, 1890-12-25
HE X
Q'EEa
'N''''7.
| Written for the Christmas REVIEW


person spoken to was "Specklc.' who's,
line of beauty was almost obliterated by
numerous frecklcs, and n shock of rec
brown hair which crowned his head,
but there was no mistaking the honesty
that shone out from his bright blue
eyes.
Speckle's heart went down to zero. sc
to speak, when told that the price OF the
Christmas fowls with which he hoped
to surprise his mother and invlid sister
was beyond his reach.
He had worked selling papers, early
and lato, lad denied himself his bun
and coffee that morning, but his hungar,
his cold feet, and mittenless hands, all
seemed as nothing, as he looked forward
to the good dinner they would have
when he got home that night.
1.-TWO bits more, two bits more. How
shall / get them?" lao kept asking,
Speckle started out again, found a load
of coal 10 put in-the man was in a
hurry-could not stop to get change,
gave him 10 cents and hurried away.
Ten cents more, 10 cents more. How
shalt get it2"
Speckle past the grocer's to see II the
the coveted fowl was still there--only
two left-the best one was gone.
Again he started out, IL was too hate
to risk any money on papers. lie could
see hotel walters, fat and saucyI carry
ing trays OF savory dinners to people
who never had known what it was TO
feel hungry.
Rich ladies, dressed in fnrs and costly
raiment, with Elstening diamonds,
passed him OH their return from church,
whore they had heard anew the old, old
story of the Christ child, and listened TO
such an affecting sermon that they had
given few extra dollars to swell the
minister's already liberal collection,
They felt so comforted by his words
they said. This minister was young,
popular and unmarried.
"Only 10 c ents more, only 10 cents
more and Speoklo stopped a minute to
look at the heaps of gold just inside the
bankers window. Just next door he
could hear the chink If to change as
the saloonkeepcr raked In the dollars"
"Ten cents more. 10 cents more he
kept saying. How shall get it?'
Speckle again peeped into the grocer's
window-only one chicken len--the
smallest one and In half hour the
grocer said he would close.
Can | carry your valse for your" he
asked of a gentleman passing. II will
carry IL as far as you wish for 10 cents"
aud taking the valise, so heavy one,
that he staggered with its weight, hc
started. 'ony 10 cents more, and I'll
soon get it, saidthe hopeful Speckle.
Mt Ina npIoI nd h.
ran 10y fully to the groccrs. II was
showing now, and the snow stuck to the
poor boys thiniy clad feet hung on his
red brown hair. trickled down his neck
but he ran on so earnestly that he did
not hear the loud shouts of u tall man
well dressed except that he wore broad
cowboy" hat and high top boots. The
man started to overtnke Speckle but so
fleet was he flied as he was with alter.
nate hope and fear, in regard to his
Christmas dinner, that the attempt was
useless.
"Nen. kid yer back fer yer chicken
air yer2' said the grocer, who was Just
tying the chicken up to take TO his own
home.
II reckoned / couldn't sell 1t and
thought I'd ruther eat IL myself than
TO hcv it spie, but ef you've got yer
u bits ye kin hev IT."
Speckle spread, with his stiff, cold
fingers, the coins upon the counter and
started to the door feeling that now no
earthly power could rob him of the
prize of the prize for which lie had
worked 50 hard to win.
Here. you confounded little jack
anapes you, this Is what ye've bin a
snoopin' around all day fer is it2 ]
'spicioncd ye wasn't no good when
see ye peekin' in" shrieked the grocer.
is there not money enough? There
are q bit" SpeclSle tried to say.
Come oil now. and don't ye try to
make me think ye didn't know that TO
bits piece was the commonest kind o
pewter. Just ye lay that there fowl
down an take yer money and GIT an be
glad / don't run ye in, which I'd do In
n minute If had time to spare to re-
port W"
Poor Spcckle picked up his coins
started for the door slipped on the steps,
icclcd, fell-his arm was broken. the
money rolled into the muddy snow on
the sidewalk, and
"Well, I've caught up with you at last,
said tho call man with tho cowboy hat
and nigh top boots, WHO came hurryinS
up. Here, kid, | made mistake, and
gave YOU q bad half dollar this morning
] want 1t. Here is dollar for it,"
But Speckle said never word. Cold,
hunger, fright and pain had been merci.
fully relieved, for the poor fellow had
What's this all about. mister2" said
he to tho grocer.
We'll, It's Just this. That there kid
he's been snoopin' round here purity
near all day, a-askin' the price o my
fowls. and sold hi m the last one l had,
and he gimme o pewter fo'-bit piece,
and took the chicken, an told him to
git an l reckon hc must foil, and l
reckon we better send FUR cop TO take
him somewheres.'
Tenderly picking UP the sonseless boy,
and securing the coin, which still lay in
the muddy snow, Mr. Gregory, for such
was his name, carried him away from
the scene OF tho trouble. Where to take
him he did not know.
But he did know that somewhere In
the wide world he had son. and maybe
that some one would on this Christmas
Speckle opened his eyes and asked
Are you a polcemanP Oh, no! see
now. You are the man who gave me
the bad ha II dollar. I'm sure you did
not know 1t was bad, did your"
Tell me where you live, sonny, and l
will take you home as your arm Is
broken and l IN afraid you can not walk"
A carriage was called, surgeon or
deret, to the number in g" alley which
Spcckie gave, and ON the way he told
Mr.. Gregory as much as he knew OF his
very early life, when he had q father, a
good home, how his father had gone,
when his little sister was baby, TO the
West. and intended to send for his
family.
This he did, but after coming TO the
West they could not lind him, and grew
and gone hungry that day, in order to
Uiye his m nther and sister n plcasant