Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-12-22
PINE BOUGHS.
BY HOPE LEDYARD.

Here, Nora, throw these branches
out on the street, we must not litter
the ROOM" and Mrs. Loring handed
Nora, her upper servant and faithful
friend, two snail branches which had
beel cut off the great Sunday School
Christmas tree which they were trim
ming.
Nora was kind and loving soul, and
when Mrs. Loring handed her the
branches of pine, she ran down the
stairs and out on the sidewalk, think
ing that it was pity to throw those
beautiful branches away.
ragged, dirty girl was standing at
the chapel door, looking curiously in;
she had q hardened, wicked look, and
when Nora appeared in her pretty,
dark dress and apron trimmed with
rick-rack, the girl made q face at her.
But Nora saw below the dirt and
ugliness, below the hard crust of hate
ful rebellion, into the heart which God
loved and for which Christ died.
"Would you like these branches for
Christmas? she said. "Here Is a
quarter to buy something to trim them
with" tt was her last quarter till
after Christmas, but Nora did not
mind that then.
The girls face hardly changed; she
did not hold out her hands for the
green's, but seized the quarter wolfsh-
", and Nora sighed as she ran back.
Nance looked at the quarter hungri-
ly, turning it over to be sure sit
warn't filled in" and then she stopped
and picked up the branches which
Nora had dropped.
''Dick shall have 'em and the money
too" she muttered, "but [ must be
fyin' round, or Sal 'ull beat me again
tonight Christmas If they'd ha'
let me into that church last Sunday, I
might ha' found out for Dick what it's
all about, but the gal said as how no
new ones would be lowed till next
Sunday, and then it'll be overl Well,
TIL hide these and be off?'
The girl ran up an alley and showed
her branches behind O barrel, which
was frozen fast in q corner, and then
she hurried off to the junction of
Broadway and Fifth Avenue, where
she begged from passers-by. 1t was
lucky day for Nance; people are in
clined to be liberal just before Christ
mas, and ladies with their arms full Of
bundles dropped pennies into her
hand, some OF them with q thought Of
what their own girls might be but for
Gods goodness, some merely to re-
lieve their purses of cumbersome cop
pers None really cared for the girl,
for she was not by any means attrac-
tive. None? Yes, one woman did
care.
Late in the afternoon, as Nance was
rafting her pennies and thinking she
might treat herself to a, stale bun and
g. cup of coffee, she saw a lady coming
toward her with a little boy on each
side. Nance was shrewd enough never
to let a woman with g. child 60 by, for
she had learned that, from some cause
or another, such g. one seldom refused
her a copper.
''Piease, ma ami" she whined, as the
lady and her boys passed. The old
est pressed his mothers arm and
looked up in her face.
s'May give her my 10 cents ?" he
asked.
The mother looked at the hardened,
dirty face, and mo" rose to her lips,
but some God-given impulse changed
it to eyes," and she added, ''You two
boys may run on to the shop window
while speak to the girl"
Rob handed Nance his dime and then
Mrs. Haring said gently:
Couldn't you earn living instead
of begging? I'd buy you a broom ii
you would sweep q crossing. Then,
after q while, you might get something
to sell. Would you ike to try ?"
"Taint no good,' muttered Nance.
Mrs. Haring stopped in her earnest
ness and said: My dear girl, it's
worth trying! Either you can grow
up a good, true woman, as God wants
you to, Or you can go on begging and
perhaps-before you know it-steal-
ing. Come to my house for your
Christmas dinner-here is my number
and / hope you will be able to tell
me you are earning, not begging, q liv-
ing. Shall buy the broom?"
please, ma'am," said Nance very
hun nbly, and with a strange stirring
at h. r poor heart. So they joined the
boys and Mrs. Haring chose out g.
good stout broom for Nance. Rob
was gr. ATTY interested In the whole
matter, and whispered TO Nance that
the pudd. ing was just splendid and
mamma W. ould give her lots OF tur-
key.
1t was to. late to begin business
that day, so, with her broom in one
hand and the b, ~anches of pine in the
other, Nance went back to the
wretched place whe re she lived with
woman named "Sa. ,, who boarded
several girls and boy g making them
Deg Tor her But beio. e she went to
"Sal's" room, Nance CHI noeo TO the
attic OF the house next do. ", and, 60
ing IN without knocking, she flung the
branches down on bed in til, corner,
where lay sick child.
There, Dick, that's a Chris, mas
ana I've whole quarter to spen, 4 on
stuff to put on it pretty things! nd