Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-22

eyes shine in the gloom.
Presently he speaks
"Iony"
"Wcli, BlazcrY'
Glow would You like -hostatngly. he is
50 afraid Tony viii suapoct-"hD would yer
ike 10 hang up yer stocking, jest FOR fun, you
know, Tunyw
"Ob w-Tonys eyes grow bright in the
gloom . 'twouid BE- prime"
oyer might parteud you know, Tony yor
alters wur good at purloudin'."
lcB, Tony "allcra wOr good AZ pcrtondin''
poor ronyi il was prot'y nearly all he ever had,
the pretending.
"Yos"-Tony is quito cacted Say.
Blazer, yer could roll M some papers, couldn't
ycr2 iWould be Jolly 10 open en- n tho morn
ing and make belief they wor presents"
"l,s, indCod how the boy is laughing 20
himself; Dec is so afraid Tony VIII SEQ or bear
him. ''fou can pin. 1t onto yer pillar, Tony
I've got tho ftcctiu'.n
Blazer produces IL forthwith, and Tony's
weak thin hands hag ID % che "pilow"
"Put IN big uad q paper, I.nzcr,' says
Tony "thaGi be- fur oranges and oh. dear
] uHsNtn's tor cen myself with O little laugh,
f1r iuny is In wy1 good sniiits
IS Tor Hazcr, no ia almost Wild with excite
mont
"Parcr Tor oranges, indeed" he chulotts.
inwhrd'y in tho darkness. Ito is glad Tony
cannot s8 lil flc1.
Ai,.r Tony is asleep De- will 20 out and bug
aI tn.ao tting7. a n.1san, toes lac ID sure
Tony ".l.i l.la pHrgun.
Ana Tony s .4-ap af last Ela7,r. waiting
p tanty beside MIN, EIlus ii8 hand from his
gfr"D duI r.}.A t. i8 chilly IN the Itlm-y,Iy
chilly; he wondcrs will Tony ho oId Il is
CEH.nas Eve, t4oi Tony olslt 20 hc warm to-
uEl'. After pause hg ielIHB OF tho m--cd
coat hn wears and carefully wraps 10 about
Tony.
H6hrrhs again "a ne looks nj tho stoc,in...
Ho wib H9. care for the cold. Then ho goes to
the door, bnI with his hand upon the latch he
st9pA lt is tho remembrance Of the WAN.
plti.1 Emilo that causes him 10 pause; DE is not
a lad given 10 gontimantaiity-oh nn-but TO-
night something seems 10 move him. he comos
baCl, through tho darkness, and, bending. softly
kisses Tony Then he gos ont, down the
stairs, out into tia crowded street. with 4 heart
light az Tie garments no wears
Christmas Kyo Tic bpsto and hurry. the
shops and windows, so fuI Of p1'iiy thiugA-
fairy worlds, almurt. CLris,mAs I've, with Che
crowds Of mon ond W0mCn-the Santa C1auses
Of every household Christmas Eve, with the
light and laughter, and tho tinkdng sleigh
bells, and the Joy everywhere, the goodwill
10 men"
Blazer stands on the corner; he has tho bag
tightly gusped in iis hand
Five dullrsw lie cannot hclp saying it
over and over he dous not think, either, that
hs Is saying il a'oud.
"i'yo d1llarsw Firu tho oranges. then the
apples. There ~ an ovi-ln1dng faoo coming
mp quito Gloss 10 Blazer; thoro is a wicked snilS
upon Lhc face, but ho loos mot SEQ.
Eve d0lars theu The PopEun-ohW
Blazer ~ ios,ed against iAc well; there is
only time for this cry then he stauds, cmSy-
haudCd.
Yes, i is gono-al gone. Tor a moment he
stands like one suddenly turned 10 atone, then.
with crT Ike TIA. Of a Wild animal, he starts
upon n.-l run.
Jnssling the people right and loft unloading
Moi inn. 81
loclf, De PUSHES straight into tho arms Of a
bury policeman wiki a yise-ikc grip.
All, all yJung man Caught a. lest r.
says " Bobby" and, "Holl linn tight police
man, cried another voice.
Dazed and bomidarcl, Emarting under the
sense Of lis own wrong, dinly ccns,iuus Of tliis
injustice, Blazer franticauy kills and twists,
Cud-ayuriHg 70 escape.
In vain. Tho chains that bound Promethcus
were not stronger than thcse eagicling arms
"Thntd him." says Home ono, in tone Of
triumph" that's the Little wretch who stole my
money"
"'l'was another Teller :" cries Blazer, think.
ing only OF his own.
The policeman laughR grmly Blazer L
marched Oh 20 the statiun-housc He Ii
searchodi Is is short wnrk-thcra is not much
tn search; no money. Well, but Ills excited &C
cuser is positive. Blazer Is shut up for the
night.
He thinks Of the stocking, tho promised
feast, the boy who hes dreaming OF tho
mouows "pUrtcndin'." Alas there will DO
not even that. Tony alona through all tho
night Tony alone in the morning. waking up |
to lind the stocking empty-pOor. poor Tony! |
In the dim silence Of the night the hot tears |
roll down the dirty face, and now and then a |
cob breaks the stiffness.
Ten o'clock. Tony opens his eyes.
Blazer "-itsis very soft only whisper. |
but Blazer always hears" Blazarr
No answer. Tony lifts his head only a very |
little, and tines To hook through the darkness. |
Perhaps Blazer has gone onti he does not know 1
how late it is.
In tho darkness, Tony lies and thinks. He
thinks OF great many things He wonders |
bow the streets look; he scas the children with 1
thcir happy facCsi ne haap thair merry |
laugh; he counts the stockings hanging by the |
bell. How it p0als out over tho city l-h.w il |
echoes and ro-eohoes through thu vast dark
ness Tho children are all asleep now, tucked |
snngy in bod. Tony shivers little. He is
cold; he wonders If his stocking were hanging
mp among thoee bright-Colorod ones ffhe good
santa Claus would fill it, too. Ho wonders then !
4 Blazer has put in the paper balls; then he
thinks where il Blazer. He lifts his head
aglin-only a very little this time. He calls
again, blazer r How very weak his voice
sounds, even to himself, and his head feels 50 |
queer Oh and it is so lonesome here alone
Why don't Blazer Gomez A great sob rises in
Ionys throat, but he shuts his eyes; he will
not cry.
Such strange idaa comes 30 him here. He
Wuuders-do thOy keep Christmas in heaven.
Twelve O'Clock. Again the whi.per-a faint |
whisper now" Blazer ~ Again the stiffness.
Then there comes q great light, as if a hun
Ned bonHres--no not that kind of light-a |
great golden splendor-a dazzling radiaI8h.
There is a tree-a great Christmas tree.
There are stars shining upon it. There is a
liver, too, flowing between it and the boy.
There is boat, and face smiling upon him.
He is not afraid.
"Bazer "a very faint murmur-"Tm A.
going across. Tn al right"
Silence again The clock strikes one, and
wo, and three four, hye, xix, bat Tony does