The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-12-25


went to the balcony and looked dowr
to the roofs of the crowded houses In
the narrow streets below and ther
away to the far horizon. This beauti
full home of his crowned the summit o
this purple hill and was uplifted so fal
above the noise and dust and wretch
edness of the city that lay below. Tru
ly, 1t was pleasant thing to live on 8
hill. He had never thought of it be
fore, but all at once he fancied himself
down among those miserable tene
ments, looking up at this beautiful
home and thinking how near to heaven
il reached.
There was hurried tap at the door
and Mrs. Murray presented herself
Her comfortable figure was attired still
in the neat dress that she had worn in
the street. Her round face was wreath.
ed with smiles, but she was obviously
fluttered and quaking with fear.
"Did you leave word that you want
ed to see Die, sir?" 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 employeda 4 woman to come here
once week and dust the bric-a-brac ~
ayes. sir. Mrs. Holmes her name is,
and she's very careful, sir. l couldn't
do better myself"
She glanced up anxiously at the
wooden countenance before her. What
terrible things was he going to say
next?
"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 recovers."
Mrs. Murray went back to her own
room and fell into chair. If it had
been consistent with the dignity of Mr..
Roberts's hOusekeeper to stagger, she
certainly would have staggered. She
kept repeating to herself: "Did you
ever?' and 81 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 toll
ing up, and the CLINT of the golden
hair would be seen in the great rooms
where no child had ever strayed before.
Not that she was boisterous, or laugh
ing, or childlike i'm any way. She
would sit in Mrs. Murray's room for
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 Yas. in
tbs 4 , thg hagse hqu hef tfiaias 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, rs he might have been expected
TO do few weeks before.
He was in his study one morning
when he heard Mrs. Murray come into
the adjoining room. The door was
ajar, and, softly as she spoke, her words
came to him distinctly
"That was a 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 visit
full meaning:
"Mrs. Murray" it said, ''do you like
Christmas"
"Why, Marjorie ~ was the shocked
reply. "Why, of course, | do, Every
body likes Christmas ~
al don't, ;" said the small voice-such
O desolate little voice it seemed. 81
had rather leave Christmas out OF the
year."
Marjorie ~ No words could en-
press the horror and amazement in
Mrs. Murray's tone.
AZ wouldr ~ The small voice had
grown thinner and higher in its pain
full intensity. "What's the Use of
Christmas that never gets to some peo-
pie at all? There was little lame Peter
Franks, who lived in the room oppo-
site to ours, and, oh, he wanted a
Christmas so much, Mrs. Murray. tie
used to hang his stocking up every
year, every single year, and he always
thought there'd be something in 1t
next morning, but there never was any
thing-not 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 his study heard
the exclamation, and he knew that the
voice that uttered il 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 i'm the presents that he
had bought for the servants, and there
was great happiness in the servants
hall, with much confusion and many
awkward attempts to thank the master,
who waved Off revery such attempt with
an air of lofty patronage. Outside of
this family of servants he had never
given any one present in all his life.
He had never contributed to charities,
public or private. He had never help
ed the poor-indeed he had never list
ened to their appeals.
He had important business in anoth-
er city which would keep him away all
through Christmas week, he explained
to Mrs Murray, and he must leave that
evening. In the afternoon he mufiied
himself i'm greatcoat and furs and drove
away, and rs 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.. Rob
erts at the station as he was about To
buy his ticket. What little things
sometimes change the whole course of
life The information thus received