The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-12-19
"a MN AND BROTIIER."
Or, AUNT HErrY's CHRrsrMAs FEAs7

Or, AUNT HETTY's CHRISTMAS FEAST.
Once upon time, and very near
Christmas time, little ragged beggar
rat led at q certain area gate on the
apex of Snob's Hill. Now Kate, the
cook, was like certain dog We know !:
her bark would make each separate hair
stand up "like quilts upon the fretful
porcupine," albeit her bite was tender
and touching thing to experience. With
characteristic ferocity she flung up the
sash
"Fhat wud yez be afther wantin', ye
dirthy, ragged, shnivelin, lazy sphal-
peen! Lave go the gate, will yez, an
git out o the yarrud, or I'll send for
policeman an have yez arresthed for
vagrant that yez are -
80, if you please, miss, ] only waCt
TO see Aunt Hetty, and papa said 1 was
to go right up to her room pleaded
the little creature piteously.
"Worra worra, Did iver yez hear
the likes o that ~ calculated Kate.
"Look at the rags " her, an the tags
iv her, an nary a shoe to the feet "
her, an her face as purple as me ouid
flannel pettycoat, an thin as the sowl
iv me ould slipper, an hear her askin'
to go up to Inc lady's chamber as grand
as any goosey-gander iv the lot An Is
it one iv me lady's poor-house folk yez
be? l faith, an it's ike the grattytude
iv vez to come a rattlin' away like q
fharty-horse power confygrashun, a
tryin' to wake her out in the first wink
O shape she's had this fhartnight, a
Shawn fur the loikes ivyez. Faith it's
not mesilf nd wake her for yez if the
ghoust iv Bloody Mary stood at the
door. It's nothin' yezN get by iiangin
round this house, for ivery blissed sowl
in it-harrin' Aunt Hetty-is ont " 1t,
buyin' all the delicacies " the sason
for the big Christmas fhaste tO-morry /.
If its hungry yez be, it's yerself that's
sarin yer appetite fur that same fhaste,
an it's my advice that ye lave of shnlv-
elm an take yersilf out iv the yarrud
afore the policeman comes, accompa-
nying her advice with penny or two,
which the child picked up with mourn
ful "Thanks ~ which sounded as if her
little beggar's heart were breaking with
some beggar's woe.
As she reached the pavement two
handsome, well-dressed ladies' stepped
from their carriage, ran up the steps,
and disappeared within the aristocratic
Snob's Hill mansion. The vagrant,
seized by some unaccountable impulse,
ran after them so quickly that she sud
denly found herself within my ladies
chamber, all breathless and speechless,
and unable for the moment to explain
her presence 10 the astOnished pair.
When she found her tongue st last, it
was to relate the usual beggar's tale.
Her papa had once been very rich,
and lived in beautiful home "just like
biIls, INA am, LOT ne tDlti Ilt 5O Ouc Ilplb
when We were passing; and he leaned
against the area gate and cried so hard!
and said: MY little girl, when Tn
dead and out of the way, it may be
they'll let you come here and live "
Mercy! what audacity And he took
Eick that very night, and now our money
is all gone, there's no fire, and poor
papa hasn't tasted q mouthful in two
long days; and his poor dear feet are
cold rs ice, and he can't speak any more
only TO whisper Hetty Hetty! Won't
Some one call my HettyP And o, dear,
good ladies', won't some Of you come
and do something to make poor papa
better? I'm sure if my papa lived In
big house like this now, he would help
you if you were sick and cold and hun