Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-11-21

good cheer Tor the feast. All were glad.
Even those whose attire bespoke pinohed
conditions and only too little of the
things that go to make life worth the
living fondled closely to them some lit
tie parcel with which they would glad
den their humble homes.
In the throng that wended its way
down toward the Wall Street Ferry was
girl looking older than she really was,
Jennie Desmond. She, too, had her
little parcel with her with which she was
fastening to ner home on Dean street
Brooklyn. She was employed in the
office of diamond merchant in Maiden
lane cleaning the precious stones that
ladies of wealth sent in to be frightened
up for the holidays. The crush of busi-
ness had been unusually great, and Jen-
ME, who had the entire confidence of
thc ffIi, was rsteti yitiI d gniliccait
pendant, the property of Mrs. Wander
poel, who resides on Fifth avenue. less
than block away from the palatial home
of the Nanderbilts. The pendant had
to be cleaned for ball on Thanksgiving
and Jennie had taken it with her to fix
it up at nome, as she had frequently
done before with others of almost equal
value.
She was careful in securing it to her
person. She carried it on a string about
her neck beneath her clothing and
trudged on through the wet and mud
unconscious of any impending misfor-
tune Indeed, the bundle under her
arm, containing small present for her
mother, enlisted her attention more than
did the gem she wore about her neck.
She was oblivious of the jam and jostle
about her. Everybody was crowding the
other good naturedl,, as only an Amer
ican metropolitan crowd can. At times
the current in the human tide that flowed
through the ferry gate lifted her almost
from her feet. Still she thought only
Of her home. and ST ths. TrtA.aeks@iging,
gi t for her mother. G!adness is always
infectious and all-absorbing. If she
was crushed and crowded and iostled it
was by people who, like herself, were
battling good-humoredly with each other
in desire to get home early and gladden.
their friends.
That was the scene and these the feel
ngs abou. the ferry house. Just at its
gates, however, two little boys were
standing crying out the evening papers
They felt the pitiless, chilling rain as it
beat through their scant clothing and ate
its way to the very marrow in Gheir bones.
They had nothing to be thankful for.
The weather was against the sale of their
wares, and the only trace of sunshine in
Their homes must come by the pennies
earned from day to day.
One Of them, pale faced lad, shivered
in a corner, where he found shelter from
the driving rain. He was timid boy,
known to his comrades as ''Mugsy" and
to q bedridden father and little sister
as Sammy Fox. His home, if a place to
shelter one from the weather and floor
TO lie upon could be called home, was
IN row of old, rickety tenements in
Cherry street known as Italian alley.
The crowds at the ferry and their laugh
ing faces and good-natured railery were
only mockery and taunt to him. They
we're too much bent upon getting home
to care to stop to buy the papers. The
nours Wore ON and the tide had ebbed and
she streets began to thin of its crowds,
and only few pennies had rewarded the
-fforts Of the boy.
lie huddled in close in the lee of the
gates, but the keeper ordered him off,
md as he started 10 go his eye fell upon
gleam of light. He had never cen
anything like it before. 1t pleased him
as a toy would. He watched his oppor-
.unity, then stole up to it silently, but
IS he came nearer the light seer~d to
tade out Of it. lie picked il up, took it
over with him to franklin square, and
there under the lights he began to ex-
anime his find. He was pleased with its
bright g,eamings. 1t would bea toy for
! bis sister, aud he put it carefully away