Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-12-26

.o,,s,. a-u 'e,i into chair. II II had been
vsonsis,ent with tho dignity Of Mr.. Roberts'
nousekecper TO staggcr, she oertaIniv
wouiu nave staggered. She kept rcpeatin,
70 herself; ~ Did you eyers'' and ii oan'e
peiieye T." sho said afterward that vot,
might have knocked hcr down wifi n
s'law, though that was flsuratlye, 81
rms was tho beginning Of Mnrioric,s
visits To the great house on tho hin Uc.
mother did not como again. but eyerv dry
tbo big sunbonnet went toilInp ~, o,,i
tnen 'ho CLINT OF the golden hair wou,d h,
r"ph IN the great rooms where no child hal
ever strnycd before. Not that sho wns hois'
ferrous, or laughing, or ohildlike I'm on,.
way. She would sit In Mrs. Murrnv's roou,
ior hours, with her hands folded ON hcr
mp, watching the lady at hor work and
consumes talking softly, or she would
luiioW hcr from room to room. pnzlnv
WIN rapt delight at every beautiful object
Mr. Roberts know that she was In the
mouse but no snld nothing He was con.
soious sometimes that tho child stoppcl
near MIN and stood with her hands hobind
her' regarding him with grave scrutiny
put hcdld not drive her away, as he might
fore "ssN' w
Ho was In bis study one morning whom
he heard Mrs. Murray come into Tho al.
Joining room. The door was aIar. and
softly as she spoke, her words cana 10 bim
distinctly.
-, That was present from my son last
ohrlstmns'' she said. Dear boyl He
never lails 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
why, Marlorlo" was the shocked 70
Ply. Why, OF course, dol Everybody
likes Christmnsp'
II don't, said the small voloc-sneh n
desolato little voice 1t seemed. ~ Ind
rather leayc Christmas out Of tho yonr."
Marjorie" No words could express
the horror and annzcment In Mrs. Muir.
rays tone.
II woudl" The small voice had grown
thinner and higher in It's painful intensity.
what's the use Of Christmas that never
gets TO some people at ailY Thore was liz.
tie hino Peter Franks, who lived In tho
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 hc always thought
thcro'd be something in It next morning,
but thoro never was nnything-not sin.
gle thlng--nnd now poor Peters dead,
aud he never had Christmas In all his
lifo'
"My dcarl My denr"
This old gentleman IN the study heard
the exclamation, mud no knew that tho
voice that uttered it was full OF tears He
rose hastily md slipped out OF the study
and then ordered his carriage and went
Giving
Tho day following was Christmas eve.
Carriers from town wore busy NIL day
bringing In tho presents that he had
bought for tho servants, and thoro was
great happiness In the servants hall, with
much confusion and many awkward ut
tempts to thank the master, who waved
OF every such attempt with an air Of lofty
patronage. Outside OF this family Of sery.
ants no had mover given any ono present
In nll his life. Ho had never contributed
to charities, public or private. He had
mover helped the poor-indeed ho had never
listened to their appeals.
He Ind important business In another
city which would keep him away oil
through Christmas week. he explained to
Mrs. Murray and ho must leave that even
Ing. In tho afternoon no muflled himself
In groatcoat and furs and drove away, and
ns soon ms the carriage was half way down
the hill tho servants relaxed from their
usual stiff proprlety and began to enjoy
themselves in their own way.
A telegram was handed 10 Mr. Roberts
at the station as he was about TO buy his
ticket. What littlo things sometimes
change the whole course Of a llfcl The In.
formation thus received made the trip I'M
necessary, and after lettering nbout tho
city for awhile he returned home on foot
and entered his house quietly by sidO
door.
Sounds OF bolsterous merrlmont came
from the servants quarters, md the own
or Of tho house frowned omlnously So
this was tho way they took advantage Of
his absence?
He mude his way to his study, unseen
by amy one, rnd shut himself ina lonely,
selfish, desolntc old man, Even the fire,
which still burned IN tho CRATE annoyed
him, and he withdrew behind screen
and throw himself into mn easy chair Ho
heard Mrs, Murray conn III Nller hWhNet
but sho only moved about softly and do
corously setting things in order, aud he
did not speak, She was Just passing into
the sitting room whom she gave n little cry
of alarni, followed by the exclamation;
"Mercy me, child How you frightened
moi"
"Mrs. Murray" said thin little voice
"A voice that MIR, Roberts had hoard be.
forgive come up hero to stay all
night"
Tho listener behind the screen heard
Mrs. Murray fall into chair and again
she cried, "Morcy mol"
81 lust had to comow the eager voice
went on. "Mother's very, very sick-nnd
she needs things, Mrs. Murray-and may
bn Santa Claus might bring 'eu II he knew
and how Is ho to know when ho mover
comes ,heref But l know N went to
soIne flno house he'd come and find me
and SO came here"
POOR child Poor childr
Mrs. Murray hL gathered the little
waif 10 her bosom aud was rocking her
f,,.,, o., o,J fro Tha Md Gentleman be.