The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-12-13
Charity Green's Gifts.

| Double fold, and only five cents O
yard. It was the cheapest piece O. plait
worsted l ever laid my eyes on |" ex
claimed to herself Miss Charity Green
the old maid tailoress of Allantown, apt
she unfolded the three-dollar bank-note
which she had received the day before
for a week and half's sewing at the
Squire's, and smoothed the ragged cor
ners, and looked at it affectionately.
"Six yards III make me full dress
and 1 must have it to wear at cousin
Nathen's, as they've sent me their usua,
| invitation to Christmas dinner.
guess Ill step over and get the stuff al
once and run up the breadths this
evenin', as I've got all them button.
holes on Joseph Blake's new coat to
make tomorrow, and I've no time to lei
grass grow under my feet"
| Miss Charity Green was very poor
woman who lived by her needle, and
rented the "middle room" in widow
Blake's small one-story house. She had
thin, faded face, with nothing pretty
or attractive about it, except when she
smiled, and then little children would
be sure to forget all about the wrinkles
aud the LONELINESS, and tangle hel
spools of thread and play with the scis.
sors, which always hung around her
neck, fastened with black ribbon, and
never dream of stopping or being in the
least alarmed by her frequent, "There,
there, children ! Dear me do believe
| little hands are the busiest in the world
Who ever did see u
Poor Miss Charity Green She was
that very sad spectacle, n lonely, almost
| friendless woman, without father or
mother, brother or sister, husband or
children in the world. Her life was
| turning its face toward half century of
years her health, never vigorous, was
gradually failing her; and cold, lonely
old age rose up sometimes and appalled,
her with its chill and gloom. She had
to work early and late, for the roof that
sheltered and the bread that nourished
her. Poor Miss Charity Greenl
But as she tied on her straw bonnet
that evening, there was quick knock at
the door, and the next moment little
brown curly head, with pair of eager,
bright, dancing eyes was thrust inside.
"Come in, Johnnie; what do you
want p said Miss Charity Green. And
| if you had heard her voice just then you
would have understood something of the
| secret of her being so general favoril e
with children.
"Mother wants to know, Miss Green,
if you'll lend her drawin' O. tea. She'll
pay you tomorrow"
hurry about that are," answered Miss
Green, as she took the little blue cup
from the boys hand. "Do sit down,
Johnnie, and warm yourself by the
fire."
And the boy sat down in the great
armchair, while the woman measured
the tea in the cover of her tin canister
Mother and sisters pretty well to-
day, Johnnie ?'
Yes, ma'am, only mother said she
felt little O. rheumatic IN her right
shoulder this mornin'."
"Dear me, SUI 1t won't do for her
to let the rheumatic get hold on her this
time O. year. I'll Jest step out into the
shed and get her little boneset. I
alays lay up some every fall, for there's
nothin' like it for rheumatic, as my
grandfather used to say"
And as the woman tied up the dried
herbs in piece of brown paper, it
struck her that her little neighbor was
unusually grave and silent /; 80 half with
the purpose of drawing out any con-
cealed trouble which might possess him,
Miss Green continued the conversa-
tion.
"Well, Johnnie, you all goin' to have
a merry Christmas at your house ?"
81 don't know" said the boy in dis
consolate tone of voice, twisting his
brown fingers in and out of each other.
"Whatl you and sisters not going to
hang up your stockings?"
"No, ma am mother said she couldn't
afford to give us any presents this year.
Ellen and Jane cried all the afternoon
about it."
"Wall, now, 1 declare That is too
bad," answered the sympathizing voice
of Miss Green, and she silently tied the
paper and snapped the thread with her
scissors, and as she placed it in the boys
hands she said 10 him, "Never mind.
Johnnie, dear. Pluck up good heart.
May be somethin' II turn up about them
Christmas presents after all.
eff was only little better off now,"
murmured Miss Charity Green as she
rocked herself back and forth in her
great armchair, "them are children
shouldn't go without hangin' up their
stockings. I'd willingly sell my dinner
to buy 'em some presents, for know
jest how much store children set by 'em.
1 shan't take minutes comfort thinkin'
O. the children's disappointment, and
yet 1 don't see how in the world can
prevent it. If didn't need that plaid
dress now here the woman unclasped
her head nurse and drew ont the hank
note and looked at it wistfully.
"Them children must hang up their
stockings but if they do 1 must go
without my dress, for it's just come to
that. One things sartin, 1 couldn't
take minutes comfort there in new
one thinking on Miss Russell's children I;
no, not if it was the finest satin that
ever stood alone," and here Miss Charity
Green brought down her foot with
solemn emphasis. 81 must wear my
shabby old silk, and those that don't
like the looks must turn their heads
t'other way for as long as 1 hold three
dollars in my hands them children
sha'n't go without merry Christmas. !"
"Oh is that you? Do come in, Miss
Green," and the little pale, sorrowful-
faced, care-worn Mrs. Russell lifted her
head from the child's stocking she was
darning as her neighbor entered the
room.
Little folks all abea?" whispered
Miss Green in low, mysterious tone of
voice, as she came into the room with
something carefully concealed under her