Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-28
THE TWO SUSIES.
From Appleton's Journal. I


From AppIetOn's Journal
Mamma said little Susie Kent, turning
round from the window OF a sky-parlOr in
Bieecker street, just out of the Bowery, al see
the TostDan coming here. Shall / go down for
Mrs. Kent looked mp from her writing.desk.
and her thin cheeks flushed with sudden aut-
eyes, Susie; run down quickly. am ex-
pecting a very important letter"
Away went the child, tripping down one, two,
three long nights OF stars, while her mother sat
with her eyes fixed upon the door, her fingers
rustlirg EeTyously among the sheets of IN anu
script before her. and that tiuttering color com
Ing and gong IN her cheeks. They were pretty
cheeks, only too thin, and the color evidently
not at home there. pretty mouth, with a GER
tain pathetic Gniyer about the lips, and large,
soft EYES, with the same story of trouble in them
made up A face too m nch refined, sensitive aud
sweet for the surroundings of this Bleecker-st
!3dging, house. One could see by glance at
the desk in her lap, and the clcssiy-written
sheets on the table beside her, that her writing
vas work, and not pastiuei one could guess
that tie important letter. was the eagerly
expected answer TO some literary venture upon
which many things depended.
'NO letters, mamma; only this little parcel :"
cried Susie, eheerfuliy handing her mother a
neat, bIOwH-Papered roll, the first glance at
which sent the glow quite out OF poor Mrs.
kent's cheeks. "And here is Tom. mamma!
Only think, he is head of the merit-roll this
month, and has got half holiday. Isn't that
NIECE
eyes, dear, very nice, indeed" M-s. Kent
tplCcH htISeAi 10 smile. ana IOOkSd pleased,
though her heart like lead. 1--WE snail
have 10 be proud OF Tommy, Susie. / am very
glad"
"And I'm very sorry,, said Tom, looking
down IueiulIy at the bfown-papered roll. Hs
was Older than Susie. and he knew what if
meant. 81 think IL Is too mean, mamma, for
you 10 De disappointed so. They've rejected
"Ifit was only the disappointment, would
not care, said Mrs Kent, dropping the roll
into a drawer without opening IT, "But / wan
the money that was almost sure that II would
bring; 1 want it - much, Tom, that dom
know what shall DO without it,"
"Its mean shame :" cried Tom, his face
glowing red. Il wish-eh, wish was a man ,
mother"
al wish my papa wasn't desd,' cried Susie.
putting W a grieyOuS lip at the light of Toms
angry, anu her mothers unhappy face. "There
WASN'T never anything the matter till he died.
What made him do il, mamma?'
''Oh! my darling, God took him away from
us. We must try TO be patient" said Mrs. Kent,
struggling to keep the tears out of her voice.
''Don't feel so bad about the story, Tom," with
patient smile that made the boys heart burn;
III think of some way TO manage without ii, L
dare cay. Come and SHOW me your medal"
81 DIDN'T get the medal, ;" said Tom. "I drew
for 1t; but there was lot Of other fellows, and
Ned Griffin got it."
"well, you were head Of the msrit-roll, at all
events; and that's an honor that means some
thing. It's great comfort to me, Tom, to see
you doing 80 well at school,"
"What's the use of it?" Tom answered, dis
ccnsolstely, when don't DO anything to keep
NtGs utUlu1A- WISH you u tcl Iuc icdNcsCuO
and go 10 Stewards for cash boy. It's time
was earning money, and only wish you you'd
let me DO something"
Mrs- Kent smiled tenderly, and patted his
round red cheeks. ''You shall earn money for
NE by-and-by, Tom; but, just now, the best
thing that little boy only ten years old can
do, IL TO 20 TO school, and improve his oppor-
tunitiss. We must be patient, dear, that is
ALL
She took up her pen again, and Tom turned
away, silenced, but not satisfied. Susie had
gone back 10 her ''bsby-box," consisting of an
empty soap box which Tom had papered over
for her with newspaper pictures, and was deep
IN The manufacture OF paper toys. Tom was an
expert in this business, and was soon ordered
over to assist her in il. But while his fingers
were busy with Chinese junks, and cooked hats,
and life beats, his thoughts were buster with
the hard problem so many older brains are stri-
wing TO solve-of how TO make money.
SIS susie,s tongue kept up running accompani-
that is, Tom and oh, what splendid tail you
gave that rooster! think you make the incest
things Of any boy 1 know"
How many boys do you know" asked
Tom.
"wel, know you and know the baby down
stairs; mat a boy And I've seen lots of little
81 hey couldn't make things like YOU do; and
I'll tel you what, Tom, mean 70 keep 'em thi 8
tune, and no, tear ; 'em up. not even when get
pose you Cont get any Christmas things?''
suggested Tom, speaking low. Mother hasn't
wouldn't tfoubIe her by talking about tSsmy oa
'Nhy, what has mamma got to do with it?''
cried Susie, whose faith in Santa Claus had
don't cost money, YOU foolish boy We hang
up our stockings, don't you know? and Santa
Claus comes down the Chimney and fills them
up. lie didn't bring much last Christmas.
cause our stockings were 80 little, guess.
mean to hang up one OF msmms's tins time"
Tom could not bring himself TO tell her tn At
santa Claus WAS a deiusion and a snare lie
shipped the papers vieiOasly, and wrinkIesi biz
forehead in = desperate attempt to think OF
something by which he might create few shil-
hnss, II only for the filling of Susie's stockings
For be knew, POOR little man, with wisdom be-
yond his ten years, that the rent money would
soon be due, and there was unpaid bill al
the grocery, and very little To eat In the house;
also, that his mothers purse was nearly
empty as TO show very poor prospect OF any
visit from Santa Claus this year.
Christmas, without Christmas-gitts was
something unprecedented 30 far, and the pros
Feet Wa rather appalling. He didn't mind for
Limself-not Partieulsriy At leass-thOagh there
cry. that was dirt-chesp at two shillings and
just what fellow wanted in his pocket. He
yoaldn't mind L, though: If only Susie m sh
her heart upon. And, just as he was saying Ii,
10 himself, Susie put her finger on q staring pic
tuIe Of an eye in the old newspaper she wa
"What a funny thing that 10, Tom. Let's Gu
The eye ont and paste IL on something"
Tom locked at thread the assurance below
thai the highest cash prices would be paid for al
kinds of Old pa per-and felt his heart thrill with
sudden Inspiration. He worked dill gently for
a h;tle While longer, made . lapfal OF paper
coils, and. tossing them over 10 Susie, asked hi:
mother Tor leave 70 60 out q little while.
"CertaiEly," WAS his mothers distracted an
sser. a. her pen travelled over the paper. And
ION ran on, eongratuiating himself that she
mao rot asked any questions. What she would
have said IL she could have seen him ringing al
basement bells and coolly begging for old news
papers be did not stop TO consider, and this
chrSnieler can only imagine. That was what
lie CD. though, FOR the whole Afternoon, In thu
most 9nblpshipg manner,