The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-12-28
FAITH.

WIS TIgutlHS up tu1uSS TOuuu NY
market-stall one day, hanging greens
an them everlasting wreaths my old
wife-1 ginerally call her Betsey-ties
with punches Of red berries, an getting
ready for customers, when voice be-
hind me says
'Got cheap Christnastree mister?"
"A Chrismas-tree' sonny? How much
you want to give2" says l Affirming
round. An bless you it Want no boy
at all, but just the Queerest mite of a gal
you ever set eyes on.
Maybe she might a been ten year old
but undtr the clothes she had on-kind
of buried in EN- LIKE declare if she
seemed more than six! There was q
skirt that come to the tops Of an old pair
boys shoes,-l guess they was.-an'
over that she had on a regular boys
coat that covered her leetle hands all up,
an on her head she wore q hat tied down
over her ears with q shoe-string
But never mind the garments; it was
sJhe gal l looked at. Such a pair Of
dancing eyes couldn't tell, bless ME if
could, whether they was black or grey
an such face! Just as round as one OF
my pippins, an just AS pretty a color
in the cheeks, an teeth that We're more
like kernels of corn than anything ever
see off the farm.
As for hair. wen it stuck out from uu-
der that old hat, an for the life of me,
I couldn't think Of nothing but leetle
frisky stems of my squash vines a-grab.
bling this thing an & curling round that.
An thar she stood, a Christmas picter,
between two of my Christmas trees!
II want cheap tree says she, an'
out come one Of them lettle red hands
a-holding two coppers. An whom she
looked at them an up at me, how her
eyes danced an twinkled had to laugh
myself, and you'd have thought, to have
J ben the satisfaction of that little one,
that she was goin' to purchase out an
out, a hull forest Of pine trees.
1.-TWO cents worth Of Christmas greens
won't 60 far towards decorating says |,
trying to get my face into ateral trade
seriousness. "Yon amt buying for a
church society, or nothing like that, be
ys asS Si5Ssy{ si,s saws x.,x;0, round me Al,
surveying my highest priced everlasting,
an runners. II Amt ixin up big place,
and don't expect to hang up miles Of
Christmases, nor have wheels of them
things with them red drops in 'em; but
I mean to keep Christmas this time.
mister, an I've been saving up for this
tree"
1t was SO funny, the matter-of- course
way she had, and it seemed 80 serious a
matter with her to spend her two cents,
that had to 60 behind my stall to laugh,
[ didn't want to hurt the child's feelings.
When got my face composed once more
back went, an tell ye, the minute
she see me coming, her eyes begun
to twinkle an her cl!rlS to crinkle an her
teeth glistened out, and l couldn't help
it, but laughed right there before her.
But she appeared to think that was the
way maybe market :.-.. .aG when they
sold customers Christmas trees, an she
laughed, t. }.
mister" 81, .av7"it I cunl,' ave this
one, it'd do fur me" printing to a,pretty
spruce worth, guess, two dollars in the
trade. 81 Amt much to put onto it"
says she, "but that don's make no diff
ference; it's the e-yutiful tree want"
cts rather bargain fur ye, sis" says
I; can if you haint ncthln to but onto it.,
you'd better save yolr coppers an buy
something to Eli up your stockings
''Oh, I don't wear no stockings!" she
said, laughing. ian ] borrar these ere
shoes when | goes out to shop. But tue
rest of the things is I1line-le't me-"
"Where's your father??' stid I, trying
10 be sober.
II never had none says She
IAN your lnotEer'''
'she's dead, mister. Miss Christie
says SO. live alone down ia Pin Alley,
an does jobs"
"What in tie world, says l., u-treak
ing out, do you want a Christmas
tree fur? Whose coming to it?' At
that She broke out laughing till
them o 4 shoes Of he,n viqgleh Oh her
feet as if they enjoyed it.
There Amt nobody but he coming,
tell you" she says. II want that there
tree for my own Christmas, an want
to jest whisper something to you," an
before knew it, she had my ear pulled
down near them leetle teeth ofhecn, an
was saying, soft like, as if some Of ou1
luarketmen nj GIT come between any
plan of providence an hers
maybe the Father Miss Chrissie told
about'll come an hang something onto
it. I've asked Him sure every night a..
see, and III tell you, mister, if He does
sure. You see, I've saved them two
cents to buy the tree for Him an me, il
He don't think amt too bad an toe
poor to git something. Miss Chrissie
says you never can tell when He's a.
listening an a.watching an making plans
for us children down here, an I'm going
to help along an have the tree all ready
"Oh, lap she goes on, 'the best Of
trees wouldn't be too good if He should
come, would it, mister?"
l did wish my Betsey was therel
never did have no natural dignity, an
aint in no wise hardened in my old age
Well; the truth Is, felt it come on me
to appears sort Of rough to that gal just t.
save my own feelings.
II aint got tree for two cents" ]
says, turning away gruf like. "1'm
afraid you'll have to 90 somewhere else.'
Now do you think that gal acted any
=. ways put out? I peeked round at hel
while went on hanging up on everlast
ing wreath. Bless you! what said never
troubled her mite Out came them
teeth a-sparkling, an her eyes laughed al
prettlly as I'd presented her with five
dollar tree , an she says
"Ihauk we, mister! thank We! Where'l
1g:9?": :,
The confidence Of that gal! that she
should think was standing in that colo
market OF mornings to help her alon}
Will ueT CurlStn!a9 Lfbei Inc custom
ers We're heginingto pour in, so I said -
ISIS" says I. Il haint got tree fo1
two cents this morning, but when come
in tomorrow I'll bring you one if
can"
II just hnoHed it! knowed itp' she
said, an clattered her big, loose shoe.
around, an in minute she was gone
All day long, every once in while
OFT I'd 20 into fit Of musing and smiling
for that little gals face would come afort
me like a bright bit Of sunlight in rainy
day. An to tell the truth was little
impatient to get home to Betsy, for
felt I'd like to tell her Abont the gal.
When drove into the blrnyard that
evening Betsey-that's my wife 8 name
she was feeding the calf an when the
critter saw me getting DAT Of my wagon
it was so full Of fun that it kicked up its
heels, bobbed its head an twisted itf
tail an ran round the yard as if it was
capering for my benefit. Well, some
how il reminded me Of the f1nnv Way!