Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-26


Hampers Weekly
CHRISTMAS IN ANDERSON
COURT.
1t was not paiace-no it, was only
one diRgy little room where Maggie Bur
ton lived. 1t was one of the twenty or
thirty very humble homes in Anderson
court, not far from busy, bright street
in a great city.
1t 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
tie baby from morning till nj ght, almost
every day III the week, for 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 neat
room and plenty to eat and wear. Before
the strike MI. Burton got very fair wages,
and as Mrs. Burton was very good
manager, and they all had been we'll, 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 terrifcally, when she cx-
claimed, impatiently:
"Now, boys, wish you would keep
still, so can think"
."What do you want to think about2''
said Johnny, pushing his brother over,
and coming quickly up to Maggie's side.
I'm trying to think about Christmas,
and the beautiful things in the store-wln.
dows, and I'm trying to think how nice
it would be to be a lady, with lots of mon
ey to buy dresses and dolls, and toys and
candy"
''Candyw exclaimed George, picking
himself up from the floor and stopping
his crying" wish had some candy
Can't we get some, Maggie2"
mo, Georgia, we can't have one bit.
Mother says if we can get bread we may
be glad. I do wish we could have some
thing nice TO- nj ght; and I do wish moth
er would come, I'm SO tired.'
"Maggie, do you think we'll ever have
money enough to buy nice things2'' 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 I 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'n
going to get lot when I'm big-if can
find out where it comes from"
"I'm sure I 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, "Mamma. did you
bring me horse for Christmas?"
We oIOuSHG yOu AOluC SoluC DlCdu
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 sec
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 fatherll be coming
soon, and it is getting very cold"
Maggie with faded shawl over her
head and a ragged urchin by each hand,
went down the gayly-lighted 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 a candy-store, and talked
about old snow. covered Santa Claus and
his pretty reindeer, and the candy ami
mails, and the popped-corn 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 ting I want-that
wooden horse" said Georgia. "Maggie,
oop,+ >,ovn that horeo2 ~ ,,o,,+ ~,
more'n two cents"
"No, George, if costs awful much,
know, and we're SO poor" groaned Mag
gle. .
What makes us poor2' Is it because
we're bad2" asked Georgia.
mo, don't think father IS bad; he
doesn't drink drop. guess God made
us poor, or else we wouldn't be so.''
Just then &ssboy with sled in his
hand and great package ON his shout
der passed Swinging the sled careless
", it hit George and threw him upon the
walk. He screamed frightfully, and
Maggie and Johnny rushed to help him.
'Is he much hurt2' asked lady who
had few minutes before alighted from
a carriage, and who had fingered to hear
the curious talk Of the chi lren.
ooh, I hope not" said Maggie, trying
to lift her screaming brother. "for we're
so poor. 'Twould Kill mother if his leg
is broken, and we would all starve,
know"
She succeeded at last in getting him on
his feet, and rubbed his leg and comfort
ed him.
When Maggie found he could stand,
and was beginning to stop crying, she
turned to look at the lady who still stood
by them.
She saw beautiful girl, so lovely and
so richly dressed it seemed to Maggie it
must be fairy; tor to tell the truth,
Maggie had always been expecting to
meet fairy
Her grandmother had told her about
the w,ertl folk, till she believed some
thing might happen to her as we'll as to
Cinderella. The lady stood locking at
the beautiful golden hair from which the
faded shawl had slipped. and scanning
the ragged little boys, and trying. to re.
call their words about being poor.
"Don't you have any nice Christmas at
your house2" she asked,
ono, indeed; we're too poor" said Mag
gle. g.. =
s'And you came out to sec the pretty
toys you cannot buy said the lady.
And Maggie, still half believing it
might be a fairy OF q magic god-motheI,
or some snch creature, told her all