Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-12-24

Jessie dropped her o hiIce 10y
fall all the plates, and Jean came nj OF
the suiks to run to the door. Il
Uncle Jem was there. They kissed
him, and held his hand and examined
him ~curiously. Had he the doll in his
pocket, in his hat, in the leg OF ms
trousers?
No! he wac sione-strictly alone
nothing in his pockets, nothing in his
hands! Jessie and Alice looked blank.
but Jean did not fear to speak. -.
"The doll, the dollthst will not break
.'Well, do you like it," asked Uncle
Jem stupidity.
In establishment they eaze1 at him.
They were speechless. ii
Your doll has stopped on the way"
said their mother.
I'VE have not seen it, and oh if you
knew the life they have lei me"
.Uncie Jem was astonishec, "Why,
| bought it night before last. They
promised to send it on Christmas Eve
"You must have given a wrong direct
ionl"
ssTberc's a mistake somewhere. IU
20 there now, children and bring your
| doll back dead or alive
He started at once and all the little
| girls looked radiant. Jean dld not pout
any more. She helped Alice TO break
| her china!
Five n passed. The bell rang
| aoa,n. 1t was too soon for Uncde Jem.
The servant came 10 their mother.
There is a mar who wishes to speak to
you !" she said.
What Ices he want"
al don't know. bui he says its import
ant"
SHOW him in," said the mother.
The man entered. He was pale and
poorly dressed. but had an intelligent
face. He bowed with a sad sort Of smile
Il have a little story to tell you,
madam" he said in 2 trembling voice.
Il hope you will hear it with patience"
Mrs. Carr oil bowed and said simply,
81 am ready to hear you"
He began rapidly and eagerly, as II he
wanted to get a load Oft his mind.
MADAM" h. said, "last year at tins
time | was clerk in a bank. / had enough
to live upon, pleEty for my wife and
little girls. l pat all my savings in that
hank. for I believed in it. 1t failed. |
loss all l had and | lost my place, too"
He topped, looked agita ed, cast his
ewes down and turned his hat il a nery-
ous way.
81 was in despair, but l had a wife and
children and did not dare to o courage.
1 ran here and there. / could not find
work. They would say: Its hard
times; we're turning of what we have:
cume later" The days passed. | hal
nothing. l wa at the end of my means.
And then, the worst blow of all, my poor
vile"
He brushed his eyes. He seemed to
choke with the words, but at last falter-
ed, "She died.
Thel little girls had crowded about their
mother and at this point they locked
very sad.
81 spent my last dollar when she was
sick" he went on. at is hard to be SO
miserable at holiday times, madam.
when all the world seems full of jov. As
l walked through the Geld streets I saw
all the shops full of beautiful things.
, met people who carried flowers, bon bons,
presents. There were stands On all sides
with playthings. All ! that made me
feel worse than all-the toys ! My child
rem had no toys. My poo wife, a few
DAYS before she died, had whispered in
my ears: Il shall not be here to give
NV darlings a Christmas present. Prom
]. ise me you wont forget them. Give
: them something pretty for me!
, AS he said this the great tears which
, e had been striving to keep back sprans
into his ewes and rolled do Sn his cheeks
y Mrs. Carroll felt her heart melt at thu
story. She put her arms around her owl
little one- and drew them closer to he
breast.
You may guess it my poor wifi
thought of Christmas gifts in her las
moments the little girls did not forge
them. They knew that We were poor
miserable; but they did not seem to VI
de,stanu it. When | would come back
worn out with running here and ther
in vain, they would climb on my kne
and whisper. You wont forget US o.
Christmas, papa and l would answer
no, no; | will think of you; i never fol
get YOU Then the eldest said, with he
arms around my neck, we want a dol
Oh, it is a very large one, and they ca
it an indestructible doll because it wi
not break"
Alice pressed Jessie's hand when sh
heard The words IAN indestructible doll,
"a few days ago when l was leayin
an intelligence office for the tenth tim
ID without work, some one said to m tbs
IN Stolv, the great toy man, wanted porter
to carry packages. l offered myself The
took me. So every day, and evening
too, l walked the streets of the city an
ar carried playthings in packages IN M
as back, in my hands, in my arms. The
were rolled up aud tied. | did not st
them, SO they could not make me sad.
~ took fresh hope from having work to d
lis | thought l would get my wages befol
lie Christmas and then l might buy my Ii
tie girls a doll, a small one at least, i:
,;s csu'd not be the great splendid INT the
had been dreaming about
III We'll madam, when the time can
they told US the payments wouldn't
made till the first of January. TIL,
were to busy then with the holiday ira.
ie to be bothered. Think of it, MADAM
How were we to live? No money in Il
=" house at Christmas time; no presents f
X the children!
:. Il had not the courage TO meet thel
* | could not bear to hear their yoic
}" wishing me a Merry Christmas. The
kisses would have made me miserab
ce for the first time! | got up before da
light and left the house, aud walked 1
=" hours up and down the sire ets-feveri
Its miserable.
ce AT 8 O'Clock | went to the store. The
were plenty of toys y carry to 9th
;, happy children. They gave me a hea
3! load. At last here were only thr
packages left. tw of them were to be il
St near my own home; the other at a di
ri lance, here in this street.
" 1T was a great bundle-an enormo
one. was faint by this time. b
eaten nothing. [ thought / would st,
!, in nv W house quietly and eat a Ut
), sci without my children seeing me.
re. -
!,