The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-22


These are to be waists for Percival, and
must be made by hand and very neatly
done. So try your best, Miss Dawson.
You may sew In here IL you would like.
1t is bright and cheerful. and Percival
likes to meet strangers. / think you viii
soon be friends" So saying. she left them.
Miss Samantha sewed with right good
will day after day she spent with Percival
in the nursery. They got along famously.
She told him of the people who lived in
the tenement house. The one-legged shoe
maker who sang at his work. Old grand
mother West, who wore two pair Of spec
tacles. and who. winter and summer. kept
the door open, lust for bit of fresh
air." and of the two little orphans who
sold papers and lived with Mrs. McMullen,
the washerwoman. He was never tired OF
hearing OF them. BY and by she grew
quite confidential, and he was much in
terested in her own lonely condition. and
thought II strange she did not even know
whether her mother was dead or alive
Just think" said he. You were
found all alone in the streets
when you were a little girl, and
you've been lonely ever since. It's too bad"
He thought moment, and added. This
will not be happy Cristmas for you, will
it?' No." said Miss Samantha, II can't say
Ii will for, as I've often said before. I'm
a mighty to crave for family gatherings.
on festive occasions. and / never was at
one in my life and 1t seems like the older
get the more / long for EN-
This seemed to make a deep impression
on Percival, for he sat In silence quite
long time for him, as he was a great little
talker. Just what his thoughts were, cam
not tell, but. presently, he said, "If you
really want a family gathering so badly,
why don't you have one?' why, law me.
child" said Miss Samantha. How you
do talk. There's two reasons for 1t, and
very good ones, too, they be-" What are
theyT said Percivai. First, haven't got
the family, and second, haven't got the
money" Well" said the child, 1T really
is too bad that you can't have what you:
want. I'm just little boy, and have ev-
erything / can think Of. and great deal
do not think of, but I'm not selfish, for
mamma says that would be wicked. But
sometime. maybe. you'll get into family
Of your own" mo. child, never, never"
said Miss Samantha, with quite a touching
cadence in her voice.
day or two before Christmas she fin
ished the work, and 1t was with feelings
of much sorrow that she babe little Per-
cival goodbye. He stood by eagerly as his
mother paic her the well-earned money.
Then he sprang forward and said, Nov,
now, mamma, give it to me. Here Is my
Christmas present to you, Miss Samantha"
and he placed In her hand a shining gold
coin. Miss Samantha stood agnast at sight
o. 1t. Then she stammered, 20 my dear
little boy, / can't ever take 1t, / really
can't. / don't deserve it." Eyes you do"
said the child quickly, "and I'll tell you
what want you to do with 1t. want you
to have real family gathering on Christ
mas day. I told mamma how you always
wanted to be in one, and how lonely you've
always been, and she helped me plan IL all,
and you must invite the people you told
me about. who live in the house with you
and are too poor to have any Christmas
You know who they are-the one-legged
shoemaker and Patsy Flynn and the two
little orphans, and all the rest. Now. prom
ise me you will do 1t, and sometime you
must come and tell me all about it, Eyes,
promise him, Miss Dawson" said Mrs.
Carleton. He has set his heart upon 1t,
and we never disappoint him." ct will.
WILL" said poor Miss Dawson, TREMENDOUSLY
God bless you. You are the very sweetest
little boy I ever saw" At this point her
feelings overcame her, and she hurried
away. Down the long drive into the street
she passed, fairly fitting along, so happy
was she made by the first kind words and
generous deed which had ever been bestow-
ed upon her.
The next day she called Mrs McMullen and
unfolded the joyful news. They formed
partnership the spot. She was to fur
nish the provisions, and Mrs. McMullen was
to borrow all the dishes possible. and to-
gether they would produce the finest Christ
mas dinner ever recorded.
The invitations were delivered verbally
and accepted likewise. The whole tenement
was in state Of high glee over the coming
festivities. The day before the grand af-
fair Miss Samantha went to the little gro
Gerry around the corner to make a few last
purchases. The proprietor. James Podgett
ESQ.,. as he always styled himself. was a
jolly little fellow with a very red face and
one eye over which he had apparently lost
control, for as he said himself lit looked six
ways for Sunday" "Well, well, Miss Daw-
son." said he, 80 your really going to
have a Christmas gathering. That's right
nice now. amt 1t? I'll make bold TO say it's a
thing I've always looked upon with much
favor, and have often thought I would ad-
mire TO take part in, but I'm like yourself,
alone in the world and never had the
chance" This last remark touched Miss
Samantha to the heart. well, sir" said
she. actually blushing over what she con-
sidered her own boldness, might make so
free to ask you to join us Tomorrow"
/ why, Lord bless you. yes said Mr.. Pod
gett, land I'll be there right on time,
dressed in my Sunday best"
The next day was Christmas. 1t was
crisp and fair Every tree was a Christ
mas tree, laden with snow. The church
bells rang out grandly. ''Glad tidings OF
great joy"
Excitement was great in the tenement
house. Miss Samantha was in such trans
port Of happiness that she had to pinch her.
self two or three times to make sure she
was not dreaming. She had acquired quite
little air of Importance and a new light
shone in her eyes. The table was a long
one made by placing three together, and
was covered by two cloths which Mrs. Nc
Mullen had borrowed for the occasion, and
was decked with sprigs of holly on which
glistened shining red berries.
Miss Samantha fitted here and there like
a little snowbird At last all was ready
and after while the guests began to as
semble. All that little Percival had desig-
mated and good many more. Last of all
came James Podgett. Esq. arrayed in a
brand new suit of large gray plaid green
necktie, and a red silk handkerchief peeped
coquettishly from his coat pocket.
aEt- An ofe