Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-09

/ IOdIst Hilltt lllict1. cOi 4tOt1N. WHO Edt
never bad an apron 10 wash, was Away
begging clean ones for Lischen; though
her own dark locks ran wild, she KEEP
Lischen's fair hair in trim braids, tiet
with blue ribbons, for which luxury Bill,
secretly saved his odd pennies.
| Three times day little Peter led hel
down the stairs with her wooden-headec
doll in her arms, while he carried he
three-legged stool Mr.. jacob lived il
two little rooms behind his shop, anC
cooked for himself and boy; but Peter offer
forgot his own dinner in his pleasure O
seeing Lischen eat. He liked to deny him
self cake and keep it in his pocket til
the little one was hungry. He felt de
light in watching her as she daintily nib
bled around the scalloped edges. He wa,
rewarded when she put her head ON one
side, like bird, and said:
81 like you VERY well, Peter"
Lischen went to church great deal Or
| Saturdays she sat with the women and
children in the Jewish synagogue, and
heard Mr. jacob and other men, with
their hats on, chanting the law. On Sun
day mornings she heard mass with all the
little O Briens, and smiled at the "pretty
mamma" over the altar In the afternoon
She walked with the McQueens-all with
serious Sunday faccs-to the Scotch Pres
byterian church.
She wore funny little hood, trimmed
with fur, and shawl of her mothers
folded small, very bunchy, but very warm
Everywhere that Lischen went. the wood.
en-headed doll was tucked under the
shawl, (which" as Mrs. O Brien explained
to her friends at the church door, " was
winked at, all along of her being an Or
phan."
The forlorn dolly was all that was left
of her home to the little child, and she
talked to it all day, and slept with it in her
arms all night.
One day in December as it was growing
dark, Billy and Peter and Molly took
Lischen down town to see great toy
shop, gay with Christmas goods, and a
Christmas tree brilliantly lighted. At the
first glimpse she clapped her hands, and
said, joyfully:
"Oh, ii is Christmas tree Billy, will
you buy me one?" trusting that he, who
bought her candy and blue ribbons, was
equal to anything.
"Well, maybe,n he answered, wondering
how he could earn an extra quarter to buy
a tiny tree. l know where they sell nice
little ones before Christmas"
i no want little tree" she said, shak-
ing her head. II shall want big, big
treel 1t shall pc over mine head, so high
as the room'
You can't have such big tree" cried
Molly.
ooh, l did have big tree! Mine fader
did make 1t for me in the woods, and he
put it in the house. Oh, the big tights p
she cried, her little hands raised, and her
eyes expanding with excitement at her
awakening recollection.
:" And the little white dog on the tree, l
did eat him. 1t was very good little
dog, and my dolly did come on the tree,
and oh, my little wagon Where is my
little wagon~ she questioned, with puz-
zled look. Mine mamma is to heaven
gone; where is mine fader? He comes
not morew
The little smiling mouth began to culver
and the blue eyes swan with tears. Little
Peter held her hand, and was ready to cry
with sympathy; but practical Billy made
haste to console her with some molasses
caramels, and then slipped away to ask a
clerk privately what was the price of those
Christmas trees.
From FIVE to ten dollars" answered the
man, carelessly.
Rilly hoped Lischen would forget it, but
the first thing in the morning she climbed
on his knee and whispered, "Will you
make me big Christmas tree, Billy? ?"
haven't got money enough"
But mine fader did make it in the
woods"
There are no woods in the city"
"Oh, where is mine fader? He comes
not morep' and sudden shower of tears
rained down the chubby little face, and
the baby heart ached with a sense of It's
forlornness.
A load of care and anxiety fell on poor
Young Billy. His decent parents and his
honest Scotch blood kept him from wicked
ways; but he had not prowled about the
city streets before dawn and after dark
without learning a deal of vulgar sharp.
ness. He was naturally stingy boy, but
all his native shrewdness melted like wax
before the tears and sobs of the unreason.
able little creature he had adopted, after
his fashion.
As the days went by, Lischen still
mourned and grieved for the Christmas
tree and her father, who came not. She
grew quiet at last, and would sit for hour
on her three-legged stool gazing out of the
window, her wooden-headed doll neglected
on the floor. The smiling lips caught &
pathetic droop, and the round, pink cheeks
grew pale.
Her young guardians held many a dis.
| nal oo,,a,,1tot.a,, Tx Il
times were hard. In their poor homes
where they were stinted in food and fire
they were afraid even to talk of Lischen's
fancy for 'big, big tree" Timid little
Peter wandered through alleys, gathering
rags to sell for few pennies for Lischen.
Billy worked early and late, bawling oui
his papers in stern and peremptory tones
ike a young highwayman. He had one
crony, Tommy, a lame newsboy, whom he
| had defended and boosted" up on many a
street-car; but now Billy left him to fgh
his own way unaided. His mother sternly
collected the usual sum from him every
night, and il was only for extra work tina
he collected anything for Lischen's tree
| The week before Christmas he had AZ cents
in little purse iie kept secretly tied
around his waist
One night, when her father seemed les.
stern than usual, little Jennie Mcqueen
leaned on his knee, and tremblingly asked
'Father was wishin' to ask you if so b,
as Billy was to get Christmas tree woult
We mind US fixin' it up in the room?"
"And where got We the notion of Christ
mas trees?"
"Lischen cries for one every day, father
"Nay, lassie, that's one O the Papist no
tions she got down stairs. Well hav
none o them"
Molly O'Brien was met with scornfu
laugh by her mother
"a Christmas tree-ay, that's one O
them Protestant ways she got of tn,
Scotch. Yell do we'll if ye're no lackin
something TO eatp'
The failure to get any help or even con
sent to their schemes was mournfully dis
cussed.
"Have you asked your father, Peter?'
"No, Molly; but will try" he said
doubtfully.
After the shop was closed for the night
Mr.. jacob sat down to late supper will
his son.
@My fader,n said Peter, timidly, "Bill,
has AZ cents. / have 81 cents you CAV
me for the rags. Molly found a nickel
and she made 8 cents by old iron, an,