The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-28

| TOOK n0lu OF fierre arm gently, ana lead
ing him ont into the street, dismissed him
with warning to be sure and keep his wits
about him until he got home.
Home. The word sent shiyer through
the mans frame. He stood for a moment
lost in thought, and then he repeated the
words "a hundred feet" over and over
again.
"Oh, merciful Father" he murmured,
would it not have been better to let me
fall? A hundred feet! Only think of it
1t would have ended all my sorrows. all my
troubles, and my tired limbs and tired heart
would have found rest at last. But my ba-
bies! All, my babies: who can ever love
them as | do?" and with the porter,s warn
ing to keep his wits about him Pnjol turned
| his face homeward, taking good care to
avoid the heavily Loaded wagons which rum
bled along in every direction, carrying rich
and easily presents to happy homes.
What shall | say to my poor, dear ba-
| bles?' he asked himself over and over
! again. Julie is such blessed little woman
of child that l fear no reproach from her.
But my little Blanche's eyes will fill with
| tears, and then my wretched heart will snap
| in two.
| But just before he reached the house the
comforting thought flashed through his
mind that possibly the good woman on the
first floor had supplied them plentifully with
cakes and candies and that. after all, their
| New Years eve would not be so utterly
dark and forlorn. With stealthy and un-
steady steps Pujol crept upstairs. The cor
| ridors were dimly lighted and it seemed to
| him as II lie were intent upon some crime.
| Crime? Ay, was it not crime to rob a
| human flower of light and warmth and sun
shine, to shut it up within four blank walls,
| so that the blessed breath of heaven could
! not reach 1t, or the soft balm of rain and
| dew could not come unto it?
| As Pujol reached the last landing a sudden
| outburst Of childish laughter, clear ringing,
| sweet and bird-like in its gamut of tones,
| fell upon his ear Pierre made halt as if
| the heavens had opened before him. Their
| he dropped upon his knees and bowed his
head in prayer.
Not until Julie came to the door, opened
| it, looked out and said, as If thinking aloud
why, | wonder what can keep dear
! good papa so late?" did he or, more cor
| rectly said, could he bring himself to rise
and make his way into the attic chamber
As he pushed the door open his gaze fell
| upon a scene which caused him to rub his
| eyes in order to convince himself that he
was not wandering about in dream.
| Instead OF finding the room lighted by a
single lamp it seemed ablaze with the light
of two, while on the walls were hanging
| hemlock wreaths ornamented with paper
flowers and ON the table lay a plentiful
store of cakes and candies, and even sew
| eral cheap toys. The whole place seemed
transformed. beautifed. full OF strange ra-
| dance
but Pujops wonder was not suffered to
end here, for when his gaze turned from the
changed character OF the place itself and
fell upon his two children he staggered
back against the wall utterly unable to
| articulate a word.
There sat little Blanche, rocking back.
ward and forward in her chair and elias ping
in her baby arms doll, richly, beautifully
and completely dressed even to a pair OF
tiny buttnned kid shoes. The doll was
quite as large as Blanche herself.
oh, papa, dear, good, kind, blessed
| papa1 exclaimed Julie, throwing her arms
around him. how shall we ever thank you
for the splendid big doll?"
Ion, don't talk so loud, julie" whispered
Blanche. 81 was just getting baby to sleel
| and now you've walked her up again.
| Pujol gave one glance at the large paste
! board box lying on the floor and the huge
sheets OF paper IN which it Lad been so care
fully wrapped, and the mystery was solved
His first impulse was to spring forward and
snatch the costly article from little Blanche:
arms, but If keen-edged sword had been
raised over his head to urge hin to quicker
performance OF the act lie could not hav,
done it. He sank upon chair and COY cred
his face with his hands. repeating to him
self:
Groat heavens. what shall do? Wha,
shall do?"
/" Baby has come to say How do you do ?
papa, dear, said Blanche. holding up thu
doll in front of him.
"Ah, we found you out, you mischievou.
papa" exclaimed Julie, encircling his mech
with her arms. " GU tried to hide it away
| from us.
I" Yes, we found you out" echoed Blanche
and, dearest papa, shall tell you how we
| found you out? heard the baby crying in
the box. She was tired of being shut up il
that horrid dark place. weren't you, baby Z
Is she unbreakable, papa?"
Pujol tried to answer. Then he tried To
smile, but both failed. He clasped his chill.
| drPn tn hie hrQact nd
DERBY bade them go and amuse themselves
with their new doll.
They were only too willing to obey, and
the wretched man Was left to himself L
think out some solution for the extremely
serious problem which now faced him. Me
chanicaly he stopped and picked up the BIO,
which mad contained the coll. Although ne
had only been employed for a few days il
the establishment, yet his thorough knowl
edge OF such matters had enabled him 4
unravel the cipher of which they made us,
to mark the price upon their merchandise.
Fifty francs, he groaned, as he cams
upon the cabaiistic pencil mark; twice a.
much as the sum due me for whole week:
| labor. Have l lost my reason? Why,
must take it from them this instant, repacl
II and hurry off to the purchaser" Ant
springing up, Puiol approached his chill
dren, and mumblng out some excuse took
the beautiful puppet out of little Blanche's
| arms.
TOO late, too late" he murmured to him
self, for he saw that they had already marred
Its delicate wax-t ace and spotted one of tn,
tiny kid shoes. g. Too late,' he repeated
and, handing the doll back to little Blanche
ne went back to his seat again. Julie soon
Joined him andwith all her sweetness anG
tenderness strove to get at the secret of hi
sudden and mysterious sorrow.
fu1ol put her off with some ordinary ex
cuse, but In few moments he called her
back TO him and bade her prepare for he'd
telling her that it was necessary for him /,
60 out once more.
Like man stunned by q heavy blow
Pulol went stumbling down the long stair
way. those OF the tenants who saw him q
out that night deemed him under the infiI,
ence OF liquor. Alas, 1t was not the paraly
sis OF infoxication, 1t was the stupor OF de