News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-12-17
Dicks Christmas Tree

It was a beautiful morning in Decem-
Der. The air was clear and cold, but
the sky was without a cloud, and where
the sun shone on the sidewalks agains
the buildings, the ice was melting, and
it seemed almost warm. A boy about
nine years old was standing before a
store window, The window was full OF
Christmas attractions, and the most
beautiful of all was a tree, with cand les
and candy and toys, and Santa Claus
himself standing by its side laden down
with presents.
The little boy standing outside was
rather a sad contrast to the cheerful
scene. His clothes were ragged and
looked insufficient for winter weather
his shoes were shabby; indeed, one was
not shoe at all, but boot; his hands
were red and bare; and under his arm
was a box containing his stock in trade
"a brush and some boot blacking. But
after all the boy did not look unhappy.
There was curiously thoughtful light
In his eyes, and he seemed not only to
be looking at the window before him,
but at something beyond, which inter
ested and almost amused him.
Eyes" he said to himself, ''I'll do it.
It's a good three weeks to Christmas,
and guess if l try hard can save up a
dollar. I'll go and talk to Mrs. Don
nelly about it tonight; she'll help, l
know" Then he moved on to little
sunny corner near by and waited patient
ly for job. Mrs. Donnelly lived in a
tenement house at the North End. Her
two rooms, which had to answer for
herself and husband and three children,
were up three lights. The last flight
was so dark that in the brightest
daylight one Lad to feel ones way
unless one was quite accus-
toned to it. Mrs. DonnellY had had an
other child, not her own, but an orphan
niece. She was a G eat help to her
aunt, for she could take care of the lit
tie children and wash dishes and scrub
the floor; but one day procession was
going by in the street below, and Ellen
left the little kitchen up stairs in great
hurry to go down and see it, and that
dark flight of stairs was her death. She
fell and Injured her back so severely
that it was a relief to Mrs. Donnelly
when a few days later her sufferings
were ended. Poor Mrs. Donuelly! She
BAD, as she said ''raised ElleR from a
little thing, took care of her and loved
her as if she were her cwn. and now
just as she was getting real comfort, she
had lost her"
The Donnellys were very poor. Mrs.
Donnelly went out to work, and with
scant wages not only made her own fam
lily more com Portable, but was ALWAYS
ready to share with those poorer than
herself That is why Dick Conroy said,
al know Mrs. Donnelly will help ME. "
Before tel you about Dicks Christ
mas, will tell you a little about him
self.
Dicks father died when he was a
little boy, leaving his mother very poor,
with two children, boy and a girl
By-and-by she married again, and now
the children were worse off than before,
for their stepfather did not love them,
and would do nothing for them. You
would think the poor children would be
very unhappy, but Dick had that great
gift-better than riches bright, cheer
ful dispOs ton, always making the best
of everything. After his days labor
was ended, sometimes when he had "a
good day"-that is good many boots to
black-his little sister would come and
meet him, and they would go together
to bakeshop and have sumptuous
meal OF rolls and doughnuts, and I'll
warrant you they enjoyed it as much as
you ever enjoyed your cake and
e-cream, or oysters at Weber's or Cope
lands. After that they would stroll
along the streets and look in at the win
dows full of beautiful things, and say
what they would have when they were
rich. Then they would go to their dark,
dingy home in tenement in the same
yard where Mrs. Donnelly lived, steal in
quietly if their father happened to be at
home, and go to bed. But it was sell
| dom there was an evening when
their step father was at home,
which was a comfort to them all, be-
cause he only made them unhappy when
he was there; and yet it was a sorrow,
too, because they knew he was spending
his time, and the money they needed so
much, in one of those miserable bar
rooms, which drag so many men down
to ruin, and their families to want and
despair.
1t was the evening after Dicks reso-
luton made in front of the beautiful toy
store. lie had been out rather later
than usual. 1t had been fortunate
day for him, for he had earned whole
dollar. Part of that he must give to
his mother, for he knew she had not
enough for the rent, which every Sat
urday must be paid, and twenty five
cents he Was going to keep. ] will tel
you for what by-and bye. When he
reached his own door he paused a mo.
| ant nd
said, 81 guess I'll go in and see Mrs
Donnelly now; it don't sound very
cheerful in there" Then he kept on
across the yard, up the three flights, and
knocked at the door.
1t was Mrs. Donnelly's voice that an
swered, "Come in and it was a cheer
full sight that met his eyes as he looked
in out of that dark entry. The table
was set for supper. There was toasted
bread aud little rolls, and apple sauce
and plate with cookies and cake on it
and two pies-a minCe pie and squash
pie-and another dish with red apple
on it. There was a nice fire in th
stove, and the teakettle was singing
and there was even a little odor of tea
Around the table, with very bright anC
cheerful faces, were all tho Donnellys
with the old grandfather and grand
mother beside, and on the floor befor
the fire, sitting up very straight an
purring loudly, was Mrs. Doune ly'
gray cat. "Hello," said Dick, and 70
very astonishment could not say anothe
word.
"Come in come in! You're just i
time, and it's glad we are to see you,
cried Mrs Donnelly and Patsy, he
eldest boy, together, while Maggie,
Uretty little girl of seven, who was yer
fond of Dick and his sister, jumped u
aud began to pull him in.
"Is It a party2" said Dick.
"Well, TIL tel you," said Mrs. Don
nelly. "You see, Miss Alice, where
work. she bad little company last week