The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-12-20
SCRANTON, MISSISSIPPI,

down to the crowded houses In the
narrow streets below and then away
to the far horizon. This beautiful
home Of his crowned the summit of
this purple hill and was uplifted so
far above the noise and dust and
wretchedness OF the city that lay
below. Truly, it was pleasant thing
to live on Il hill. lie had never
thought of it before, but all at once
he fancied himself down among those
miserable tenements, looking up at
this beautiful home and how near
heaven it reached.
There was hurried tap aU the door
and Mrs. Murray presented herself.
Her comfortable figure was attircd
still in the neat dress that she had
worn in the street. Her round face
was wrcathed with smiles, but she was
obviously nuttered and quaking with
fear.
"Did you leave word that you
wanted to see me- sr?" she asked
and then waited for the blow to fall.
"Mrs. Murray" said the old gentle
man in his stiffest and most formal
manner, "am | to understand that
you have employed woman to come
here once Il week and dust the bric-a-
brac?'
Eyes, sir. Mrs, Holmes her name
is, and she's very careful, sir. 1could
not do it better myself"
She glanced up anxiously at the
wooden countenance before her. What
terrible thing was he going to say
next?
"Mrs. Murray, the woman has sent
this child to say that she is too i'll to
come. You will excuse her until she
RECEIVERS. That will do
Mrs. Murray went back to her own
room and fell into chair. If it had
been consistent with the dignity of
Mr.. Roberts housekeeper to stagger,
she certainly would have staggered.
She kept repeating to herself: "Did
you ever" and II can't believe it,"
She said alterward that you might
have knocked her down with straw,
though that was flgurative, of course.
This was the beginning of Marjorics
visits to the great house on the hill.
Her mother did not come again, but
every day the big sunb0nnet went
tollng up, and then the CLINT of the
golden hair would be seen in the great
rooms where no child had ever straycd
before. Not that she was bOisterous,
or laughing, or childlike in any way.
She would SIT in Mrs. Murray's room
for hours, with her hands folded on
her lap, watching the lady at her work
and sometimes talking softly, or she
would follow her from room to room,
gazing with rapt delight at every
beautiful object.
Mr.. Roberts knew that she was In
the house, but he said nothing. He
was conscious sometimes that the
child stopped near him and stood with
her hands behind her, regarding him
with grave scrutiny, but he did not
drive her away, as he might have been
expected to do a few weeks before.
lie was in his study one morning
when he heard Mrs. Murray come into
the adjoining room. The door was
aiar, and, softly as she spoke, he heard
her distinctly.
THAT was present from my son
last Christmas" she said. "Dear boy !!
He never fails to send me something
every Christmas and every birthday
Then came a small voice, full of
wistful meaning:
"Mrs. Murray" it said, "do you like
Christmas?"
"Why, Marjorie" !" was the shocked
response. "Why, of course l do,
Everybody likes Christmas"
II DON'T" said the small voice =
, such desolate little voice it seemed.
81 had rather leave Christmas out OF
the year."
"Mariorie" No words could ex-
press the horror and amazement in
Mrs. Murray's tone.
81 would ~ The small voice had
grown thinner and higher in Its pain
full intensity. "What's the use of a
Christmas that never comes to some
people at all? There was little lame
Peter Franks, who lived In the room
opposite to ours, and, oh, lie wanted
Christmas so much, Mrs. Murray
, he used to hang his stocking up every
single year, and he always thought
thered be something In 1t next-morn
Ing, but there never was anything
not a single thing-and now Poor
Peters dead, and he never had a
Christmas in all his life"
"My dear! My dear"
The old gentleman In the study
heard the exclamation, and he knew
that the voice that uttered was full Of
tears. lie rose hastily and slipped out
of the study and then ordered his car
riage and went driving.
The day following was CHRISTMAS
eve. Carriers from the town were
, busy all day bringing In the presents
, that he had bought for the servants
, and there was great happiness in the
servants hall, with many awkward
: attemps to thank the master, who
waved of every such attempt with III