The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-27


tIor, sonny! haves it in, in bundles,
but you've the right heart, and the Lord
loves wiling spirit" then with her
wrinkled face aglow with kindliness the
worthy soul fastened on her way.
"Here's luck!' CALCULATED Bob, "and
I'm I'm b'lievin' what Johnnie's mother
said, and Bob repeeslt ted slowly.
"The Lord cares for the orPnaln orPnala y ad
ding emphatically, land Pm blessed if I
amt an out-an' outer; fur fe.ler
couldn't be orphaner than feller wot
never had no father an mother, take
| it."
Here, with whoop, Bob darted across
the street. A barrel of molasses had
been stove in, and swarm of young
sters were scuoping up the sticky mess
by every available means. Selling
| broken dish from out an accommodating
ash barrel, Bob secured share of the
prize, uttering:
I'm a squealer if we amt in fur a
regular jo;lihcation'
His dish full, off he started, and after
sundry turns made his way to vacant
lot, where shielded by pile of bricks, lay,
tilted to one side, large crate, PARTIAL,
stuffed with straw.
"Hello, Johnnie! Wake up!" shouted
Bob. at which a little fellow, with the
bonniest of blue eyes and the sunniest of
curls, poked his head from out of the
straw in the crate, with:
'Tse here, Bob. Does us have break
fast?'
] "You bet," replied Bob, displaying
the treat, and continuing with "We
are going to do things in style this
Christmas. Nibble on that while I set
the table" and Bob tossed the little
chap cookie; then, gravely piling sew
eral bricks together, he placed thereon
the broken dish of molasses and the old
wonan's donation, when, wedging him
self in beside Johnnie, and tucking the
straw snugly about them, he CALCULATED:
"Pitch in, little 'un, and say grace. y,
Folding his tiny ! hands, Johnnie
lisped, gravely:ss t@a - :
''For what US bout to 'ceivey Lord be
| thankful. Amen" ~ y,
To which Bob subjoined:
"Here's to the old lady's good health!
Merry Christmas Hurrayw 4 :
After this rather peculiar grace the
| feast proceeded without interruption
until Johnnie propounded:
"What's Sanity Claws!"
"Oh, he's a chap with jolly, red
face an white beard, wot goes round
Christmas with heaps of toys and sich."
"Will he come here!" cried JOHNNIE,
his eyes opening wide.
'No, don't b'lieve as how he'll visit
our establishment. l only hear tell of
him going to the nobs, as can buy plenty
for themselves" answered Bob, grin
ming.
"P'haps-oh, Bob!-p'haps Mrs. Sanity
Claws 'ull come to us poor folks2" inter-
rogated Johnnie, wistfully.
''Mrs. Sanity Claws' never exactly
heard Of sich, but hear say there's wo-
man at the bottom of everythin' !; SO I
guess there's nice, jolly old lady Sanity
Claws: replied Bob, assuringly. as he
noted Johnnie's anxious little face.
"Where's Sanity Claws ive7" was
Johnnie's next query.
"Oh, in swell house." and Bob,
coolly drawing upon his Imagination,
added, mo end of tip.top furniture, all
gold and heaps of pictures and blazing
fires"
"Ohw uttered Johnnie, with a wistful
sigh, and lit 'ud be nice there, wouldn't
it2" Then. nesting closer to his COM
panion, he added: '.But it's nice here,
too, in this warm straw. an like being
with you, Bob, does"
A burst of joyous bells f1oated toward
them on the crisp morning air. A melo-
dy of welcome to Gods house of prayer.
Johnnie" called out Bob, how'd
yer like to go to church2"
"What's there2' questioned the little
fellow.
"Oh, they ses prayers, an plays the
origin, an sings, an folks as wants to
take snooze."
''Is it warm2" anxiously asked John
ME, cuddllng into the straw.
"Warm7 You bet! An sofys as soft
as-as mud"
'I'll goi' cried Johnnie, crawling out
-. hia6nest.
= nneiat littisagure as he looked