Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1877-12-29

talking with him, who should appear
but ParaChristy himself, saying ,as he
put his head in the door:
We'll little woman, if you will
get up Christmas parties, and leave
me out, vii! come to plague you.
All! my friend, how are vou?' he
said, taking the invalid by the hand.
NO one could resist Mr. Christy,
ne NJ, was SO full of life and happiness.
his wife frequently called him her
big boy" The invalid looked up
with queer smile.
I'm not just able to tell, sir,
WHITTIER I'm IL the body or clean
gone; but one thing | know, your
lady there has given me all the sixty
Christmas | WAS wanting and nut
EN- INTO one. There's a bit of feel
ing left in me heart, sir. whatever
the legs may be wanting
And how long have YOU been a
prisoner, my friend:' asked Mr..
Christy, kindly.
Jist since last autumn, sir, the scaf-
fold fell wld me aud a hod of mortar,
an it's never step have | had since.
But my girl trots for me, sir
You have good daughter, hear
said Mr.. Chrlsty.
'Niver man had better, yer honor.
She is that bright and clever | list
say TO myself: Well, well, while my
darlint lives I'll not mind poor,
bruised-up body, though it grieves
me 10 have her out i'll all the wild
storms, with her poor, weak back
The old man had not ceased speak
ing when the door opened, aud
| short little body with hunched
back appeared. Mrs. Christy could
not even guess her age by looking at
her. She was busy when she enter
ed in hanging some flanncs at the
fire, and, us the girl stood for one
moment in the doorway, looking
half-angry. hslt-pleased, the lady
stepped forward, saying: 'Youmust
forgive us for taking such liberties.
TIE children wanted to give YOU
Christmas SURPRISE
Stil the girl did not move: but
looked from one to the other of the
group, until Teddy and Sissy came
running from the next room, shout
ing:
Oh! Cnickery, Chickery, the tele-
graph-bed had come and whole load
of coal is down cellar, and it's all
yours
Mr.. Caristy moved quietly awav
from the old mans bedside and stood
looking out of the window. His
wife ;ook the bundle which the girl
carried from her hand and led her to
) her fathers bedside.
; The queerness of 1t all has quitc
scared We, my darlint," said he But
mlver ye mind. Here's the same tor
mentiu' old father, an these are some
friends the children brought US.
:: Spake up an tell 'ern what | have no
tongue for
Come, papa. come Sc" Teddy's
, mouse, SAID Mrs. Chri,iy, wisely
thinking II would be bet er to leave
E father aud laughter alone few mo-
meats. When they returned, 1t was
ChIckcry's : self who called them. aud,
rs she stood there, with her ewes
moist and her long hair, which had
fallen down while she had been nest
ling on her old fathers shoulder,
hanging about her, Mrs. Chri,tv
q wondered again if she were twenty
six or sixteen. The dimrlcs i'll the
: checks coniradicted the tired, amx-
ious eyes AID the rough hands beto-
kened years of labor.
4 s'po>c it's all Tcddy's work
y ma'sm, telling you Just how We were
aud all about him (hcre she pointed
TO her iather). but, however We knew
y II, nsb0dy but the blessed angels
:. could have brought you here and
1 made You do all This. Aud I'm glad
: TO say Thank YOU over and over
but the right words won't come to
e me-
IL Her thanks Were interrupted by
" Sissy, who called out: oh. .Chickerv!
q Here's a warm frock for daddy, lust
like all the gentry wears, and fan
e uels.'
II Aud Mr.. Christy laughed when he
found the 'frock' was his own warm
u but somewhat worn dressilg-gown.
Aud his wife took occasion to tell
:, Chickery that Maria was from the
!. Oid Country, and had made her a
Christmas present OF q blanket: and,
u II she would like company, Maria
might stay and dine with her, for the
y family would not be home until late.
D. Chickery was delighted with the
10 arrangement, for the TWO girls had
: already taken Il good look at each
~ other and knew tney should be
friendr.
e. 4 was thinking said Chickery,
while was polishing up the glass
le in one of the cars this morning, now
l. nice it would be if could bring home
u little present for Teddy and Sissy
Fe but rentday was uear, ,andl didn't dare
spend penny. Aud just then one
III of the freight-men he came up nnd
III says: Here. e.Dumpling-thcy always
1t call me dumping down there-'herc,
says he, take these bags OF popcorn
and these nuts home TO those little
:" folks of yours So you see | did ant
il seems like not worth the showing
e. by the side of all your beautiful
:, things.
III When did children ever complsil
OF too many good things?
IL Never, | fancy, since little Cain ana
Abel ran about that famous Gardel
Is OF old. Teddy aud Sissy were de
Oh lighted with the new additions to tn,
Ii" IL st; and when at last Mr.. and Mrs
u, Christv went away, with their littl
u" ones, Kim anu Puggie were SO wil'
~ with pleasure they could not run tas
IN enough to tell grandma the story o
P' Chickcry's Christmas.
Was that the last of it all p SAYS
u, dear little voice in my ear.
as The last of it p! No, my precious
~" Good things grow aud grow. On
ne day somebody found ont that Chick
"e ery's back was pretty bad. and " ash
.e,' ing out the cars was too hard for her
~ so house not lar from Mrs. Christy'
rF was hired for them. and there, da
w after day, you can see daddy lyiri
me on his telegraph-bed,' while CHECKER
= does up fine shirts and muslins in tn
~, next room. Teddy and Sissy ar
eu e with her, and actually 90 to school
Inc for Teddy earns money by doin
crrands, and Chickery couldn't ge
t'u on without him, he is so handy ahou
ne bringing aud carrying home clothes
Mari, often goes in 10 spend nm even
MS ing with her new friend, who ha
~ turned out to lie a far-away cousin
and Mr.. Christy frequently stops, o
{" his way home, to carry the old man
aS. pictorial paper or "A bit of tobacco
o' They all call Mrs. ChrIsty the 'dea
little lady and Kim and Puggi
RS. never find fault with their food an
me clothing since they had heard Tedd
MS tell how he used to sleep in tn
y streets and 20 hungry. Teddy
her father had gone off 10 the coal-mne
me to work, and don't think you coul
find i'll ell the big city of New ork
vn, happier, gayer, more cOmturtabl
he little family than Chickery's.