Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-24

rose hastily and slipped out Of the study
and then ordered his carriage and wen,
driving.
The day following was Christmas eve,
carriers from town We're busy all day
bringing in the presents that he had
pousht Tor 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
on every such attempt with an air Of lofty
patronage. Outside of this family of se-y
ants he had never given any one a 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.
lie had important business in another
city which would keep him away all
through Christmas week. he explained m
Mrs Murray, and he must leave that even
ing. In the afternoon he mutiled himself
III greatcoat and furs and drove away. and
as soon rs the carriage was half way down
the mil the servants relaxed from their
usual stiff propriety and began to enjoy
| themselves in their own way.
y 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 a life The in
| formation thus received made the trip un
/ necessary, and after lettering about tho
| city for awhile he returned home on foot
and entered his house quietly by a side
| door
Sounds OF boisterous merrment came
from the servants quarters. and the own
er OF the house froWncd ominouslv. So
| THIS was the way they took advantage of
his absence?
lie made his way TO his study unseen
by any one, and shut himself ina lonely.
selfish, desolate old man Even the fire
which stlll burned in the CRATE, ANNOYED
him, and he withdrew behind a 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 IA little cry
of alarm followed by the exclamation:
Mercy me, child How you frightened
me-"
Mrs. Murray" said thin little voice
"A voice that Mr.. Roberts had heard be-
fore-'lve come up here to stay all
night"
The listener behind the screen heard
Mrs. Murray fall into chair and again
she cried, Mercy metz
Il 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 EN- If he knew |
and how Is he to know when he mover |
comes there? But l knew if / went TO |
some fine house he'd como and find me, |
and so | came here
Poor child Poor childr'
Mrs. Murray had gathered the little |
Walf 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 housekeepcr was furtivcly wiping her |
eyes.
Presently she rallied and said chcerily:
I'm toll you what well do Marjorie |
III go right down and see your mother
and you shall go with me, and, who |
knows, maybe Santa Claus will come
there, after all y
"Oh, no, he wOn't!' replied the child |
with sorrowful conviction. "You don't |
know that place. Santa Claus has never |
heard of It'll He goes to rich peoples |
houses, and GO I've come here, and must |
see him tonight-oh, l must, Mrs Murray |
don't care for any other Christmas after
this, but | must see him tonight on moth
or's account, you know"
There was Il dismaycd silence on Mrs.
Murray part, but presently she said:
We'll, come along into Mr. Roberts
study-thank goodness he's away from
homeland sit here before the fire till
come back III take John and go down
and sec your mother"
In another minute the sound of her re-
treating footsteps had died away, and the
old gentleman, peeping from behind the
screen, saw little figure sitting before
the fire gazing intently into the glowing
GOALS
Dusk WAS settling down over the city.
He had not been conscious of it until tho
electric burner above his table flashed into
sudden radiance Tho fash startled the
child, and he heard her moving softly
about. What was she doing? Preparing
TO steal something probably These chill
drcn from the tenement districts were all
thieves
But, mol When 10 ventured to look
again, she was at the study tabe-his Ia
hlc--writing. She had his sacred pen,
which no other mortal had ever dared to
touch, and she was writing slowly and la
boriously. Could presumption 20 farther
than that? What would these people be
trying to do next2
1t took her a long time to write the LET
ter, but at last it was finished, and She laid
the pen down with weary sigh. Then
she unroicd little bundle that had been
lying beside her and shook Out-cOuld the
watcher believe his eyes!-a stocking a
poor forlorn, ragged little stockingi Now
what could she want with that2
She stood on tiptoe and pecred around
the corners of the mantel for place to
hang it. Finally something struck her
fancy as suitable and she began pushing
a heavy chair toward the mantcl. When
1t was near enough, she climbed upon IL I
and hung the stocking upon the brave
caduccus' Of the bronze Mercury that he
had bought last year in Rome and for
which he had paid such pricel
Presently she had jumped down and
was surveying the stocking with the great {
est pride. Then the note was carefully
folded, and she climbed upon the chair !
again and pinned the folded paper to the I
toe 50 conspicuously that the winged Mcr- !
curry seemed TO stand there for no other !
purpose than to hold up ragged stocking /
l. 4