St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
Cheeky Bob.

A CHRISTMAS STORY WITH A POINT TO 1T.
by Madge Elliott
In the back-room of the third story
of il tall, dingy frame-hOuse, i'll lone
ly, half-built street in the upper part
of New York city, one snowy Christ
mas night Gt almost always SHOWS on
Christmas night, and it would scarcely
seem like Christmas if it didn't five
children were looking out of the win
dow, apparently into the darkness.
OF these five, three-Johnny, about
ten years of age, pale-faced boy,
with something the matter with his
back, poor fellow, which would pre-
vent his ever growing to the height of
a man Rachel, a seriOus-lOOking little
girl of nine and Molly, mite Of five,
with dark brown eyes and long golden
curls-were at one window, johnny
and Rachel kneeling on the bare floor,
and Molly standing beside them. AT
the other, upon high stOol-a shaky,
weak-legged stool it was tOO,-sat Bob
Cheeky Bob" they called him, "a
boy between seven and eight, who,
though he did look half-starved, had ii
pair of dancing gray eyes, and smile
that made a dimple in one of his cheeks,
and another in his chin, and reached
away up to the bridge of his nose,
where it disappeared at last among a
crowd of funny little wrinkles; and on
his knees he held Patty, the twO-yeaT-
old baby, who, though two years old,
was really no bigger than many big
doll have seen, and whose sweet wee
face made you think of snow-drops and
lilies of the valley, those pure, white
blossoms that live i'll the ground all
through the cold Winter months, and
come out to greet us the moment that
Spring is here again.
The furniture of this room was scan
ty and poor enough. There was but
one wooden chair small box, filled
with some shavings and cinders; anoth-
er box, turned up side down for a seat
the old stool on which Bob sat a
cracked iron furnace that had lost its
feet, and stood on three bricks in place
of them Il ragged straw mattress
half-cOvered with a ragged blanket
and a wash bench that served for a
table. A candle in IA battered candle
stick flickered on the shelf above the
wash-bench, showing by it's dim light
the tin plate that had held the loaf OF
bread that had been the children's sup,
per, and the mug without a handle
from which they had each in turn takeI
their drink of-not tea, nor milk, but
water.
You could not imagine more wretch.
ed home, even for the poorest of chill
dren, ut any time, much less on Christ
mas night. Indeed, looking at it, il
seemed doubtful that there ever haC
been a Santa Claus, or stocking hung
up, or anything of the kind.
said these little ones were appar
emily gazing into darkness, but in re-
ality they were gazing into brightness
for all five pairs of eyes were fixed up
on the brilliantly lighted back parlor o
the house just opposite, that is, the
rear of which was just opposite. This
house was a handsome brown stone
and in it lived four happy children
whom the Linnets Ninnet was thu
name of the poor children) had Otter
watched at play in the large garden
| separated from the small yard of til,
frame-house by very high fence
Dear me, such fun as they used to hav,
with dolls and balls and jumping rope
and parlOr-skates, ard a swing, ant
tea-sets for playing "tea" under tn
grape-arbOr, with real cake and milk
and funny dog, and four or five frol
icsOme kittens.
But the Linnets had seen nothing O
their small neighbors since the frs
day of December lit had grown yer,
cold about that time,) until tonight
when there was a large party at tn
handsome house, and the window
shades were all drawn up and the ligh
streaming out upon the snow in tn
most cheerful manner.
The poor little watchers could Sc
many girls and boys, dressed i'll ever
color of the rainbow, dancing gail
about and hear their merry laughte
mingling with the music of the viOli
and piano, and catch a glimpse of
tall tree, on every branch of whic
burned tiny red, white, and blue ia
pers, and on every branch of whic
hung shining glass balls, and bunche
of bright berries, and mysterious pape
boxes.
''Santa Claus's been there, sure,
said Molly. 'Does he allus go to ric
folks, an on'y wunst in vile to poe
ones 7"
''Guess he does" said Bob.
cam wy ?" asked Molly.
'Giv' it up" replied Bob less h
can't see his way by candles, an mui
hav' gas"
81 wished he Civ me some books
sighed Johnny ''it's so dreadful lon,
some settin' here wen you all goes Ou
with nOthin' but achin' back an
ole nOosepaper."
"An' me some cake an candy a
ice-cream," said Molly. "They'lr'-
jerking her curls in the direction of I'll
party-''hav' all them things ter-nigh
. An oh ice-cream's the gOodest
. ebberything | ebber tasted in my hu
life"
4 D.