Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-21

One crleu ALOUD, ,SWeet love, L cOmeE
And none could weep, for that they knew
her happy CHRISTMAS dream was true.
-Haaper's WeeEzy.
CHRISTMAS IN ANDERSON
COURT.
1t was not paiace-no it, was only
one dingy little room where Maggie Bur
ton lived. It was one Of the twenty or
thirty very humble homes in Anderson
court, not far from a busy, bright street
in great city.
It was the day before Christmas that
Maggie sat in this forlorn room tending
baby, and trying to keep her two broth
| ers still $50 she could THINK" as she
said.
Maggie was only ten years old, but she
had to be mother to these boys and to
the baby from morning till MI ht, almost
every day In the week, tor very haid times
had come to this family, and Mrs. Burton
had, for several months, been obliged to
leave her little ones and Ego out wash
ing" 1t had not always been quite so
bad-but Maggie could never remember
when they were not poor, though she
| Remembered they used to have a neat
room and plenty to eat and wear. Before
the strike Mr.. Burton got very fair wages,
and as Mrs. Burton was very good
manager, and they all had been well, they
got along very comfortably. But now
for four months all the men had been on
strike at the mills, and Mr.. Burton had
earned nothing since, except what he
would get now and then for little Jobs
that he picked up here and there.
| Maggie was singing to the worrying
baby in her arms, and the boys were
| playing horse terrifically, when she ex-
claimed, impatiently:
Snow, boys, I wish you would keep
still, so I can think"
"What do you want to think about?"
said Johnny, pushing his brother over,
and coming quickly up to Maggies side.
Pm trying to think about Christmas
and the beautiful things in the store-wln.
dows, and I'm trying to think how nice
1t would be to be lady, with lots of mon.
ey to buy dresses and dolls, and toys and
candy"
"Candy!" exclaimed Georgia, picking
himself up from the floor and stopping
his crying: ~ wish had some candy
Can't we get some, Maggie?"
"No, George, we can't have one bit
Mother says if we can get bread we may
be glad. do wish we could have some
thing nice tonight; and I do wish moth
er would come, I'm so tired"
"Maggie, do you think Well ever have
money enoug h to buy nice things?" ask
ed Johnny, his round eyes growing very
large and thoughtful, and his chin rest
ing on his dirty hand.
"I'm sure I don't know, Johnny;
guess not-unless the mills begin again,
| and don't think. then that we could
ever have carpet, or good clothes, or a
big looking glass like they have one
place where mother Washes"
"Where do some men get so much
money!" Johnny asked; ''because I'm
gong to get lot when I'm big-if can
find out where it comes FROM
'I'm sure don't know said Maggie
II guess they find it,
When Mrs. Burton came home, weary
and worn, George ran to her, pulling
her dress and teasing, sMamma. did YOU
bring me horse for Christmas?"
''I've brought you home some bread.
That is all the Christmas gift you chill
dren will get this year, and she cut
some large pieces from loaf, which the
little boys grasped with their dirty hands
and ate voraciously
"Now, Maggie" she said, ''lay the baby
down, and run out with the boys and see
the handsome stores, and the happy peo-
pie: You've been good girl, dear. I
could not get along without you. Poke
the fire little, for father'll be coming
soon, and it is getting very cold"
Maggie with faded shawl over her
head and ragged urchin by each hand,
went down the gayly-ighted streets,
where people IN crowds were hurrying
by, carrying bundles of presents to glad
den the morrow-where the windows,
lighter than day, were brilliant bazaars
of wonderful things.
Maggie and her brothers looked in at
the windows of acandY-store, and talked
about old snow-covered Santa Claus and
his pretty reindeer, and the candy ami
mails, and the popped baby, and the
pretty things for Christmas. trees. Then
they ran on to toy.store whose win
dows were wonder world of beauty.
''Oh, wish I had that doll with the
red silk dress on" said Maggie.
I'D like that drum, and that funny
man that keeps his head going, and that
donkey, and them steam cars, and that
fiddle" ratified Johnny.
"Oh, there's the tng I want-that
wooden horse" said Georgia. "Maggie,
can't lave that horse?-it won't cost
more'n two cents"
"No, George, if costs awful much, I
know, and we're so poor" groaned Mag
gle.
:'What makes us poor2" Is it because
we're bad9" asked George.
"No, I don't think father is bad; he
doesn't drink drop. I guess God made
us poor, or else we wouldn't be So"
Just then boy with sled: in his
hand and great package on his shout
der passed: Swinging the sled careless
ly, it hit George and threw him upon the
walk. He screamed frightfully, and
Maggie and Johnny rushed to help him.
SIS he much hurt2" asked a lady who
had few minutes before alighted from
a carriage, and who had fingered to hear