The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-12-27
and ahe's very careful, sir. I couldn't 90


countenance before her. What terrible
thing was he going to say nextY
'Mrs Murray the woman has sent this
child to say that she is too i'll to come.
That will do You will excuse her until
she RECEIVERS. -
Mrs Murray went back to her own
room and fell into chair. If 1t had been
consistent with the dignity of Mr.. Roberts
housekeeper to stagger, she certainly
would have staggered. She kept repeating
to herself: "Did you everP' and Il can't
believe it, She said afterward that you
might have knocked her down with a
straw, though that was figurative, of
course.
This was the beginning of Marjorie's
visits to the great house on the hill. Her
mother did not come again, but every day
the big sunbonnet went toiling up, and
then the CLINT of the golden hair would be
seen in the great rooms where no child had
ever strayed before. Not that she was bois-
ferrous, 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 con-
scious 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 be-
fore.
He was in his study one morning when
he heard Mrs. Murray come into the adj
joining room. The door was ajar, and,
softly as she spoke, her words came to him
distinctly.
"That was present from my son last
Christmas, she said. Dear boyl He
never fails to send me something every
Christmas and every birthday"
Then came small voice, full of wistful
meaning:
"Mrs. Murray" it said, edo you like
Christmas?"
"why Marjorie!" was the shocked re-
ply. "Why, of course, do! Everybody
likes Christmasr'
II don't said the small voice-such a
desolate little voice it seemed. 81 had
rather leave Christmas out of the year.
"Marjorie!" No words could express
the horror and amazement in Mrs. Muir
rays tone.
WOulu! Liz bludll NOlC5 liuu SEON IL
thinner and higher in it's painful intensity.
"What's the use of Christmas that never
gets to some people at all? There was lit
tie lame Peter Franks, who lived in the
room opposite to ours, and OH he wanted
Christmas so much, Mrs. Murray! He
used to hang his stocking up every year,
every single year, and he always thought
there'd be something in it next morning,
h,1t ra hin0-nOt n Gin
gle thing-and now poor Peters dead
and he never had Christmas in all his
lifep'
"My dear! My dearp'
The old gentleman in the study heard
the exclamation, and he knew that the
voice that uttered it was full of tears. He
rose hastily and slipped out of the study
and then ordered his carriage and went
driving.
The day following was Christmas eve.
Carriers from 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
much confusion and many awkward at
tempts to thank the master, who waved
off every such attempt with an air of lofty
patronage Outside of this family of serv-
ants he had never given any one present
in all his life. He had never contributed
to charities public or private. He had
never helped the poor-indeed he had never
listened to their appeals.
He had important business in another
city which would keep him away all
through Christmas week, he explained to
Mrs. Murray, and he must leave that even
ing. In the afternoon he muff1ed himself
in greatcoat and furs and drove away, and
as soon as the carriage was half way down
the hill the servants relaxed from their
usual stiff propriety and began to enjoy
themselves in their own way.
= A telegram was handed to Mr.. Roberts
at the station as he was about to buy his
ticket. What little things sometimes
change the whole course of life The in
formation thus received made the trip I'M
necessary, and after lettering about the
city for awhile he returned home on foot
and entered his house quietly by a side
door.
Sounds of boisterous merriment came
from the servants quarters, and the own
er of the house frowned ominously. So
this was the way they took advantage of
his absence?
He made his way to his study, unseen
by any one, and shut himself ina lonely,
selfish, desolate old man. Even the fire,
which still burned in the CRATE, annoyed
him, and he withdrew behind screen
and threw himself into an easy chair. He
heard Mrs. Murray come in after awhile,
but she only moved about softly and de-
corously, setting things in order, and he
did not speak. She was just passing into
the sitting room when she gave little cry
of alarm followed by the exclamation:
"Mercy me- child How you frightened
mel"
MRS. Murray" said a thin little voice
"a voice that Mr.. Roberts had heard be-
FORGIVE come up here to stay all
night"
The listener behind the screen heard
Mrs. Murray fall into chair and again
she cried, mercy mel"
81 just had to comet" the eager voice
went on. "Mothers very very sick-and
she needs things, Mrs. Murray-and may
be Santa Claus might bring 'em If he knew
and how is he to know when he never
comes there? But 1 knew If went to
some fine house he'd come and find me,
and so l came here"
"Poor child Poor childp'
Mrs. Murray had gathered the little
waif to her bosom and was rocking her
softly to and fro. The old gentleman be-
hind the screen could see that by the shad
ow on the floor. He could see, too, that
the housekeeper was furtively wiping her