Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-12-26
Jane Elizabeth's Christmas.

Jane Elizabeth's Christmas.
Jane Elizabeth stood looking out of
the little window of her room. 1t had
stormed in the night, and the roofs that
stretched away in the distance were
white with snow. The cold, bright sun
shine streaming down tipped the spires
of the churches with gold and caused
the crystles in the snow to sparkle like
dimonds. After awhile Jane Elizabeth's
ewes " istfuIly sought the clear, blue sky.
"It's go far awayw she moned, with a
little helpless stretch of her hand. $50
fer away! Oh, nanny, why couldn't
90, too? ! don't want to stay here al
alone"
A week before her mother, wan and
wasted from disease, had feebly clasped
her in her arms.
"Jane Elizabeth" she said, tremulous-
ly," am going away" =.
"Going away ?" the child repeated in
wonder. "Where? And am l going,
too?"
The mother turned her face to the
wall.
"Oh, my poor darling" she cried, in
sudden passionate outburst. who will
keep YOU when / am gone? / can't die
Unjust not die. o God, for my baby's
sake, grant that may live!"
Jane Elizabeth saw that she was cry
ing, and softly pressed her cheek against
her mothers with a child's sympathy.
Don't, she said, with Sob"
Her mother covered her face with
kisses, and weeping herself, strove to
eooth her.
"There, there" she said. "You must
not cry. am going away, Jane, and
YOU cannot come. You must stay with
Mrs. Grady. She has told me she will
take care of you. Promise me that you
will be a good girl and mind her."
Jane Elizabeth's voice choked as she
promised. And that night her mother
died.
God bless and keep my babyw she
said, with almost her last breath.
Jane Elizabeth watched the two men
who came with the rude pine box the
next day. When the lid at last shut
from her sight the mothers face the
child realized for the first time the aw-
fitness of death.
''Don't, oh, don'tr' she wildly sobbed,
Placing herself before them. "You are
going to take her away! Oh, nanny
dear, don't let them Look up! Can't
you gee me?"
One of the men coughed rather nerv-
ously, while the other, with suspicious
moisture in his eye, murmured something
shout "the poor lutte kids takin' on 30
bad" Then, while they carried the box
down the narrow, rickety stairs to the
dingy hearse that, surrounded by q curl
GUS crowd, was waiting to convey it te
the potters' field, Jane Elizabeth was led
away almost hysterical with grief by
Mrs. Grady to her floor below.
Somehow Jane Elizabeth did not like
Mrs. Grady. Itmay have been because
of her rough ways, for Mrs. Grady wal
not wholly bad. Then, too, there wa
much to account for her sharp temper il
the british husband and the four unruly
children she had.
1t was not long before Jane Elizabeth
discovered that her lines had not fallel
in very pleasant places, to say the least
AS Mrs. Grady labored at her wash.tu|
continually, and the two eldest childre,
worked at a factory near by, the care c
the others was thrown upon her, thougl
she was only eight years old. Thel
there was dishes to wash and the floor +
scrub, until the child's back would fairl,
ache. At such times when Mrs. Grad
addressed harsh words to her, Jane Eli2
abeth felt very miserable indeed an,
lsnged intensely for her mother.
And that morning, when she stoo
shiveriug at the window and heard tn
blessed Christmas bells ring out, pre-
claiming their glad tidings Of "peace o
earth and good will to man." Jan
Elizabeth wondered if there could b
any other little children as unhappy q
she. 1t did not seem possible to he
With child's quick perception, she fe
that she was in the way. The night be
fore, when they thought she was asleel
she heard them talk about her and lii
tened.
aye shouldn't have taken her." M
Grady had said angerly. There WEI
enoug h mouths to feed before she came
81 couldn't help it," his wife had n
piled in an apologize tone. "The poe
crathur made me promise on her dyin
bed. 1t wasn't in me to say no.
would have broken her heart if 1 hse
An, now she's dead we can put her i
the asylum, if we say"
The asylum! What was it like, Eliz
beth wondered. In vague way she a
ISOLATED it with prison, and q chiidis
terror took possession of her at tn
thought of being put in it. If she to-
could only be up in the blue sky wher
Mr.. Grady. in response to her oft-repea
ed question, had told her where he
where her mother had gonel
And still the bells kept pealing that
Son was born! Jane Elizabeth turne
away from the window with q stifle
sob.
There were the children to dress, an,
after the crust of bread and the cup {
weak coffee composing the mornin
meal had been eaten, the dishes to b
nut away. When Jane Elisabeth h
done this she stole out into the hall.