Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-12-27
TOMMY'S CHRISTMAS.
BY CHARLES BRAINARD,

1t was not a house nor schoolhouse. 1t
was high and dark, and like cavern.
= On one side plain wall went up into the
/. dark somewhere overhead. On the other,
,Bt0od a row of great wooden pipes with black
mouths all in a line, like the mouths of drag
Ons, with teeth and great ears at the Sides
Beyond these was piece Of heavy woodwork,
and further on great arches stood in the dim
light. And in one place was bit of colored
hight and part OF an angels face, shining
IKE gold.
=, Close to the row of black-mouthed pipes
4, stood Tommy the bellows boy. 1t was ten
o'clock in the morning, and he was dragging
the wooden handle up and down as fast as his
little hands could move. AS it went down,
his long yellow hair fell over his blue eyes, and
as il went up. the locks flew back above his
broad, white forehead again. His task was
hard one. 1t was Christmas. The four singers
who stood in front of the organ, sang long and
loud, and the huge instrument roared and
.thundered so that he could hardly think
4 Poor Tommy 1t was sorry Christmas for
him. At the long rehearsal, the night before
his arms and body had ached so that when he
went to bed he could hardly sleep, and to-day
there is great deal of music. They are sing
ing about the Christ child, and peace and good
will to men. The great pipes seem to thunder
1, around him. He would like to stop and listen.
4. only that little piece of white lead before him,
that shows whether there is wind enough in
the organ, keeps dancing up and down, and he
must blow and blow or the music will STOP
The anthems are long, so very long, and his
arms ache, and his head aches with what seems
to MIN, in his WEAKNESS, the growls that roll
Tout Of the dragons mouths. Still they keep
singing about good will toward men, and
Tommy tolls away at the heavy bellows. II
they would only stop just short time. On
and ON flows the glorious music and Tommy
pushes mp the bellows with sigh and presses
lit down by hanging on to it with all his little
weight.
There The choir had stopped. Now there
viii be a little rest while the minister prays.
The tired boy sinks down upon the floor his
head resting on one of the dragons ears upon
the side of the huge organ, and shuts his eyes,
There is no seat, not even stool, and he must
sit on the floor He does not mean to sleep,
only to rest-rest that his poor little weary
body longs for. The organist will knock on
the wall when he is to begin again.
after trying in vain to keep the heavy lids from
{ closing over the weary eyes, fell fast asleep in
the great dark organ loft.
Suddenly there was little knock on the
p wall Tommy's head sank lower, and his poor
ittle blistered hands fell listlessly on the floor
Another and louder knock. Tommy paid
no heed and the knocking increased. Then it
g was quiet for moment, and a mans step was
heard on the creaking floor! Then Tommy re-
eeived cruel blow on the head, and woke up
to find the organist standing over him ready
to strike again.
He crept out of reach of the threatening
hand and tried to get up, but his little legs re-
fused to hold him.
Take Il, hold of the lever and blow for your
you'll what2' said sweet voice behind
him.
~ Tommy looked up and saw the soprano singer
beside the organist. Tommy gazed upon the
grand lady in her elegant silks, and thought
that somehow one, of the angels had stepped
down from the painted windows.
'tFor shame !" said she, Ito strike the boy.
Poor little fellow. he was tired, and no won
der. Think how you have used the organ last
night and to-day"
'But the voluntary 1t must go on. There
The prayer is over. What shall do! Get
up. Hurry! It's no time now to rest.
Tommy got up and took hold of the bellows
handle to keep from falling down. The organ
ist skunk away but the beautiful lady remained.
Tommy looked timidly up and said:
II was tired, ma am, and it's Christmas day.
and
Here he began to drag up the heavy handle
and the music broke out i'll fierce roar-and
then died away with groan and squeak
and that was all Tommy knew about it.
The next thing he knew he felt himself held
in something soft and warm. He opened his
eyes, and the face of the beautiful lady was
He felt the soft silk next her face He was SO
tired, and it was SO nice and warm that he shut
his eyes. What was it? Was he dead and
gone to heaven? Was this one of the angels
his mother spoke about when she went away
Perhaps it was his real mother.
He opened his eyes. No. There was the
organ. The great pipes were booming beside
him, and oh, how queer! The tenor man, with
his white gloves was blowing the organ.
t;'Do you feel better, my child?" whispered
The lady.
"Yes'm."
"And were you sick p
"No'm l was so tired. There was a
'hearsal last night, and it's Christmas, and they
always have lots OF music, and fell asleep.
was very tired"
"Poor child Don't they give you seat ?
''No'm. / always stands, and"
'Look out" said the grand gentleman a
the bellows, 'your part comes next"
eyes, see. Never mind; l will sit and sing
here They will never know the difference
Say, little boy, do yen feel comfortable
g Tmnmy smiled aud SAID Yes, it's very
? pleasant But y0n viii he tired