Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-22

you've lost your mother, and as how there
don't seem to be no home left for you somehow,
and you came tramping miles and miles till you
came here with your little fists as cold as yester-
days potatoes, and with your toes awful good
friends with the holes in your shoea; and you
tell me all about it, straightforward like and
takes you in and we eat beautiful together, and
| you never once kicked O. nights. Then you read
out o. the books yonder as was left when the
missus was here-spellin' for the hard words,
but astonishing smart ON the everyday ones;
and sat and listened, and says | TO myself as
how it's my old Jim again, as if he wasn't gono
with his mother where there's no winds a.
BLOWN mo squalls, nor danger from rocks on
an unbeknown coast, where everything is
smooth sailin', so the preacher says-and
know it myself every day in the week."
By this time Jerry couldn't see the fire very
well. 'There's the only place as how 1 can't
stand salt WATER" said he drawing his sleeve
across his eyes and winking hard at the crack
! ing logs. 81 don't think as how I've cried since
the day of it,"
Budd crept to the old fisherman's knee and
felt strong pair of arms about him.
II don't know just where l was, lad, in my
talking, but if you say the word wen Just keep
together, you and me, and pull on without
mindin' what nobody says. Is it a bargain,
little chap?"
Aye! That it was
The village at Ocean Point is fast asleep. No
light from any of the cottages lining the streets
near the shore nor from those scattered back
toward the country. Well might the place be
sleeping, for the old clock in the school-house
is just striking 3 o'clock. But stop bit. there
is light it is coming down the street. Now it
is joined by another and still another The
| streets seem suddenly to have become alive
with dancing lights. Nearer they come. Now
we can see gigantic legs reflected on the snow.
The lights are lanterns, and the legs-ah, there
is no mistaking them, they are school-boy legs,
and without the bobbing lanterns, very small
some of them are, too; but yet legs that you
might almost expect would break out into
whistle at any moment. Here they come;
can'ts count the lanterns because they don't
keep in one place long enough. The legs and
lights come toward the school-house. They
crowd through the gate and up to the door.
Here one pair Of legs fumbles around good
deal and at last pocket opens and q hand
goes in and brings out key, and the next mo.
ment finds our old friends, Barton, Moore and
all the other school fellows whom we saw the
other day, gathered about the stove.
'Heres luck for u.s." cried Moore; ''the fires
kept over first-rate. So let's get to work."
Bright is the room with the lantern Light.
dozen boys are here, and under dozen arms
are as many
That was pretty near q tell, wasn't it? It's
the hardest thing in the world for me TO keep
secret
of the little fellows held their caps 30 that no
sawdust or shavings should drop on the floor
And how the hands on the old clock seemed to
spin around as the boys worked on
Four o'clock already and the hands still gal
loping. Barton was carpenter-in-chief, and
even with the twelve pairs of willing arms it
did seem, at one time, as though they wouldn't
be through in season.
Five o'clock, as sure as you live 'fLights
out, fellows, moons up" called Moore, as lock-
ing the door behind them the boys filed down
the yard once more, out through the gates and
schoolroom they double-worked down by the
old fishermans cabin, and the moon shone
bright and clear-almost too bright the BOYS
thought as they toiled
'Lucky it's warm night, or the snow
wouldn't stick worth cent" said Barton,
stopping moment to rest. 'Now, fellows,
Just one turn more"
The ''one turn more" was made, and they
stood looking at the result of their work
'Isn't she O bouncer" cried q little fellow,
who had been very busy all the time trying to
find something to do.
''Hush they'll hear" said Barton, cautiously,
"Who's got the placard?"
1t was found and placed in position, and
with many an admiring backward look, the
boys went home again, leaving the old cabin
with the mysterious something guarding in the
moonlight the black wooden door.
"Moore,' said Barton, as they separated, 81
don't think Budd of Nowhere will feel bad
again of coming to school because he hasn't
anything to wear, do you?"
~ rather think not, old fellow" rejoined
Moore.
And it was Christmas morning.
Old Jerry rubbed his eyes. "Come here,
Budd, and let me know what 'you think Of it.
Did you ever see the like in your life Z"
Budd came to TIE door. There, just in front
Of the step. war a huge ball of snow, rolled
from the covered field near by. perfect
mountain of snow it was, and no wonder that
the school-boys had puffed and rested and
rested and puffed over it for an hour that
morning. Over the whole waved a flag, on
which was printed in large letters with much
more ink than skill:
"LooK SHARP,
BUDD OF NOWHERE,
FOR A
MERRY CHRISTMAS"
Sand bless my heart if it amt Christmas,
too $50, ,ttriol n