheseatwasabeautifulsilkumbrellawithasilverhandleinlaidwithgoldandnecksofbrightenamel.ihadneverseenanythingsolovely.

iexaminedthehandleandsawanameengravedamongthegoldenscrolls.theusualprocedurewouldhavebeentoturnintheumbrellatotheconductor,butonimpulseidecidedtotakeitwithmeandfindtheownermyself.

igotoffthestreetcarinadownpourandthankfullyopenedtheumbrellatoprotectmyself.thenisearchedatelephonebookforthenameontheumbrellaandfoundit.icalledandaladyanswered.

yes,shesaidinsurprise,thatwasherumbrella,whichherparents,nowdead,hadgivenherforabirthdaypresent.but,sheadded,ithadbeenstolenfromherlockeratschool(shewasateacher)morethanayearbefore.

shewassoexcitedthatiforgotiwaslookingforajobandwentdirectlytohersmallhouse.shetooktheumbrella,andhereyesfilledwithtears.

theteacherwantedtogivemeareward,but--thoughtwentydollarswasallihadintheworld--herhappinessatretrievingthisspecialpossessionwassuchthattohaveacceptedmoneywouldhavespoiledsomething.wetalkedforawhile,andimusthavegivenhermyaddress.idontremember.

thenextsixmonthswerewretched.iwasabletoobtainonlytemporaryemploymenthereandthere,forasmallsalary.butiputasidetwenty-fiveorfiftycentswhenicouldafforditformylithegirlschristmaspresents.

mylastjobendedthedaybeforechristmas,mythirty-dollarrentwassoondue,and1hadfifteendollarstomyname--whichpeggyandiwouldneedforfood.

shewashomefromconventboardingschoolandwasexcitedlylookingforwardtohergifsnextday,whichihadalreadypurchased.ihadboughherasmalltree,andweweregoingtodecorateitthatnight.

theairwasfullofthesoundofchristmasmerrimentasiwalkedfromthestreetcartomysmallapartment.bellsrangandchildrenshoutedinthebitterduskoftheevening,andwindowswerelightedandeveryonewasrunningandlaughing.butthereshouldbenochristmasforme,iknew,nogifts,noremembrancewhatsoever.

aslstruggledthroughthesnowdrifts,lhadjustaboutreachedthelowestpointinmylife.unlessamiraclehappened,iwouldbehomelessinjanuary,foodless,jobless.ihadprayedsteadilyforweeks,andtherehadbeennoanswerbutthiscoldnessanddarkness,thisharshair,thisabandonment.

godandmenhadcompletelyforgottenme.ifeltsohelplessandsolonely.whatwastobecomeofus?

ilookedinmymailbox.therewereonlybillsinit,asheafofthem,andtwowhiteenvelopeswhichiwassurecontainedmorebills.iwentupthreedustyflightsofstairsandicried,shiveringinmythincoat.

butimademyselfsmilesoicouldgreetmylittledaughterwithapretenseofhappiness.sheopenedthedoorformeandthrewherselfinmyarms,screamingjoyouslyanddemandingthatwedecoratethetreeimmediately.

peggyhadproudlysetourkitchentableforoureveningmealandputpansoutandthreecansoffoodwhichwouldbeourdinner.forsomereason,whenilookedatthosepansandcans,ifeltbrokenhearted.wewouldhaveonlyhamburgersforourchristmasdinnertomorrow.

istoodinthecoldlittlekitchen,miseryoverwhelmedme.forthefirsttimeinmylife,idoubtedtheexistenceandhismercy,andthecoldnessinmyheartwascolderthanice.

thedoorbellrangandpeggyranfleetlytoanswerit,callingthatitmustbesantaclaus.theniheardamantalkingheartilytoherandwenttothedoor.hewasadeliveryman,andhisarmswerefullofparcels."thisisamistake,"isaid,buthereadthenameontheparcelsandtherewereforme.

whenhehadgoneicouldonlystareattheboxes.peggyandisatonthefloorandopenedthem.ahugedoll,threetimesthesizeoftheoneihadboughtforher.gloves.candy.abeautifulleatherpurse.incredible!ilookedforthenameofthesender.itwastheteacher,theaddresswassimply"california",whereshehadmoved.

ourdinnerthenighwasthemostdeliciousihadevereaten.iforgotihadnomoneyfortherentandonlyfifteendollarsinmypurseandnojob.mychildandiateandlaughedtogetherinhappiness.

thenwedecoratedthelittletreeandmarveledatit.iputpeggytobedandsetuphergiftsaroundthetreeandasweetpeacefloodedmelikeabenediction.ihadsomehopeagain.icouldevenexaminethesheafofbillswithoutcringing.