The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-12-21
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
A Story of a Home That Santa Claus
Never Visited
BY IuLrA mum slsnOr.

Never Visited
BY JULIA TKUrTT BISHOP.
Il was inst on the outskirts Of town.
The wind, which vent whirling down
the streets, making men button their
overcoats more closely as they hurried
h8me, caught slender, childish figure
AMI drove il along at great rate, flap
ping the ragged old shawl as though it
would tear Il into shreds- The face hid
den away under the big sun-bonnet was
4 brave and patient little face, but the
clothing was thin, and the nose aad
bands were red with cold.
Il was a bitter evening to the little girl
trudging home in the dusk bitter with
out, if not within. She vas 50 light, and
the wind was so strong, that it really
seemed that she vas being treated very
much as the brown leaves SeTe-driven
here and there just as the wind pleased /;
but fortunately II blew her in the direc-
ton she wanted 70 go, and finally through
tumble-down gate, up a disordeFiy
walk and into the front door little
house that leaned of one way while It's
chimney leaned of smother, as though
they we're minded to part company.
a chorus went up from ar0und the
open fireplace: There Maggie Is you
cold, Aaggie?'
And then the woman sitting in the
chimney corner said:
~Well It's about time you was gittin'
home. You stayed 50 long thought
you must be s-waitin' for the corn to
grox, fore you brung the meal"
Whereapon the woman arose and be-
gan mixing the meal for corn bread.
Maggie silently drew near the IRE, try
ing to unlzsten the shawl with her numb
fingers The two younger children.
pale, sickiy looking boy Of and girl
Of 8, came and stood one on each
side Of her, and laid their heads against
her sfeetionately.
Tell rs what you saw, Mag" eoAxed
the boy but Maggie replied evasively ::
"0h, lots Of ;hings MOre'n l could
tell in q week SIT down nov, Joe that's
a good BOY, an let Susie lay her head in
yoCr lap. Maybe she'll 20 10 sleep.
Mother, has fzther come back-
aNot yet, replied the mother. as she
patted the corn pones into their proper
shape and laid them in the skillet over
the glowing Goals She sighed as she
said It, and Maggie, looking al the wind
oW, against which the dark pressed close
outside, echoed the sigh. She was but
I2 years old, yet a good deal Of hard ex-
perience can be crowded into twelve
years sometimes.
Your pa went to town to look for
work again, Maggie"
Maggie turned away in silence. After
awhile the cooking was done, and the
four sat around the table and ate the
corn bread with little cold meat thai
had been left from dinner It was poor
fare enough, but three Of them made
meal. Something was in Msggie's throat,
and she could not eat.
After the supper was over and the little
ones were sound asleep, Maggie sat down
in front Of the fire, while her mother
took Ter old place in the corner.
Mother broke out Maggie, sudden
ly, turning her big eyes upon the worn
face in the corner, Il never thought about
II before, but folks is gettin' ready for
Christmas The xinders IS full things.
seen EN- this evenin'. I seen a man
buy doll bigyer'n Susie, an heered him
tell the storekeeper to put il away an
he'd send for it Christmas eve"
Christmas won't do Us much good"
said the mother in the dreary tone that
had become habitusl with her. sd
druther it wouldn't come. Pears Ike it
alters reminds me more o what other
folks Is got, an amt
Maggie's eyes went from the complain
ing face to the glowing Goals that lay in
heap beneath the hickory forestick.
Il wish l could get somethin' nice for
Joe an Susie" she said dejectedly.
-'Pears ike I'd ike for 'em to knew they
was sech a day as Christmas. Them
Barnes boys tOP Joe som'n bout Sanity
Claus the other day, an in come mighty
near settin' i'm crazy. He's a-lookin' for
I'm, mother Think O. that Joeis
s-lookin' for Sanity Clausi He's a goin'
70 hang up his stock'i I tried to beg
'inl out Of il, bat it wasn't no use tel'
i'm We was 50 pore an hadn't been yere
long, and Sanity Claus didn't know We
was yere, bat Joe xouldn't b1ieve
word He goes ever'where, with Susiei;
visht 1 cou'd give EN- both some'n,
Jest TO make EN- think it was true.7
'Let EN- alonel You sin't never had
nOthin' yourself. an you've done well
enough" replied the woman irritably.
She had heard step on the walk and
knew It. Maggie opened the door silent
ly. The man that came in walked IN
steadily. and hastened to drop into
chair by the FIRE
~Yell, didn't git no work zgin,- he
said thickiy. -Never saw such place
in my life for bein' out O. work Been
a-huntin' for It all evenin'.'
And with this declaration he managed
10 get his head upon table and went
comfortably TO sleep.
And this was the secret Of the poverty
and wrefchedness that had been Maggies
portion since she could remember,
Maggie lay for long hours that night
listening to the wall Of the wind around
the LITTLE ef,aufv and thinkin1 Nth an