The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-05-07

His Home Down I'm Elaxabseh etrsst aud
the Present for the little Girl.

4
His Home Down in Elasabssh stssss aud
the Present for the little Girl.
# you cross City Hall park In the
evening You will likely encounter little
Tom. There's a something in his voice
az he cries out to make you think Of q
night bird-a tremulous, quavering call
that attracts your attention over all
other sounds. Tom and / went into
partnership last fall after the first
freeze up. got the shoes and hat and
suit and he wore them. It did him
proud. and now and then an envious
fellow newsboy would have thumped
him out of spite if hadn't kept an eye
on him and bribed q policeman to do
the same.
went down home with him once
down in Elizabeth strickland found
he had a one armed father, who found
it hard to get along, and mother who
worked hard and kept hoping, and Sis
ter Kate, ten years old. The girl met
with a fall years before, and was so
crippled that she had not been out of
the house for long years. It was awful
to realize of what she was deprived and
of the bitter poverty still further to be
endured, but she was trying to be brave
and cheerful and make the best Of fate.
"Tom," said one day after that, II
want to buy Kate Santa Claus present
when Christmas comes You keep quiet,
but find out what will please her most
and she shall have it,"
suppose that little chap worked and
worried harder over that thing than
over anything else in his whole life. He
came to me time after time with sug-
gestions. One day it would be book,
the next slate, the next new dress or
pair Of slippers; but when he was at
the point of giving up in despair we de-
cided on hand glass, brush and comb
in a red plush box.
"That's it--that's the checker.' shout
ed little Tom, as took him into store
one day and made selection. "Je-
mi1nah whiz! but when Kate gets that
she wouldn't trade places with the rich
est girl in New York"
took the box to the Office and almost
every day the lad came up and we had
it out for another look He couldn't
that he was to get a fifty dollar bill in
his own stocking, | expect he had
hard time of it at home TO keep the
secret, bat be managed to do it.
Just week before Christmas little
Tom came up stairs one day just as |
was going home with an attack of the
grip. L made it up with him how he
was to get the box if was laid up, and
SO, when the days passed and | was still
housed up, felt that the little cripple
would not be disappointed after all. Ali
that night before Christmas how many
little hearts were made glad in this great
city! And how many thousands were
made happy on Christmas day by the
gifts which public charity bought and
distributed.
It was on Christmas day that l went
down into Elizabeth street and climbed
to the top floor Of tenement to wish
little Tom and his folks merry Christ
mas, and to see if the crippled girl had
safely received her much-talked-of and
much-looked-a present. found gloom
and woe where l had looked for smiles
and sunshine. There were tears and
sobs and lamentations in those poverty
stricken rooms, while everywhere else
in New York there were shouts of Joy
and exultation.
Little Toms mother led me into bed
room without a word. On the bed,
dressed for her coffin, was the crippled
girl-dying quietly and peacefully the
day before. On the stand beside her was
the red plush box, which she had never
beheld. They had taken out the comb
and brush to arrange her chestnut curls,
and from thenceforth forever nothing
will be held more sacred in that house
hold than the gift which Providence
willed should not be given. There may
come hunger and cold and rags and sick
ness; they may sit in the darkness for
want of light; they may be evicted for
the need of a few shillings, but that red
plush box will be held as sacred as the
grave itself.
And poor Tom! When the night sky
banks up with the gray snowclouds and
winter gusts hurry pedestrians acros
the park, hear him calling and calling,
and know that there are tears in his
big blue eyes as his voice goes out into
the darkness.-NewY York World.