Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-12-25
TWO CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
How Margery Got Horse and Cart and
Robbie Pretty Doll.

Robbie II Pretty Doll.
Margery stood by the window looking
out into the street. If you watched the
faces that went hurrying by. you would
have known at once it was Christmas
Even the policeman on the corner for
got to frown at the crowd of boys who
passed along blowing their tin horns
with all their might. But if you had
looked at the window where Margery
stood, with her hair all tumbled, and
frowns that were enough to startle the
policeman, I do not know what day you
would have decided it was, but you
would never have dreamed from that
face that it was Christmas. Why was
it Margery frowned So do you suppose?
Because she found a wooden horse and
cart among her Christmas things. and
carts and horses, she thought, were
meant for boys. So all the pretty
things that were scattered about her
room did not drive the trowns away.
She did not tell why she felt so injured;
she was ashamed, / think. The frowns
and sulks made every one uncomfort-
able, and the merry Christmas" greet
ing was only on the lips of the family.
1t was not a very large family. to be
sure-only just father and mother and
Bridget and Mary, but then, you see,
they all loved Margery, and did all they
could to make her happy, and is it any
wonder that when they failed so COM
pletely on this day, of all days in the
year, they were made unhappy? Sud
denly the bell rang, and Margery smiled
as she heard boyish voice call out: II
ant Marcy" as loudly as if Margery
were blocks away. She hurried from
behind the curtain, and, standing at the
top of the stairs, answered.:
81 here. Robbie"
"Oh, Marcy! OF you got?'
A wave of color crept into Margery's
face as she led the way into her own
room. Robbie came up the stairs and
followed her as quickly as his fat legs
would let him. Such a lot of things!
A tin kitchen, lovely doll. with a
trunk of clothes. doll carriage, and
two chairs, a set of 'Lulu's Library"
and tricycle.. Robbie looked search
ingly about, though he was polite and
looked at every thing Margery showed
him. At last he asked, with peculiar
voice:
You didn't det anything else. Marcy
no horse with a beautiful red cart,
did you. Margy?" Margery's cheeks
grew very red, and she hesitated mo-
ment but finally reached down under
the bed, crawled under SO nothing but
two fat legs and a pair of red boots
were in sight, and began backing
slowly out, till she stood on her feet,
holding string. Putting her other
hand to her face, she dragged slowly
into sight a brown wooden horse, at
tached to wooden cart that was paint
ed bright red. The horse and cart
were on their sides. aren't they boo
tifulr exclaimed Robbie, as he righted
them. II buyed 'em." But in mo-
ment two fat hands were over his
mouth, while his eyes said so plainly:
"Ohr'
Margery looked at him, and then at
the despised horse and cart. She was
very quiet for moment, but at last
bent down, patted the horse, and said
You is very good, Robbie, to buy this
pretty horse for me-
"Oh! Marcy! 1 was 'fraid you didn't
like it, and do you really? l fought
and fought and then 'membered our
little dolls, and fought 'em touldn't fall
out of at cart Is you glad / dot it,
Margy?" and Robbie's eyes grew bigger
as he waited for the answer.
Marcy hung her head at first, but at
last she said, as she kneeled beside the
horse and cart on the floor: Yes, l is,
cause you gived it to me-" Another
thought entered Margery's head at this
moment. She had whole dollar.
and she would spend it to
buy Robbie and his baby sister
Christmas present. She flew down
stairs to her mother, who listened to
the plan that Marcy should ask Robby
to go with her to a store on the avenue
that they knew was open, and she
would not tell him for whom she was
buying the things
Mary went with the children and
waited outside, talking to a friend, that
the children might be free to make
their selections. A pretty basket hung
on Margery's arm. 1t did not take long
to decide what the baby would like,
and the clerk rolled up the white rab-
bit and gave it to Robbie, who
CARED it tenderly; tin horn
was Robbie's purchase out of his
own money, which stuck out of his
pocket as if indignant that it was not
used. Margery felt sure that the baby
would like two little dolls, which she
crowded into her pocket without wrap
pings, "cause dolls don't like their
heads wrapped" she said.