Omaha daily bee., 1882-12-30

eat on Christmas eve. Oh, II maddens
mei'
He covered his face with his hands
and wept as only q strong, desperate
man can.
"And do you think I would ask my
father for help when he has never
sought us OIL spoken to me since our
marriage, and Janey Is eight years
old. oh, Charley, we will starve to.
gether."
Janey ran n fast as her fat little
legs could carry her to the poor
woman, and then the glare Of the
shops caught her eye. The electric
light way down tho street shone out
like q moon, and II gave the snowy
streets q sort of unearthly beauty. A
little way she ventured, and then as
she drew nigh the plate.glsss windows
she wandered on and on until she NO
longer thought of home, and the sol.
emn quiet there, but Of great, tall
Christmas pine trees, and frosted
cakes and dolls as big as herself, and
play.houses and toy furniture. She
was only . little girl, you see, and she
hoped to meet Santa CLAUS. She saw
q fat old gentleman squeezing in to
look at the silver plate In . jewelers.
window, and she drew nearer. Oh,
what a jolly red face he had, and red
mittens and snow-white hair. Per-
haps that was the very old gentleman.
She grew holder and pushed her tiny
hand into his, looking Up into his face
i%nnooently.
"Please, sir, amt you Santa Claus1
Won't you buy me somethingl"
well. if I ever; here's u pretty
state of things; every young brat In
the street begging for trash and frip.
peries. No, I'm not Santa Claus,
Miss, and who are you, pray"
"I'm Janey, and I'll go home now"
said the bro&n-eyed baby, whimper-
ing.
81 thought you was him, and I amt
had no doll for ever so long, nor no
cake nor anything"
IA pretty how.de.do when every
young one in the street Is taught to
expect presents. Upon my word-a
nice state of society. It's no use ask
ing this creature her condition. She'll
tell me . pack of lies of course. She
ought to be taken up. Officer, what
ought to be done with her? She has
evidently got no home. Well, never
mind I'll just humor her; it will be
better than looking In q windows.
Come In, Janey whatever.your.name.
10, and pick out your doll and what.
YER jim.crscku you want; something
for your ma, too, and wen get q
wagon and take them home"
"Oh, what O darling old man! Gan
I kiss you just onoe7" asked Janey,
gravely holding up her little brown
face. "Mamma said I mustn't kiss
gentlemen, but you amt q gentleman,
are you2"
"No, I'm q brute an old wretch,
my darling: that's the plain truth. l
may have somewhere q little grand.
child like you, but I don't deserve to
have her, and nobody has wanted to
kiss me for q great many years."
II think you are nice" said Janey,
holding one fat finger In her chubby
hand. "Don't anybody love you2"
"No, I guess not, Janey."
"rhen l will, and mamma will,
too"
by this time the bundles had grown
so that the big, old gentleman called a
carriage and put them In, although
Janey's wax doll could hardly be per.
suaded to lie down on the front seat;
even then her blue kid slippers stuck
against the window and the paniers of
her dress were frightfully crushed.
There were just piles Of pretty things,
furs and cloaks and shoes, warm
dresses and turkeys, oranges and lots
of good things; In fact, everything
one could want ON q Christmas eve.
"We mustn't ride" said Janey,
stoutly holding on the fat finger. "IIl
lose my way If I do. / never rode
home from nowhere In my life. Lets
us walk and let dolly and the turkey
ride. Goodness me, l hope she won't
grease her ball Dress"
eff she does, we'll get a new one,'
said the gay old man, trotting along
with Janey through q poorer quarter
of the city than he knew. The SNOW
still fell steadily and piled up on stone
terraces, fences, barberry bushes and
hung in beautiful wreaths from the
trees, that stood whispering together
about Janey, who looked like q little
live snow ball-with legs to it, holding
on to q live Santa CLAUS, in q long,
grey overcoat and fur tippet.
BY and by they trudged up q long,
white hill, the wind talking to them
as they went, but no echo told OF
their footprints In the deep snow,
Janey kept blinking her brown eyei
every moment, becaYe You see tbs
tiny snowfiakes crept in and felt sc
queer. Now some big tall thingi
stuck up through the now and Janey
knew them-they are her lilac bushel
- changed, though. Now she saw q
faint light In a window, aud a wee
little thread of smoke stealing out o.
the chimney to sail away ove the
great city and hear all the secrets
There was no sound of baby voices o.
laughter in this house-only a woman'
sobs now and then.
"Fhat's mamma-she thinks that
am lost" said the %contrite Janey, hug
ging a Christmas cake to her breast.
Now the slick grey horses, looking
like ghosts, had pulled the dolly anc
turkey and other things up the hill
and they were stopped with a loul
uhoaI at tho Elas huahaA
The door few ooen wide and some
I'D Ianau mn and aunasha,