American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-12-26

While the boy was thus making acquaint-
ancc with the shoemaker the little girl arose
from the stool on which she had been sitting
and came toward the lady, for whom. and
for the musician, the maid had brought the
only two chairs in the room. The shoe
maker sat ON Il candlc-boN, which he said was
Just high enough for him. and the bright
haired Child moved about the room in a still,
happy way, as if feeling quite at home
| When the little girl arose they saw that she
: was lame. But she had n dear, patient,
cheerful face, and the lady was pleased
with her that she kissed her, at which the
lady's maid could scarcely believe her eyes.
Sec my crutch." said the little girl.
MY brother made it all himself, only the
| carpenter gave him the wood And | made
him two warm ear-flaps for his cap; sister
| >howcd me how. And sister gave such
warm stockings-only he couldn't wear his
| stockings, we thought, because he hadn't any
! shoes" Here she turned suddenly on the
beautiful Child and added: But YOU said
the shoes would come; and so | knew they
| would"
Why; you know them" said the LADY, to
! the Child. Them, and you, ard everybody"
| answered the Child simply, with a smile. " |
promised the shoes this morning, and what I
promised comes To pass, they know"
| Yes" said the boy, " and you promised us
ride in carriage and some beautiful music.
VIII that come, too, wonderg But don't
| you mind, anyhow. You've done lots for us !;
| and | guess we've had our share already.
You my shoes are the very best thing for
the family, because chilblains make me no
| use at all. But now can go anywhere; and
| VINO wants to ride? Tell the coachman he
needn't come; prefer walkingw
| - He Will come" said the Child, quietly,
| and looked straight at the lady
And oh. will the music comet" eagerly
| asked the little girl.
The Child nodded, and looked at the mu-
stefan.
IF my carriage were here!" murmured
| the lady "And nv violin" sighed the mu-
stefan. But the Child had disappeared; and
| ii seemed but a moment before wheels were
heard outside, and Il carriage stopped at the
door. Sure enough, it was the lady's
riagc; and the lady said, joyously: Now
its my turn; we will take ride, and get a
good Christmas dinner; and then we will all
20 to my rooms, and there we will have the
music
But the ladys maid said she would go and
prepare the rooms while the rest went to
ride; and both the shoemaker and the mu-
stefan said they would help. So the lady
WELT OFT with the children, for hours and
hours; and such time they had NOR
tai tongue can describe. When they finally
appeared at the house both the young
were warmly and prettily dressed that
their sister didn't know them: and the boy
carried pair of skates, which he had chosen
out of a whole storeful of things CATER des-
pcrate mental struggle on the rival attrac-
tions of a jack -knfe), while the little girl,
without any hesitation, had selected a book
full of stories and pictures, and both of them
had united in preferring for their elder sister
the prettiest needle and scissors case in the
world.
But, meanwhile, what hadn't the others
done with the house, 1t was truly magical.
Old Pegs had said, snow, you young ones,
just go 10, and I'll pay the bill. l haven't
spent anything for seventeen Christmases; and
don't c ire if YOU pile it all on this one" So
they had bought wag6h-loads Of green
wreaths and boughs, and hired dozen people
to help with all their might; and before the
m he q
upstairs, down. stairs, and in my lady's
chamber-look lovely and cheerful as fairies
bower in the summer woods. The musician
had so many brilliant ideas that the little maid
could not help saying several times to herself,
" How much he knows; and how good he is.''
while she herself, the other hand, so
quick, and neat, and handy, and untiring that
the musician thought he never had seen such
a remarkably attractive and useful young
woman.
After the decorations were all ready there
was still time to tune the piano; and while he
was doing that she ran upstairs and put his
room in lovely order, hanging up clothes where |
they belonged, and arranging books and pa
pers so that it looked more comfortable and
cheerful than ever before. (The musician was
really grateful for this service, although, to be
sure, he couldn't find anything he wanted for
days after; but that is incidental matter
altogether. When lovely woman takes so
much pains to put away things, man ought to
be willing to suffer some inconvenience in dis
covering where she puts them-and order Is
such Il blessing, after alD
The shoemaker retreatcd into his shop Out
not until they had succeeded in washing the
windows and hanging cedar and holly where
there room for them) and there he
sat on his bench rejecting. Presently he was
surprised to see the blue-eyed Child standing
before him. " They don't need me any more"
said the Child. Don't you belong to the
lady?' asked Old Pegs. Not to anybody, |
but to everybody-to you if you please.
Everybody who loves me owns me"
t,..ra hfan
Old Pegs, mournfully. Yes, indeed, replied
the Child, with a smile; you ought to be |
glad OF that 1 am--only / wish there were
more!"
"Well, Pm sure would like to make one |
more cried the shoemaker; but can't do |
anything particular to show it. You can't |
stay with me all the time; and if you could, l
don't see what l could do to prove that / |
loved you by making you any happier"
At this. to his amaZement, the wondrous |
Child threw both arms around his neck, and |
nesting close ON his knee and to his breast |
whispered, Prove that YOU love me bv max |
ing everybody happier" Then it Slipped |
away swiftly and nOiselessly, and Old Pegs |
scarcely knew it was gone, for he felt still on |
his neck the clnging arms, and in his heart Il |
strange new warmth which never went away |
again. While he yet sat there motionless, the |
door opened and in rushed the boy.
Look here, Uncle Down-stai see what |
! have got, Don't you think that lady must |
be angel? Such bully skates! We couldn't |
afford 'em in our family, you know. I always |
had to slide"
''what, barefootg" said Old Pegs, with
jolly laugh.
''Why, yes" replied the boy, "three good |
slides and then run in the house and warm |
your feet. You winter is a good deal |
better than summer: because when you are |
hot you can't get cool to save your life: but |
when you cold all YOU have got to do is
to wait till you get chance and then warm
yourself! But l shant have any coli. feet |
now, you know. Look here, Uncle Down
stairs, l wish you'd let me do something for |
YOU. Now, l tell you what; I'll give you
your choice. It's great fun to have your
choice, know by experience, So you just |
listen and take plenty of time and make up
every day at half-price Chats just what it |
costs mel or I'll run errands for you for
nothing, or-Or-Tll make YOU new bench. |
That's the best of all, / think. The carpen-
ter says | could make anything if / only had |
the tools. By George, wish ] could make
shoesin
Old Pegs looked at the eager boy for Il mo-
ment and then spoke with an odd trembling
i'll his voice q don't think it age that |
caused it; for he looking ten years |
younger than usua): well, youngster, |
take my choice and I'll tell you what it is. / |
choose to have you live with me and go to |
school every day; and while you out of |
school I'll teach you to make shoes. How |
does that fit?'
For one second the boys face fairly blazed |
with happiness; then it fell, and he said firm |
ly: Il couldn't break up the family, sir |
There's only my little sister and /. She's our |
little housekeeper and I'm the head of the |
house | couldn't leave her. You must choose |
something else. But | forgot-the lady's |
compliments, and she would he pleased to |
have your company in her parlor."