St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1892-12-24
for; mostly to children"

"It'd make no differ if he had, He
isn't maxim acquaintances of our sort.
Make up your mind to that.
"Will he never bring Ally anything
Maybe, when you're old and tired
out, and heart sore, and learn to pray
for it, he may bring yea coffin.
81 hate Sanity Taus."
Eye needn't child. He's like all the
rest. It's the way Of the world. The
richer and happier folks are, the better
he likes them, and he's never tired doin
for them that don't need his help. But
he scorns the likes of uz."
The tears gathered in little Alice's
eyes as she sadly regarded the picture of
cruel, unsympathetic Santa Claus. She
but vaguely comprehended the bitter
ness of the old woman's feeling, yet the
spirit of it touched her and made life
seem drearier than ever before.
"Where did you get the picture?"
"Found it in road" And she threw
it away. "Ally tired, gran'ma. Want
go by by"
$50 along, dear, and may the saints
give you sweet sleep and fine dreams.
Sure they're the best things ye'll ever
know"
The child disappeared in dark door
way to the right after kissing her grand
mother good night. The woman sat still,
with her elbows on her knees, her chin
in her hands and her eyes glowering at
the little CRATE, where the fire had ceased
to show.
'The kindest thing he could bring to
her this night would be the coffin. God
forgive me for saying it," she muttered
through her teeth.
The outer door was suddenly thrown
open, and a man with a heavy burden in
a sack on his shoulder staggered in. He
dropped his load beside the stove with q
'schuck" that shook the frail tenement,
and blowing in his followed hands to
warm them with his breath exclaimed:
ssCripesl But it's mortal cold. The
fingers is nearly froze off of me crab
blin under the snow."
Put yez feet up on the stove. They
must be soakin," suggested the woman,
rising and Fastening to make up the
fire with coal she took from the sack.
That they are. / might as well be
wearin fshin nets on my feet as them
shoes. But what's the good of growlini
Sure they're no worse than your own,
my poor Ely"
"Ah! It's the bitter, black Christmas
this is for rz. -
81 met Fogarty," remarked the man
after little pause.
"The watchmang'
eyes"
ssI'd a. thought you'd show more marks
Of it, and you wake as you are wild the
hunger. Are you ht1rtedF'
"We didn't fight"
.Nog"
"I'll tell ye how it was. He came on
me unbeknownst, while / had my head
down pickin among the eulm, an the
first thing knew he was standin beside
me. Andy Corrigan, says he, don't
you know it's agin ordhers for the strik-
ers to be let pick coal from the culm
pile?"
"Bad luck to them that gev the or
dhers," interjected the woman fervently.
"Amen! But says |, it's froze to
death the childher will be, to say nothin
of ourselves if we don't be let
"'Wid that says he, I've nothin to
do. Ordhers is ordhers, and them's
ordhers. ,"
The woman, with quick clutch at
her back hair, let it fall in loose, strag.
Cling mass On her bony shoulders, Ssnd
raising her hands above her head in an
attitude Of imprecation exclaimed:
'sMay the curse of the needy and the
hopeless fall upon
stHowld on, woman! How'd ON wild
your cursin! Bide bit till you get the
rights of your message to the divil. It's
mighty free with your curses you are. "
"Sure it's all we have left to give
Maybe not. Hear me out. Now.
says he, I'm on my rounds, and won't
be back this way for two hours, and
don't want to find you here when come
again.
God knows hope you won't, for I'm
nigh froze already, and the sack is half
FULL
"sWid snow, / suppose says he, wild a
grin, and off he wint.n
ssSure, exclaimed the woman, with a
grim smile, .sit was the same as tellin
ye to take what ye needed"
sThat's how | understood it, and
that's what did. -
'tThe b1essin of the saints be on Fo-
garty. Sure it's good heart he's got,
even if he is watchman."
.Gran'ma! It's SO told!' called a
little whimpering voice from the next
room. Andy Corrigan quickly took off
his jacket, and his wife carried it in to
the child, whom she could be heard
soothing while wrapping the garment
about her.
"There, dear; lie still now and soon
ye'll be warm as toast. Try and go to
sleep and dream about the angels. This
is Christmas eve, and they'll be all
around ye tonight"
els Hugh in yeti" asked Andy when
Ely returned to his side.
"Hes not been home since mornin
"Ah, the poor boyi It's to lave us his
share of the meat he stays cut. Its
nearly all gone, isn't it?'
Eyes, but there's enough to last over
Christmas.