Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-22
picked by the workingman's slang. why,
that's DgDa's roal'"

picked by the workingman's slang. why,
that's papa's road!'
Yes with a scowl Of hate. ''He did it.
'Taint your fault. Don't be scared. little gal.
You don't understand. We haven't any
Christmas dinners to our house, nor no pres
ents, either-and five young 'uns. / had to
stsal or starve. and I'd rather steal from him
who fired me than any one"
Then" said Day, slowly, you're not a
Santa Claus at all. You're nothing but a
burglar"
Il guess that's about the size of it. Sh!
What's that noise?" The man looked about
hou..
I'm so sorry great tears stood in the
child's eyes. Papa would be sorry, too, if
no only knew"
looked at his bag full Of the Parker silver.
He took it up and then put it down again.
There was an evident struggle in his mind.
Here he was confronted in his first crime
by what? Only by a child. And yet that
little girl seemed to his hard nature as much
a barrier against evil as a hundred feet Of
stone wall.
II might call mamma" suggested Day,
gently. mot for the world, child!" The
man put his rude hand upon her soft arm.
have meant powdered bones for her. 81
didn't mean no harm," he repeated apollo
getically. "We'fe dead broke. that's all.
We're nigh starving. ] couldn't stand it,"
liy lOOhSu at Hcl uOii IcI Sweet, Hltle
face worked with indecision.
''Mister?" she looked up with full eyes,
"How old is your little girl?"
Gust 8. little miss"
81 guess mamma won't m.nd!' she held
out the precious doll to the precious rascal.
"Give 1t to her. It's a Christmas present
from me Say Daisy Parker sent it,"
The discharged mctorman handled the
fluffy pink doll fer a moment doubtfully and
then thrust 1t into his big side pocket. "Tve
got to CO." he shivered. "Ycu'd better run
up stairs, little 'un."
mo-" said the little hostess, little dreaming
that her very fearlessness had utterly dis
armed a man, the more desperate because he
was in the midst of his first offense. II shall
see you cut. You had better pick up your
bag"
What the mans nature had sought a
little while ago his better nature now de-
tested.
"After takin' me fur Sanity Claus an give
me the doll fur my gal, l wouldn't take 1t
for a thousand dollar bill. It's mean bust
ness. and I'm done with it. They can starve
first, s'help me God."
How should this little angel guess? 1t had
never occurred to the superintendent's
daughter that the visitors bag contained all
their family silver.
Not surprised at anything now, no mat
ter how queer, Day gravely followed him.
She tucked her little hand in his, and he led
Hti I u OpSh pan WihuOW, WhlCh ne
easily forced.
In an instant he was outside. His foot
was on the stone ledge and his face, on the
other side of the sill, was on a level with
her.
Goodbye. little lady" he whispered in
his gruf way. Il didn't mean to ~frighten ye,
nohow. YEN forgive me. won't YEP" Thus
worse men than he had pleaded for the good
opinion Of those better than they-though
God knows who OF us are very good.
The child was beginning to realize what
manner Of man this really was, and now be-
gan to tremble violently. Her strength was
almost gone.
II guess you're nearer Santa Claus than
a burglar. anyway" she managed to say.
She could not add a word. Softly the win
dow closed, separating the motorman and the
little girl. 1t descended like a dream be-
tween them. shutting out a mans eager. re-
pentant face, shutting in a poor. weak child.
Day turned and found herself folded In
strong arms.
"Papa!" she cried. Papa, papa, papa"
Then she began to cry.