The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-01
JOHN HENRY's NEW YEAR.

than five years of age. He lived in a
dark, alley. over which he sometimes
saw the blue sky on the dull clouds,
but oftener only dingy coal smoke.
His mother was a hard worker but she
took pretty good care of him. They |
lived alone in q single room. When |
she could she took him with her, but IL
Frequently happened that he was left
alone in the room all day with his din
ner-set out for him on the table. On
such occasions he would watch the lit
tie clock patiently, and when the short
hand began to near certain figure he
knew that he had not much longer TO
wait and he would press his nose against
the window pane and watch each shad-
wy figure as it passed.
HE day before the New Year seemed
longer than usual. In the first place,
his dinner was scanty and he was hum
CRY when his mother set il out for him
on the little tin plate. AS she stopped
to bid him good-by he noticed tears in
her eyes, and though he said nothing at
the time, lie began to wonder as the
day wore on what il all meant. The
hands on the clock never moved so slow
before. He ate his insufficient meal
earlier than usual, and wished there
was another one. Then he thought of
the great stores downtown and the
windows filed with beautiful things,
and wondered il there was no way in
which he could get into them. The |
markets and groceries in particular rose |
up before him in his vision like yerita- |
BILE heavens. |
His mind dwelt ON what he had seen |
only few weeks ago when he was |
downtown with his mother-how
Yearly every one they met was carrying
home huge bundles. and that his mother
told him they contained turkeys for the |
Thanksgiving dinners of the rich. |
Only few days ago nearly every one
he had seen passing along the streets |
was loaded down with large packages |
which he was told contained Christmas |
presents of toys and other playthings
for children. John Henry did not so |
much care for these as he did for some
thing to eat. The pangs of hunger |
were superior to the desire for amuse- |
ment and his mind reverted to turkeys. |
He thought he would know a turkey il |
he saw one. Then he began to wonder |
and think as he never had before. In |
some of the long and bitter days and |
nights that he had passed with his |
mother he remembered that in her |
prayers and instruction she had told |
him that the great God had said "Ask |
and We shall receive" She had asked |
many times and he had seen no return. |
He never had asked because he had not |
seen anybody to ask, and he wondered |
how his mother could expect to get the |
things she asked for when she only |
talked into vacancy. Alas, that the |
whispered prayers of millions, answer |
cd maybe in ways that they know not
of, should from older lips than this pro- |
woke similar marveling.
There was only one thing to be done,
he thought, and that he proceeded to
do. Ii was disobedience, but he be-
lieved that his mother when she re-
turned hungry and tired would forgive
him. II was plain to his mind that she
had not gone about things in the right
way. Bundling himself up in a WELL
worn shawl, for he had no overcoat, he
ran down the alley, the frosty air max
ing his little frame quake, and gaining
the brilliantly lighted street he walked
along peering into windows until he
came to a market. With his mothers
words ringing in his ears and with a
faith sublime in its simplicity he raised
the latch with difficulty and walking
straight to the big man behind the block
said:
"Will you please give me turkeyP"
Got any money!"
''No, sir"
''Who is it forp''
''For me and mother
Get out OF this, you little devilr'
and the man made q motion as If to
chase him. The boy retreated toward
the door and pressed on. In dozen
places he repeated his query, and as he
grew colder and his teeth began to
chatter he made up his mind that per-
haps after all his mother knew best |
Maybe she had tried all these places |
and met with no better success than he. |
He VvnnlH have frrpaH hack hYtfh a
one great market ahead. larger. hand |
somer, and moro brilliantly lighted |
than any he had yet seen. There were
beautiful carriages and horses with liv- |
cried drivers in front of it. and through |
the frosted windows he could see many |
fine ladies and gentleman and some |
richly dressed children.
Everybody turned as the queer little |
fellow entered, and when his blue lips
parted to ask the oft-used question |
everybody heard il.
''Have you any money! was the re-
ply, but in n kinder tone
Once more the answer came NO"
and then, with an effort, 81 have asked
everywhere. and if don't get it now
I'm going home"
The market man looked at him cur
iously. wondering what to make Of him.
Was il a child's freak or was he the
crafty emissary of an older good-for-
nothing-a wolf in sleeps clothinCp
One of the gentlemen who had been
an interested listener stopped down and
felt of the lad, Withdrawing his hand |
squickly and saying:
God bless the child. He's all of
tremor and he is not half clothed. Who
10 You want a turkey forP Come here
and get warm"
Mother and me wants it." came in
piping voice. 1--WE amt got any,
and mothers at work, and l thought
maybe I'd get one If l asked for il. ="
$50 you shall. So you shall" said
the man. "Give me the biggest bird
you've got. Tom. right away, and I'll
take it home with this child at once"
The turkey that was made ready
looked bigger than John Henry, and
when the three were in the carriage the
coachman drove rapidly downtown. 1t
was a great day for John Henry. He
answered his companions questions as
best he could, but he kept aclose watch
on the streets and alleys. Finally the
buildings began to look familiar, and
he at last broke out with
''Here it is! Here it is! Please stop
him and Ill run home"
The gentleman stopped the carriage;
got out and helped the boy down the
dreary alley to his cherries room. The
nre IN the COOK stove hau burned low
and the room was dark The man
lighted the lamp which his little COM
panion gave him and was evidently
pleased to witness the tidy though bar
rem aspect of the place. John Henry's
mother had not returned, which fact
pleased him. but not the visitor.
''You may tell your mother that some
of my folks will be here in a day or
two, my boy. / will not wait any
longer now. You and your mother eat
the turkey and have feast. There are
Others where that came FROM
When his companion had gone the
child turned down the lamp and blew
II out aud resumed his place ut the
window. Once or twice he thought he
heard his mothers footsteps, but they
died away on the pavement. He was
hungry and cold and impatient.
dozen times he moved his chair up to
the little clock and felt of the hands II
was getting late-later than usual for
his mother 10 be out. and he began to
feel choking sensation. What il she
should not come? OF what use would
be big uncooked turkey to a small
boy shivering with the exposure lac had
undergone and weak from hunger?
just as he had about made up his
nllnd that she had been lost and would