Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-01-16
JOHN HENHY'S NEW YEAR.

dark, aiItN, over Wnlcn he sometimes
saw the blue sky on the dull clouds,
but oftener only dngy coal smoke.
His mother was a hard worker but she
took pretty good care of him. They
lived alone in Il single room. When
she could She took him with her. but it
frequently happened that he was left
alone IN the room all dav with his din
n"r SCI out for him on the table. On
such occasions he would watch the lit
ii" clock patiently. and when the short
hand began 10 near a certain figure he
Knew that he had not much longer to
wait and hc would press his nose against
the window pane and watch each Shad-
owY figure a il passed.
The day before the New Year seemed
longer thah usual. In the first place,
hi~ dinner was scanty aud he was hun
gry when his mother set it out for him
on the little tin plate. As she stopped
Ia bid him oood-hy he noticed tears in
her eyes. and though he said nothingat
the time. hc began TO wonder aS the
day wore on what it. 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 filled with beautiful things.
and wondered ii there was no way in
which be could get into them. The
markets and groceries in particular rose
up before him in his vision like vcrita-
hip heavens,
His mind dwcli on what he had seen
ocly few weeks ago when he was
downtown with his mothcr-how
nearly every one they met was carrying
home huge bundles. and that his mother
told him they contained turkeys fsr the
Thanksgiving dinners Of the rich.
Ca, icw DAYS - ne sr,y every one
hc had seen passing along the streets
was loaded down with large packages
which he Was told contained Christmas
presents of toy, aud other playthings
for children. John Henry did not 80
much care Tor these as he did for some
thing to eat. The pangs of hunger
were superior To the desire for amuse-
n9ent and his mind reverted 10 turkeys.
He thought he would know turkey il
he saw one. Then he began TO wonder
and think n he never had before. In
some of the long and bitter days and
nights that he had passed with his
mother be rcmema a"red that in her
prayers aud instruction sue had told
hIm that the great God had said Ask
and " shall receive She had asked
is3auy times and he had seen no return.
IL H'''r 'ao a'A''l BECAUSE ne oaa no,
Nttt- ~t Nu.1 tn ask. aud ne wondered
h"" "~ mother r"usd expect To get the
ialu-> ~"' a~Nvd Tor when sAe only
; '.>''' 5atu vacancy. As that the
= H5>r'F = prayers g. m..''on>, answer
+ -,sl ~ 's u "if~ ls'at they Suow not
49, 49, ID ''.s"!i '''~ !'+''
woke ~i'n .a- II. rSshaE.
There w. only "t." th."@ 70 oc done.
"' ianu-"f. #nd ihAt p" pEpet'd'd 10
t". J. "a> t.-"'+.d."nc". bat he b'-
!ysra tina. hs wusa"r when She re-
turned H"D-rt ana s4Fri ""H.i forgive
h'n. 1t "a~ l.Afa =" h3N m1ud iAAI >h'
had not gnn" ah"u; things IN the right
va. Bundi'ng himself uP III we'll
worn shaw, for b." hai no "For'uat' ne
ran down "a" alley. ih" frosty AR max
Ing hs> little iT-W" quake. and gaming
the brilliantly lighted street u" walked
along p"crlng into windows until he
came - market. Nl;A H. mother
wnTdS ringing IN ~ ears and with
fa.;h Sublime IN IL simplicity he. raised
the latch with difficulty and walking
straight 10 the b- mAu behind The block
SAID:
"NIl yon please give me- turkey
Got ans money
NO. sir.
who j. 1t fur,'
'Fur me ami mother.
"Gc. ont Of th.-. you little devil
and the man made motion a If to
chase him. The boy rctrcaied toward
the door aud pressed ON. In dozen
places h" repeated his query. and as he
grew colder and his teeth began 10
chatter he made up his mind that per-
haps after all his mother knew best
Maybe She had tried all these places
aud met with no better success than he.
lie would have turned back. but he saw
one great market ahead. larger. hand
somer, and more brilliantly lighted
than anv he had vet seen There were
beautiful carriages and horses with hv-
cried drivers in front of it, and through
the frosted windows he could see many
fine ladies and gentleman and some
richly dressed children.
Every body turned a the queer little
fellow entered. and when his blue lips
parted to ask the oft-used question
everybody heard it.
Have YOU anv monev?' was the re-
ply, but in kinder tone.
Once more the answer came No."
and then, with an effort, II 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 it a child's freak or was he the
crafty emssarv of an older good-for-
nothing-a wolf in sleeps clothing?
One of the gentlemen who had been
an interested listener stopped down and
felt of the lad. Withdrawing his hand
quickly and saving:
God bless the child. He's all of a
tremor and he is not half clothed. Who
do YOU want a turkey for? Come here
and get warm.