The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-12-27


falling tears on Mrs. Murrsy's cheeks her lip
| quivered. why. Bessie, what are YOU
/ doing7 Mama told you not to ever bother
ladies that way.. You must wait until she
4 speaks tn you" Billy. I did; she talked
TO me first" "Well. say goodbye. and let
me go home with you, for have gotto go
| now" where do you liver AT No l2i
- street. My mamma sews for living;
she will be glad to see you. Good morning.
Mrs Murray watched the loving care with
| which the brother guided his little sister in
the smoothest path and helped her over the
| uneven crossing and she did not lose sight
OF them until the little faded shawl and hood
and the gray patched jacket faded in the
| distance.
All the afternoon Billy worked hard TO
/ sell his papers, for man a had told him the
nickels might be his. lie was successful. and
4 when the last one was gone he started OF To
| do his shopping. lie had 25 centS-all his
own-and he priced everything he could
find TO try to get two presents out OF that. AT
last he got tiny little gray scarf for 20
| cents That was for his mother, aud be-
| lieve no gift ever brought moro pleasure 10
| the gtver. Then a little cake for two cents
| and candy apple for three, and he felt sat
| isied with these for Bessie. Brave. true.
| free heart. no thought OF himself; no
| thought of the red fingers tingling with
cold. but constant recollection of the patient
4 mother and the little sister. He did not
| feel the cold at all, but felt warm and glad,
| for a happy heart heat under the poor shah
/ by jacket lie found branch Of pine ly
| ing in the gutter and ne picked il up. shook
off tie irt, and carefully holding it under
his arm he went home slyly slipping his
! gifts into the darkness of the outer hall. and
| then going into the room with tell-tale face
| that could not conceal the blessed secret of
| Christmas gifts But the mothers heart
was sad, very sad. for she saw her children
~,
| nothing to aid them, and as she patched the
worn garments the tears fell fast on the lit
! tie clothes. Bessie came and leaned
against her knee and said plain
| lively, Mamma, won't you please darn
my little red stockings. want to hang
them M, for Billy says that Santa Claus will
4 lie sure TO come tonight. Will he, mama?
| "No. my darling he will not come TO my
| little ones tonight. and will not my little
| girl he brave and help mama to bear the
! trouble that this brings herr" Poor Bessie,
she could not keep the tears hack. and she
| slipped otto cry her sorrow away in the dark
and " hen. after a while, she came to Billy's
side she was still sohbing with grief, and
| she could not be cOmforted. After she had
| gone to sleep her mother knelt by her aud
begged God that the blessed Comforter might
sclace the aching hearts of her little ones.
| Billy plead for mama 10 keep her eyes
shut until he had arranged his tree, and then
Bessie might be the first TO see it in all of its
| beauty. To his eyes il was perfect, fixed
| the little branch of evergreen on the table,
| hung the cake and candy fruit TO it and fes
! TONED the scarf from one twig
to another and then stood back 20
admire il. After he too was asleep, the
widow sat long by the dying fire wrapped
IN reverie. There was barely scant food IN
the cupboard. there was not enough ruel Ia
last another day. and the clothing of the chill
dren was SO thin they sllivered at every
breath at air. Her work was exhausted and
she knew not where to get any more; the
winter would be long aud bitter and she had
nDtiiiug 10 meet its demands with. She
was cold and hungry; she had divided her
supper with the others for she could stand
the knawing OF hunger and they could not
There was light tap at the door; she was
half afraid TO open il, bat she heard a wo
mans voice and trusted to that. Docs
little Bessie live here7" was asked bya gen
tlcman who stood on the step. "Yes, sir;
at least my little girls name is Bessie. Will
you come imp
Madame, perhaps ought 10 make you
an apology for this intrusion. Our little
girl died some months ago, and my wife
wants to give to your children the gifts that
would have been hers She talked To Bessie
to-day and learned your whereabouts, and
We have taken the liberty tn call. You will
End the little striped stockings che longed
for in this basket" And before a word of
thanks could be offered they were gone.
The huge basket was full Ia OVERLOOKING,
but on top were the bright red stockings
which Bessie hal coveted so much all day.
There was a suit of clothes for Billy, warm
shawl for the widow good shoes and over
shoes, heavy gloves. several dresses, toys tor
rhe children food in abundance. orders for
fuel. Gifts for Minnie were all wrapped sepa-
rately. AMI We're little finer than the
others. Bright flannel dresses, fine linen
aprons, delicate underwear, gay stockings. n
perfec, OUTFIT and with them was a lovely
doll. dressed To please the fancy of child.
On this package was simple note, These
were Minutes; let BESSIE wear and enjoy
them for her sake" Quietly the happy,
thankful mother slipped the cover from
Billy Christmas tree, and hung all she could
OF the new treasures upon it. and
arranging the Others TO make the picture as
bright and beautiful as possible But nothing
moved her as did the SIM pile presents of her
boy-the cheap scarf and the trifes for his
sister. She laid her moist check upon the
soft, wooden web, and thanked God that in
the midst of all her trouble she yet had this
fond, faithful soul to comfort and cheer her.
and then with the blessed Consciousness of
plenty of food and fire, she sank into the
first sweet sleep she had known for months.
At the first dawning of the morning she
heard Billy slipping from the bed to uncover
his precious tree ere he awakened his sister.
He saw come one had disturbed the cloth.
and stood as il yexed bat in moment his
brow cleared and deity he threw the calico
aside.
ooh, mama, mamal' was his first cry, and
he darted TO her. Wake up Bessie, mama;
Santa Claus has been here. See Bessie,
what you have gotl" Such ordinations OF
| JOY. such shouts of rapture had never before
awakened the echoes in the old house.
Never were children so frantic with joy, for
it seemed as though Paradise had opened TO
them. and nothing 10th they entered into its
| pleasures. They patted the fat turkey. won