The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-06
THAT QUEER LITTLE MAN
\ Thanksgiving story.

"This must be the house. No PSI r. Court
! Let me be sure. Where's the letter: Here
| il is in my coat pocket, Of course; now for a
gas light. Yes ISL
The queer little man folded the letter as he
spoke, replaced it in his pocket, and Knocked
at the Il DOR of PSI. 1t was after dark on a
| dull evening in November, but the gas light
under whose friendly glare the letter had
been consulted Shone upon the figure now
/ standing at the door, and showed him to be a
very odd figure indeed. His head was So
many sizes too large for his body, that it
made him look top heavy, and this effect was
certainly not diminished by the fact that he
wore his hair long, thick, and curling, and a
beard that fell almost to his waist His
clothes were coarse and i'll made, but warm,
hands and feet, and quick movements, made
the great head and wde-brimmed hat almost
grotesque in their disproportionate size. Get,
ting impatient, he gave second knock at
the door of the small house, and this time so
long and loud that the door flew open before
he had taken his hand from the knocker. A
| little girl stood in the entry cycling him with
an expression that seemed to argue a debate
| in the mind whether to remain. and let the
visitor come in, or to shut the door and run
away
You take good while TO come to the
door, ma'am," he said and at once decided
the question in the mind of the little girl. \
voice and smile like that could never be
long to a cruel ogre who ate up little girls
without salt or pepper however big his
head.
"DO YOU want 10 see Aunt Hcnrictta>'
"Who is Aunt IIcnrlctta?'
Miss Mosely. The lady who own, the
house. and lets lis hoard here
"Oh, Yes, want to see her
If you will walk into the parlor, she'll be
in presently; she's gone to market" and
musical little glcciu laugh followed this an
nounCcment
Gone to market"
eyes, and Cora's gone too" here the de
| light could not be suppressed. "Thcy've
! gone to buy a turkey for tomorrow, and I'm
taking care Of The house and Eddy till they
come back
"Gonc to buy turkey for tomorrow"
"lcs, its Thanksgiving, you know? We
are to have treat. Aunt Henrietta promis.
ed it Il week ago, and She never torgcts, qec-
Ierr
"Shc must be u famous aunt"
Well" and here the little girl came close
to her odd visitor and took seat beside him,
on the sofa, "shc ain't our aunt really, YOU
know; not our very. very own. But she's
Just as good to Cora, and Eddie and me-"
"Who is Cora
Cora is my grown up sister; she's ever,
ever SO old, almost nineteen. I'm ten, and
Eddie is two and half Goa gives music
lessons, and is out almost all day, aud Aunt
Henrietta makes flowers, and help her. Ed
/ y plays,
But where are your papa and your nam
MAJ
Papa died when Eddy was Il wee baby
and we came here then to board with Miss
Mosely Mamma sewcd all day, and Cora
practiccd. Then mamma died too, but Aunt
Henrietta said We must stay, and manage the
board somehow, for she would not let Cora
90 away to take care of us all alone. You
see this amt very good house for boarders,
and the little face looked worry wise, land the
| front room has been empty "A long time"
/ Then Miss Moscly takes boIrlerS, doe;
/ ~hc?"
/ "Ycs. indeed. We have TIVE third story
| front, and Mrs. Manners, she goes out nurs
ing and amt here much, She has the thirC
story back; Aunt Henrietta sleeps down her,
/ in the back parlor SO there is nobody NJ al
in the second floor, That was the reason
Aunt Henrietta sent away the servant, ant
makes flowers for the millincrS' stores
I takes 50 much money To feed us ALL and buy
our clothes and boots
But, my dear child, have YOU no unClcS o
aunts, nobody to help sister Cora,"
4 "No, Uncle James Reed is in California
, and of course he can't come. Cora wrote {,
, him, but guess he didn't get the letter. Any
. how lac didn't answer it,
| Did you ever see him.
. mo, indeed, He went away when Cor
was baby and never came back, but lac OF
ten sent money in a letter To mamma"
\ knock AZ the door just then interrupte,
her.
There they come. III tell Aunt IIenriet
Ia you are here" and away she ran, and wa
IN another moment heard making anxious in
| lquiry regarding the size and tenderness of In
, turkey.
; A lady's voice answered her.
There's a gentleman wants 10 see YOU
auntie," said the child. I'm help Cora tax
the basket To- the kitchen"
. Miss MuScly al once went to the parlor, an,
+, her odd looking visitor rose e. meet her.