The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-25

LOlS was IT,
She reflected that these two prscocious
and altogether interesting infants must b.
In the habit OF visiting the asn barrel on
which she sat, every day about the plebeieu
dinner hour. IN order to look in and enter
tain themselves by noting the internal
changes which had taken 10 the barrel SINGS
the day before.
This was evidently one OF the points Of
interest in the daily route OF toe Two Tiny
Tots, and as the barrel was about the most
humble feature OF Thankless Tenement, tbs
beat thing she could do was to devote her-
self 10 its dIurnal decoration as q practical
way TO the hearts Of the tenants.
For what" thought she. could be mors
practical than the entertainment OF ones
children"
You see. she had never had any OF hsr
own.
o. she was a good, well-meaning littls
thing, but she didn't know ha~d business.
This was Monday. Well, every day DUR
ing that week the Fairy Finnikin strove to
devote her entire energies 20 the decoration
OF the ash barrel. On Tuesdays when tbs
children looked in at uoontide. abe changed
herself to CiSSy's pet kitten, which had bean
lost the week before. On Wednesday shs
changed her face, on Thursday her religion
and on Friday her politics. She even wens
so far as TO change her mind. which was
wonderful-for woman-and a fairy az
that.
Every day the Two Tiny Tots climbed up
on the ash barrel and peeked In 10 see what
new wonder lay in store for them there, and
capped their dirty little bands with glee ~
each rev surprise.
At last the probationary week was up
and the fairy Finnikin few home to Tbs
Green to tell her mistress how IL all hap
pened. The Queen chuckled over the sue
cess or her plan for awhile. Then she wept
aud told the Vandyke Brownies all about is.
By the tins Christmas Eve arrived tbs
Two Tiny Tots had become accustomed to
look to the Enchanted Ash Barrel for their
recreation, that they had forgotten that
any other pleasures beyond its attraction
existed fer them in the town OF Tufiuk
They had even ceased to poster the other
inhabitants Of Thankless Tenem snt for their
| accustomed rstions of bread and butter and
sugar, Tor which beatlio benson eli the i'm
pecunious females in the block astonished
themselves and broke their records by offer
ing up thanks.
Nor was this ali.
TIE worthless parents OF Jimmie aud
Cissy so far forgot that they were living
that during these three weeks the fathers Of
both eloped with couple of unscrupulous
typewriters who occupied adjoining rooms
in ThanklesS Tenement.
Thus we're the collectors for the neighbor-
ing lnstallment House relieved at once Of
the four most troublesome cases or their
route, and the Fairy Queen was so much
pleased with Finnikin's efforts that shs
created her otf-hand General Nuisance Re-
mover and Nonsensical Necromancer tbs
very first time abe came home on furlough.
Christmas Day rolled round apacs.
This is a habit not alone peculiar TO Christs
mas Day.
Those who hold no railroad nor gas stock
will notice that rent day also has a habit OF
turning up once in q while.
The Two Tiny Tots grew more and mors
enthusiastic as the day grew nearer.
whats we doin' ter find Tristmas, Dim
mic !" was question which was 50 often on
Cissy's lips that even Jimmiss abnormal
powers OF invention, heightened end inten-
stied as they were by a long and intimata
knowledge OF street resources failed, at last,
TO thoroughly satisfy the inquirtng mind OF
his little playmate.
At length Christmas morn arrived, and
with it the children at the jagged brink Of
their favorite ash-barrel.
Here an unaccustomed sight met their
childish eyes. The barrel had been striped
alternately red and white while they slept.
They climbed up, as usual, aud peeked In.
The interior had been scraped and secured
until 1t was so clean that one could eat from
II II no more inviting table were forthcom.
ing. Tho ashes had been hidden from view
by a layer Of soft, green moss, from tbs
center OF which sprang a verdnnt Christmas
tree laden with glittering triAes peculiar to
the season.
On the tree hung Christmas presents in
the way of eatables. wearables and other
'abes" too numerous to euumerate. They
we're all labeled Jimmie" or "Cissy,n who
could only say. ss each took his or her
property from the magic tree, ''O-o-o.o-h,
mvl This is just what | wautedl"
And for each OF the other inhabitants OF
Thankless Tenement, too, there was ''soEne-
thing practical"
But everybody in Tufiuk except the Two
Tiny Tots gave the credit OF 1t all to the
Vandyko Brownies.
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