St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-12-10

pink note fastened to the top-'Clare
Rollins, from Miss Winn's Sunday
school class > and here are all their
names; little girls, too. Take it, lad
die I"
Clare took the bundle with flushed,
joyous face. "Didn't know but they'd
forgot me-" he said, with little eager
tremble in his voice. "SOme folks
don't think much of boys. Amt there
lots of wrapping paper, though Say"
The eager voice broke suddenly.
Kitty looking over the boys shoulder,
gave a cry of dismay, and the others
crowded around to see. An appalled,
silence fell over the group as they saw
Clare's face. There, across his knees,
lay warm blue cashmere frOck, lit
tie cloak exactly like it, hat with a
blue-jay's wing, a pretty embroidered
collar, and dainty squirrel muff and
rolled carefully up with the other
things, staring up into the crimson
face over it, a veritable doll, yellow
hair and rosy checked, and clad from
top to toe in shining white muslin.
'T-don't-care ~ were Clare's first
words, very slowly and sOlemnly
spoken.
"Oh, they thought you were girl ~
cried Janet. "Clare, what shame ~
want ~ exclaimed Kitty. "Clare, you
shall have my scarf and anything else
you can possibly use. Oh dear met"
81 can use the shoes and stockings"
said Glare, in a voice which he tried
hard to make manly. "Seems to me
folks ought to call me Clarence any
how, so there wouldn't be any mis-
takes. Take 'em mother! L don't
want 'em !"
He got up and walked over to the
window with both hands in his peck
cts. If it had not been for that doll, |
think he would probably have cried a
little. AS it was, his soul was filled
with wrath and disappointment I'M
speakable.
He hardly listened to the tumult of
sympathy and the explanations and
apologies that went on among others.
The minister told over and over, how
he supposed he had written out the
full name in the letter sent in answer
to inquiries about his family. The
mother and sisters searched among
their own possessions for anything
that could be used for boy of ten
years, but wisely forbOde to offer them
just yet. Baby alone ran in and out
enjoying herself as much as ever. The
pleasure OF the evening was quite
spoiled.
'It's real pretty moonlight outside
nOw," said Glare, presently, turning
from the window. "See here Pm go
ing to see Carlo. He's walking round,
looking up here. And see here you
needn't mind about the things 'Tain't
any matter. Only | don't see what
they sent so much of 'em for when
they were all the wrong kind, and not
even big enough for Kitty. Folks
might think of other things sides dolls,
once in while, | should think. Pm
coming back mother, pretty SOON"
"WOn't you take my scarf, Clare y
asked Kitty, timidly.
"DOn't want it," answered Glare.
"Wasn't you just saying how pretty it
went with your dress. You can have
that muff, anyhow. 1t don't matter,
said before only you can just call me
Clarence now"
He tied his old faded comforter
about his neck and under his arms,
and went slowly out of doors. The
some out there, with Carlos paws on
his shoulders, and the moonlighted
lake before him, as he sat down on the
doorstep. The water was heaving
softly under that flood of brightness,
and little dark boat was crossing the
path of glory.
Somebody out late fishing" thought
Clare.
The light from the sitting room win
dow streamed out, close beside him,
and he could see Kitty's shadow, as he
stood near it, watching for him, he
knew.
"Kitty's nice to want me to have the
scarf" he said.
1t was colder than before supper.
He shivered little, and with the shiv-
er came the thought of that OvercOat.
How nice he had thought it would be,
to go to church in it the next day.
"Well, faint any NATTER" he said
again, resOlutely. 81 amt going to
make 'em all feel bad. Anyhow, Pm a
boy, and boys can stand things. What
if Janet hadn't had anything! Mother
was saying how she hoped she'd have
a warm cloak, she takes cold so easy.
Only" something very much like a
sob rose in Clare's throat, but he chOk-
ed it back. 81 amt going to be a ba
by !" he said aloud, as he stood up and
walked across the yard.
Something stirred in the corner by
the rOsebushes, as he came near it. A
girl, with long hair and cloak that
tapped about her as she stood, was
leaning back i'm the angle of the fence,
with eyes fixed on the lighted window.
Glare jumped when he saw her, she
had been so still.
"Who is it 2" he cried.
"Only me-" said voice. "Don't you
know Maggy Brian l amt dom any
harm, Glare. Only watchin' the good
times. What you out here for? 2"
Clare came near and stood by the
girl in the moonlight. She was shiv-
ering more than he had done moment
before. He knew her perfectly, now.
Jem Brian's oldest child, just his own
age, and the eldest of fOrlOrn little
household whose mother had died six
months before. He had heard his fa-
ther and mother talk about her, and
once his mother had cried, i'm telling
about visit to the desOlate home
where Maggy had everything to do
and no one to help. "What you doing
out here yourself7" said Glare, with a
manly air of protection. "You'll catch
cold, Maggy Haven't you got any
thing warmer than that to wear ?"
"No," said Maggy, with shake of
her long hair. "There's just fathers
coat, and that's spread over the twins,
you know. It's sorter cold, nights,
now. They're all asleep, the children,
and | was that tired tending to 'em,
that just come off to get breath of
air, and left father sittin' up to watch
'em. And then l see the light in the
winder and come over to watch. 1t
1nn1t do opu horn, I1vo 1ona + coo,o