St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-16
THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT.

put mean yellow paper, and mean yellow
doors, and a blackened ceiling, and second
hand furniture, will look dingy; and tasteful
rooms, with flowers and birds. and pretty
bits of lace curtains, and all that, cannot be
kept up by an honest young woman who
lives by making flannel shirts, and has lit
tie sister to care for also.
To be sure, Trot was the joy of Lois's life
the one thing she had left to love.
Once they had been so happy. Their faith
err, merry, black-eyed sea captain, had kept
a home for them in sweet country place.
Their mother, bright-cheeked aud curly
haired, had been like an elder sister to Lois.
Oh, what merry times they had had
But the dear fathers ship went down one
dreadful night, and when the news came his
wife only lived long enough to kiss the little
dead baby they put into her arms, and Lois
at Is and Trot at were left alone in the
world.
The house was sold. The orphans were
not too well dealt with. There were debts to
be paid; and, though one or two kind cap
tains made up purse for the little girls, they
had families themselves, were not rich, and
were men who were always on the wing.
Still there was enough to live on for year
and Jack babe Lois be of good cheer.
Jack was engaged to Lois This voyage
ended, be would be first mate, and then If
she would marry him, there would always be
home for Trot Lois would have married
Jack if he had had no chance Of promotion,
and, terrible as was her grief, his love kept
her heart from breaking.
But the clouds were gathering darker and
darker about her young life. Jack sailed
away one day, kissing her before he went,
with long, lingering kisses, and bidding her
think only of his return.
And, alas! that happens which happens
now and then on the great ocean-the vessel
was not heard of again. 1t was never,spoken;
it did not arrive in port; no vestige of its
existence was ever washed ashore where men
who understood such things could find it.
No hgulehead, no streamer marked with
name, no bottle in which some bit of
hurried writing told its fate.
After awhile old sailors knew nothing ever
would be heard of the ship, and they told
Lois, whose heart still chung to hope.
And now three years were gone, and Lois
stitched at the fannsl shirts in her city room
and Trot grew up thin and quiet and eager
eyed, wondering at fate, and always looking
back on merry Christmas days and mid-sum-
mer holidays and papa's home-comings, and
and the curly-haired mother who laughed so
much, and Lois, with dimples in her cheeks,
walking with Jack in the moonlight, and at
herself, rosy child, with store of dolls and
sugar;plums and pretty pink and blue dress
es, kisses innumerable, and she the pet of
the household, as though she were some one
else.
Yet Lois loved her, and she always found
herself in her arms when she awoke in the
morning. Only Lois was sad and poor, and
there seemed nothing bright in life.
On her 18th birthday, to be sure, she had
a surprise, beautiful book with gilt covers
and gay pictures. She did not guess how
much night-work Lois had done to earn it,
and how she was hard at work thinking,
thinking, thinking what she should do that
she might give Lois present on her birth
day. Lois would be 81 on the Sd of May.
To do this Trot knew she must earn some
money. She could not sew well enough,
and though she was industrious and did all
the homework and bought the provisions and
cooked them and helped carry home the
bundles, that made no money.
When Trot went to the bakers for bread,
or to the butchers for, say, a neck of mutton
or some sausages, or to the cheap store where
coffee was cheaper than it was anywhere else,
she thought of this constantly.
She asked the prices OF pretty things in the
shops, of collars and cuffs, OF neckties, of
books, Of jewelry, of the cheaper sort found
in trim ming stores,
Things seemed very dear to Trot, but one
who only hoped might as well hope for
pounds as for pence.
And, sometimes, Trot lying alone in bed
before Lois finished her work and came also
to rest her pretty, weary head on the coarse
pillow case, would wish that there we're
fairies like the fairies in her book, who came
at night to put shillngs into good children's
shoes. At last, the very day before Lois
birthday, it seemed to Trot that this happen
ed.
Trot had hole in her shoe, right in the
sole, close to the edge where it was fastened
to the upper. 1t let in the water in rainy
weather.
1t was trap for pebbles and splinters, SO
that Trot was often compelled to hop on one
foot to doorstep and take the intruder out.
And one day, when she had been buying
penny mince pie, not for dessert but for
dinner, something slipped in that.hurt her a
good deal, and that seemed to her like but
ton. "But If it is button" thought Trot,
''Ill keepit. Buttons are useful"
Some vague ideas that fairies really we're
around actually thrilled the child.
Then the substantial fact fixed itself in her
mind.
A preseLt of some sort Lois should have.
She could give 1t to her.
Trot had the treasure in the corner of her
pocket-handkerchief, took home the pie,
and kept her secret as she ate the pie, with
her coffee.
Then, when all was tidy, away she went,
I'M INF ~ fba ntrffh frnr
lance, and staring at the shops and pricing
things, and finding nothing for (sixpence)
that was worth buying.
At last, in a small shop-window, she saw
some little n-eushions-two scallop shells
set over bit of colored satin, with a loop Of
ribbon to fasten to oneis belt or a nail.
They might do, she thought.
Alas they were Is pence apiece.
But the half-grown girl behind the COIN
ter was good natured.
''Look here" she whispered to Trot, al
kow how hard II is TO get thingr when you
are young and amt earning yet She
charges is pence for these, but she buys 'em
of an old sailor, who makes them himself,
for sixpeuce. You GO down this street, along
the wharf to a little yellow house. There's |
toy boats in the window, and parrots, and
bananas, and he's an old man with wood
en- leg; and jest ask him. He'llselly you one,
Pm sure.''
''It's very nice Of you TO tell me-" said |
Trot, and with a grateful look she sped away: |
and though Lois would have expected TO see
her killed outright, did get safely through |
the crowds Of drays and carriages at the wa
ter side to the yellow house, where the little |
old man with wooden leg kept his queer
shop, ana as the sign over the door declared,
"boarders" also.
Lame soldiers smoked on steps. One
Whitfield at the end Of the work-room.
As Trot stood modesly waiting, q man, /
with long beard, who looked thin and Ill,
and very sad, hurried past her and went up |
stairs. Il was then that the old man asked |