The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-02-19
THE EVE.

clip hip hurrah school is out hur-
rah for everybody, and to-morrow's Christ
mas" shouted one Of merry crowd of chill
dren, as with satchels on their arms or
swung over their shoulders they bounded
across the play ground on their way
home.
"And what splendid times we will have |!
o, l am 80 glad it,e*Ch-;------. ~. W e-....oo
rrIngs to put on the Tree, and Old Kriss
will bring us plenty more, know. He al
ways does"
Dear old Kriss," repeated blue-eyed
little maiden, show love him. I wish he
would not always come when we are asleep,
and 60 before we wake, want so to put
my arms around his neck and tell him
how good he is"
80 never mind, Matte, Kriss knows all
about it. / expect he can see and hear all
we say now, though we can't see him."
"Don't know about that" returned a
sturdy boy of twelve, "Your Kriss, in my
opinion, is a humbug; there never was
such body and never will be-"
20, Charlie Willis amt you ashamed |!
He's no humbug; he's dear good Kriss
Krinkle, who always brings good children
nice things, and if he doesn't bring you any
it is because you are bad," exclaimed ths
indignant girls; but Charlie, without paus-
ing to reply, hurried on with party ofboys
of his own age, who were discussing the
question of fire works for the next days
amusement.
They had now reached the outer boun-
Diary of the play ground, when upon look
| ing back they saw one of their school-mates
coming slowly forward, thoughtfully and
alone.
She was the oldest girl in school, not
yet sixteen, but wearing look of care and
suffering habitually on her countenance
that made her appear older.
"Yonder comes Hetty Reed, poking
along as usual" said one of the girls
Wonder if she doesn't know or doesn't care
that to-morrow's Christmas. Hetty," she
continued, as the girl came up, "ain't you
glad it's Christmas
eyes, I'm glad" was the answer, simply
and quietly given; but close observer
might have noted in the tremulous tone
and humid eye, depth Of feeling hel
words did no; express. Something Of this
must have been detected, for one of the larg.
er girls whispered to her neighbor, "Oh
she means if her father don't get drunk
He's pretty apt to, on Christmas. 1t isn't
likely she would be 80 very glad then"
The whisper was loud enough for pool
Hetty to catch the purport of it; and thu
thoughtless girl, fearing this might be thu
case, tried to change the subject, and with
out making matters much better, by asking
when are you going to trim your Tree
Hetty2"
81 am not going to have Tree" was tn,
response, as she passed by and walked
quickly on before.
A few minutes brought her to the doc
of her own humble dwelling, and she en-
tered with heavy and anxious heart. TIL
fire was out and the little room looked
cold and desolatc. Hetty laid aside he
Z books, and going into the yard picked VI
some chips and pieces of wood and sool
had bright little fire blazing on tn
! hearth. After partaking of a scanty mea
OF bread and little tea, for she had eatel
nothing since morning, she drew small
basket of clothes, well worn and wei
patched, to her side, and sat down to Civ
them further and necessary care.
Swift flew the shining needle through tn
muslin garments, and as swiftly fey
thought uncontrolled through her bus
working brain. The merriment and ga
laughter of her school mates still rang i
her ears, and the whispered taunt rankle
in her heart. 0, why was her life like this
Why could she not be happy like others
All | she was a drunkard's child-his onl
child, for the babe went with its mother jus
seven long years ago. o, how lonely sh
felt! 1t seemed as if in all Gods worle