The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-12-26
The New Years Gift.

I" Five dollars, ma five dollars more ~ said
little Clara May on a bright New Years morn.
ss What shall L do with it? | wish it had come
last night, and then you could have bought some
thing with it to put into my stocking"
But your stocking was ,ull as it was, my
child,'' said Mrs. May with a kiss 81 should
not have known where to put anything more, L
am sure"
80 yes you would, ma yon would have put
it in some way, ! know" said Clara, with an ex-
ira skip, US she went up and down the room.
But what should | have got, my child? |
think fyou cannot tell what you want, it would
not be easy for me to do So"
Well, now, let's see what do | want most?''
and Clara sat down in her little chair as demure
as If she was to plan out Il whole life. Don't
YOU think Uncle Harry cares what | do with it?
Did he not tell you what to get, not a word?"
Not n word, my child. lie said he did not
know what you might have, and so he would not
choose. l think he would want you to have just
what you like. 1t may be Aunt Susan will help
you make n choice"
"Im run and see - said Clara, and she ran
up stairs and went into Aunt Susan's room with
a skip and a hop.
80 Aunt Susan : Uncle Harry has sent me
five dollars to get me Il N~ew-Year's gift, and ma
says / may choose what it shall be, but / can't
think, and So I've come to get your help and
the child knelt by her side, and laid her head
in her aunts lap.
Aunt Susan was n dear, good little lady, a sis
ter to Mrs. May, and one whom Clara loved very
much. Her health had been poor for a long,
long time, but there was a sweet look on her thin,
pale face, and a mild love-light in her dark eye
that would have won your heart at once. She
folded her thin hands around the little form be-
side her, and bent her head down till it met that
of her niece, and after q little pause she said
"Well, now, my Clara you must tell me what
she'd like, and then We may he able to decide
what is best to get"
All, that's just the point, Aunt Susan. I'm
sure l can't tell. 1t seems to me I've got every
thing l can think of: there are two wax dolls and
plenty Of baby clothes, and chairs, tables, cribs,
and bureaus, and three china tea-sets. And then
| have all the jewels | want a gold chain and
charms. and breast-pin and pencil. o L do
wish | knew what to get, Why, what makes
you smile ut me SO, Aunt Susan % said the
child all at once, as she looked up and saw a
sweet bright smile on the lady's lips.
81 was thinking, my dear child, how very few
little girls there were in the whole world that
are 50 happy us to be able to say those words
a. don't know what to GET"
:" Are there aunty? l did not think of that
And did you not think that the five dollars
might do some other child a great deal more good
than it will my little petted, half-spoiled niece,
Clara May?'
Clara looked up once more into those dark ten
der eyes, but she read only love there, and then
she looked into the fire just for a moment.
- You think, aunty," said she slowly, at last,
llial Il OuShA " cHCiiu viz lOLCN ~ cOuuC
other child who needs New Years gifts more than
| do, don't you ?'
"Well, what do you think about it Clara ?
You have had many gifts, would you not like to
make some?''
{" But l have just now thought of one thing,
that | do want-a little pearl writing desk that
| saw in a store the other day. 1t was the dear
est little thing, lined with pink velvet, and it had
places for pens, and wax, and paper. o it WIS
such a love of a desk, and all for five dollars. l
unra hara fhnr how shf- ~ 1o, N1.ls--
would make me half so happyl'
81 doubt it, Clara" said her aunt, with a
gentle shake of the head.
{" What else could l get?
"Im afraid you won't try and see If 1 tell
you"
Well, I'll tell you but you must think
about it well before you make up your mind. L
think it Will do you more good to give those five
dollars to some poor girl that needs it, than it
will to buy this pearl desk"
Clara stood there with one arm still around
her aunt's neck, and her head on her shoulder,
and there came to her mind the thoughts of a
little pale face that she had last seen on a sick
bed in a large room almOsta at the top of a tall
house not far off. 1t was the face of little Mary
Dean, who a year before had u fall that broke
her hip and made her lame for life. Mrs. Dean
took in sewing for a living, and by the aid of
kind friends she got enough comforts for herself
and her child, but she had little to spare for a
New Years gift.
why have l not thought of Mary before ~
said Clara to herself. 1.-The poor child must lie
in bed all the while, and has very little to amuse
her."
And then Clara thought a long time what she
could get for the poor child, and at last she hit
upon a bird, a canary bird. 1t would be so nice
to have a bright bird in her room TO fit about the
bars of its cage and sing to her of the green
woods. And then she would never tire of seeing
1t peek the seeds from its little china trough,
and shake the drons Of water from its wings. o