The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-01-11
BY SCHOFF. VINEGAR 81 co.


asleep. When they were finished, there
was just enough, not one tiny gift too many
net one to few. Dolly wondered, while she
was counting the funny little stockings
! what she should have done if there had been
one more rjsb
II guess / will pull up the curtain, . said
this thoughtful little Dolly, getting up from
the floor where she and the children had
been at play together, at will look SC
/ pleasant to father as be comes along; be-
sides, there may be some poor people who
haven't got any Christmas and would like
to look in. -E-
Poor peopIe!" echoed the children,
watching the round rosy arm as it pushed
aside the curtain.
Poor peepe!" attempted the baby. And
then Dolly was perfectly sure there was
never such children, and kissed them all
around from Johnny downward. ,..
| Oh. a very, very pretty picture it was
to look in from the storm through the red
curtained window. aud see the table, and
the teacups, and the Goals in the stove like
broken, ruddy gold; the light on the child
ren's faces, and Dolly there child among
them, the baby in her arms, her face just
turned awsy-to show the curve and color OF
her pretty, rounded cheek, and that bit of a
dimple hiding away by her warm, red lips;
very pretty, very honleiike, too, and kindly.
You would know the Child was not forgot
ten there SM#
There comes father! cried Johnny jump
ing over Peter and MolIie, and Jim and Dol
" the little, and scrambling tothe door,
Dolly started up, happy color in her
face, but stopped in the middle of the room.
Why, no. Stop, Johnny, that isn's faith
ers step; besides, somebody's Knocking.
Sc Dolly put the baby iii the cradle, and
went to tie door. She had to tug with
both hands to open it, and when she did
open it, the storm came beating in, and
there stood Something dripping and dripping
on the wooden steps, dripping from its hair,
it's face, its rags it's poor chilled hands.
oh! my good gracious. said Dolly,
Il don't know, said the something. -s.
why, never did y said Dolly. What
are your
Pm Zeke, said the something.
Come in why do come in Why, you
are dreuched through My good gracious =
Dolly shut the door the boy stood drip
ping aud dripping on the clean bare floor.
why, | never saw anything like it To
think of being out without an umbrella or
hat Where did you come from Zeke2'
L don't know. ,s..
Dolly turned him to the light looking at
him closely 30 Ei-A 5
What do you want, Zelle? ----
4 come to find christmas, said the boy
with his pitiful stare. .gs -
Oh2 | see, said Dolly i'll her soft, COM
passionate tones. Poor thing, poor thing?
Tie boy stood there dripping and shiver
ing, shiyering and dripping; his blank, ap-
pealing eyes wandered all about the cosy
room, fell on the fire-lignt, and the supper,
and the rosy, wondering children. But
then suddenly he cried ont in a poor dumb
cry. some faint longing struggling into his
faces
Il want to 6nd Christmas! I want to find
Christmas !! N+
o my I? said Dolly, her apron going up
to her eyes. e"
And then stood minute quite still The
turkey, and the stockings, and the children,
and Mark! Only just enough, you know;and
she had planned so long, and contrived and
turned and twisted so hard for it! Well ?
The apron came down again, never
knew just what happened behind it, bnt
fancy the Child spoke to Dolly just then
the Child who was coming tomorrow, to be
very near to the despised and rejected of
men. At any rate, the apron came down,
and Dolly took Zekes hand that shivered in
her little plump one, and led him up to the
fire, and took Molie out of the rocking
chair, and put him into it.
'There!' she said, you just Sit there and
keep as warm as you can, till ! get some of
fathers clothes to put on you Poor thingl
poor thing you shall have Christmas
And then, for all her pains to laugh, Dol
ly's apron had to go up to her eyes again
The faint, struggling longing in the dull
face changed to faiut, struggling Joy, the
boys eyes turned on her, as she moved with
her CHEEKY step about the room the apron
still going up and down, up and down, like
the foolish little apron it was. a
And how did you ever come out without
an umbrella or a hatT asked Dolly, rub
bing away at the boys numb fingers, when
she had him snugy slowed up by the fire,
nearly lost to mortal view in Marks best
coat.
4 don't know said Zeke, watching her
warm, pink hands; i lost somebody or
somebody lost me, | don't know which .a
Then, with another of those dumb cries :
4 looked into the window, guess. l see
you and him, pointing to the baby, who,
quite deserted by his mother, sat wondering
at the insultin the cradle, and staring at
the newcomer with his fist in his mouth -
L thought Christmas was in here, may be- ;
so it is, said Dolly, fine Christmas -
Zeke shall have Christmas, and q supper
too II i-gs 4tsdI s-.
"A Christmas and support repeated
Zeke. - ta
So dolly hustled around to make him a
cup of coffee that was, boiling inerrily for
Mark, and every now and then the foolish
white apron went up aud down, up and
down.
And where do you liver asked Dolly,
watching him eat aud drink in his famished
way
i don't know. Guess dou.t live no
where's. belonged to circus or the cir
Gus belonged to me- don't know which.
OH said Dolly, did you always live
with the circusS
i don't know, Guess they beat me, or
somebody guess it was me-
| o dear me! cried Dolly, and haven t
YOU got any father or mother or anything?
But Zeke only answered with his blank,
piteous stare, and drank his coffee.
! Just then outspake Peter from the circle
of open-eyed and open montbed children
L don't want that idiot here, to have any
of our Christrnas!'
And what did Dolly do but shut him in
the closet! q punishment most unheard o.
in this little mothers moral government
1t is fact perhaps worthy of record that
the next morning Peter heroically slid bis
candy horse into Zeke's dirty stocking, anc
stood by, winking very hard till Zeke ate
it up -9 s.a
Presently, Mark came home, with hi,
usual merry rap on the window. Dolly
with little flush on her cheek, went L
meet him at the door
i i don't know what you'll say, MARI
dear. do hope you won't mind. but h,
was so wet, and he SAID he wanted to fine
ChristInas-just think of it MARYLAND