Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-26

I
last unwonted tears gathered IN hi
eyes, and he had to s'mop his face,n as
he afterwards said, before he could ap.
pear before them.
land you know" Maggie was say
ing, pursuing her wonderful theme tt
her open mouthed listeners, "while
was at Great Ormond Street the Queen
sent us-oh such toys and we all play.
ed with them in our beds. There wal
dolls-oh such dolls with real curls
and blue eyes, and dressed like ladies
and there was big boxes Of all sorts o.
toy houses, and trees, and cows and
sheep, aud Noah's arks full Of animals,
and blicks for buolding houses ourselves
and didn't we used to play with them
Aud then, besides the Queen, the prins
cess of Wales sent us a lot, and oh ]
can't tell you all that there was, they
were SO lovely, and we were SO happy
playing with them.-Well, if we just
only had one or two Of them here We
should have such a Clismas as never
was. You see we havn't got nothing
but this DOLL" added Maggie, looking
down dolefully at a legless, armless,
noseless old doll that she had cuddled
up IN her arms, and if we did make up
Clismas party it wouldn't do to invite
her. Now I'll tell you what we might
do to get some toys for Clismas."
''What what ?" interrupted little
Jack, with noisy shout.
"Of course dad nor nanny can't
buy US any, said Maggie. dad hasn't
ever enough money to buy our bread,
else mother wouldn't have to 60 out to
work for some. Dad never gave US a
toy since we were born, course, EOS
he's got no money, only little Bit"
"Oh, havn't he? ?" said Bessie. Don't
you b'heve it, Mag. How could he get
tipsy if he hadn't no money? He's got
money for drink, but he hasn't got none
for US, 'cept jest bit for bread, and
coal, and sich-that's how it is. Course
he'll never have money for toys if he
takes il to old daddy Sill round the
corner
She spoke in tone Of unchildlike
irony, and Maggie replied. "Well,
daddy's allays kind to us when he isn't
tipsy. Bess: and if he knew az we
wanted some toys-oh: so much, with
all our hearts LIKE think he'd spare a
little sixpence or something to get US
ssom.
but l was goin' to tell you what q
lady told us one day at Great Ormond
street, bout little girl as wanted a
Clismas tree full of presents, and all
lighted up with tiny candles. Oh, she
did so wanG 1t, SO she said she would
ask for tin her prayers, and p'naps God
would send one down from Heaven. So
l think He might send US some if we
asked HIM !; COS. you know, He knows
as we can't have pioper happy Clfs-
mas with only this old doll, and nobody
to buy us anything"
But did God send the little gal the
tree Z" asked Tommy, with wide open
eyes.
"Csurse He did, If she asked Him :"
answered Maggie, with great assurance.
And He'll send us some, too-you'll
see for shall ask him to night, and
we all must, and tell HIM that we have
not got nobody to buy lis any. And
now I'll tell you what sort of Clismas
l should have if l was a very rich
lady
But just at this point the little damsel
was interrupted by the appe aranee Of
her father, who stepped forward. Mag
gle looked up anxiously into his face, as
she always did when he came in, to see
if he was sober /; and by the freight
she perceived an expression on his
countenace which gladdened her much.
He actually seemed to be kindly smill-
ing at the little folks.
''Chattering about Christmas, are you
he said, touching Maggie's head gent.
ly.
Eyes, daddy, and we think that some
things coming for u.s. a.1.as
"What something and where fromP'
asked the father, as he took his bag OF
tools from his back, and put it down in
a corner. Then he lifted the baby from
Bessie's knee and perched him on his
shoulder, which delighted master Bob
immensely. Stephen was tall, broad
shouldered man, and, when sober, look
ed like anything but the hard, habltual
drinker that he was. He had an excel
lent constitution, which had, apparent
ly, pretty successfully resisted the evil
effects Of excessive drinking. His face,
with its setting Of brown beard, was Of
a most intelligent and kindly character;
and indeed he was man possessing SO
many good qualities that, as his wife
often tearfully said, it was the greatest
pity in the world that such one should
be enslaved by drink
Maggie did not seem inclined to ans
wer his questions about her Christmas
expectations. She looked down shyly,
and said, you'll see, daddy" i
Yes, we shall see, Maggie" he re
piled ''but don't think Cha istmas
come tumbling out of the sky now q
days"
but God could send them," sug-
gested Maggie.
Il dare say /; but not that way, Pm
thinking, pussy"
The subject was now dropped, for
Mrs. Gregson almost directly came in /;
the children had their supper given
them, and then went away to bed.
>.I - L.