The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-22

haps you would let Marjory sleep
with you tonight"
Five minutes later Miss Priscilla
was standing alone before the fire,
wrinkling her forehead anxiously; for,
somewhat to her own surprise, she
had consented to care for six year
old child all night. Shell who had
never held one in her arms, who
looked upon children as bewildering
mysteriesl
"What shall l do if it cries?" she
murmured. Cor has the Group, or
falls out of bed, or wants doll, or
you're fool, Priscilla Hopkins!"
But when Mrs. Clark appeared at
the door that evening, with little,
curly headed, white-robed figure hid
den in great shawl, and gazing with
big, sleepy, black eyes at herself,
Miss Priscilla half forgave her folly.
And when she had awkwardly takon
the warm, little body in her arms, and
a rosy cheek, soft as satin, just brush
ed her own, why, Miss Priscilla
thought she was almost wisel But
when the little girl was tucked in
bed, and Mrs. Clark had left the
room, timidly, in her quavering old
voice, Miss Priscilla sang lullaby,
till the long lashes dropped and the
pink lips parted-and then the rich,
lonely old maid was certain that she
had never done so wise thing in
her life!
Ssh" she said softly, as Marjory's
mother entered the room, then flushed
over such weakness and Strengthened
into her usual rigid attitude.
"May we borrow your fire. place,
too, Miss Hopkins9" asked Mrs.
Clark, with growing courage. "To-
morrow would hardly be Christmas
if Santa Claus couldn't come down
the chimney, you know, and there is
only register in my room. will
try and keep the children from being
very noisy in the morning, if you'll
let me hang the little stockings here
tonight"
With two such pleading eyes shin
ing at her over an armful of pack
ages, Miss Priscilla felt she could
hardly refuse.
"H'm, yes. l don't know that it
would do any harm. All foolishness,
l think"
"Do you?" said Mrs. Clark, bright
ly. But it's such pleasure to watch
them when they find the stockings in
the morningl Let me see, here's
Noah's ark, that goes in Tots stock
ings and the little elephant in Mar
jory's. Then here is toy watch for
each of them, stick of candy, pop
corn ball and big orange to cap the
climax. Why, it just reaches the top!
How fortunate there isn't anything
morep' laughed Mrs Clark.
But, somehow, Miss Priscilla's
spectacles grew quite misty, and she
took them off and wiped them once
or twice. The little packages were
so very small, and the little mothers
way of laughing at her poverty was
SO brave and CHEEKY!
"Have the children any doll?"
asked Miss Priscilla, pinning the
stockings with her own fingers to her
cherished plush lambrequin.
eyes, two forlorn, little relics. Tots
has lost its head, l believe, and An
gelina's arms are gone, but the child
rem love them and l couldn't afford
new ones this year. l must run back
to Tot now. am so grateful to you,
Miss Hopkins, l hope Mariory won't
disturb you. Good night"
"Good night" answered Miss Pris-
ella, and then she went back to the
fire and stared hard at the little GRIM
son stockings, glowing in the fire
light.
"I'll do it-so!" she said at last, de-
cidedly. Softly leaving the room
she called down the speakingtube
for the chamber maid. Good-natured
Katie readily promised to mind the
child Bit" and, while giving nu-
merous cautions, Miss Priscilla ar
rayed herselfin bonnet and cloak and
started out into the night.
The stores were dazzling with gas
light, and the air was sweet with the
odor of pine branches, but the gay
festcons Of bunting were not in half
so happy a futter as Miss Priscilla's
foolish old heart. How hard it was
to decide between blue eyes and
brown, wax and bisque, and blue or
gold tea SETS And should she get
nuts or raisins, or candy, or purple
and white grapesl Miss Priscilla
oo,ldD,t ta1I sO che ap6a1 bv o,atf;no,