Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-12-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
Santa Claus Came.
4" IF you please, sir"
GO Eh 2 What pOwo oD

IL you pleaSe, Slr-'
Eth? ? What now?"
The crusty old gentleman turned
suddenly and sharply and glared
from beneath his shaggy eyebrows
at the little figure beside him. The
figure was that of little girl of 8
years old, perhaps, but small and
frail. She wore an enormous sun
bonnet that might have been made
for the wife of the giant Blunder.
bore, so out of proportion was it ia
the diminutive wearer, and out of
Its depths peered thin little face,
with big, frightened, brown eyes.
Her clothing was so clean and neat
that one scarcely noticed how very
poor it was, and as she stared up
into the terrible face above her one
OF the little feet wriggled uneasily
in the depths of the costly rug.
If you please, sir, mother said
to tell you that she couldn't come IN
to-day because she's sick"
The childish treble was a little
shaken this time, for the shaggy eye.
brows were very close to her, and
they gave the old gentleman a look
that Was terrible beyond belief.
He was in dreadful temper, this
crusty old gentleman, and nothing
made him angrier than for Door peo.
pie to get into his house. He hated
the sight of poverty, and all his ser.
wants had special orders to guard
the doors and gates and to see that
no moan of woe or want ever reached
his ears. And yet, after all, this lit.
tie beggar had slipped past the bolts
and doors into his very study, where
his own servants scarcely dared to
enter.
/ don't know what dreadful thing
might have happened if it had not
been for that one little word mother
in the child's fiuttering speech
Children so seldom speak the word
nowadays that it gave a little shock
of surprise. Instantly, he found
himself looking beyond the child at
an old, long-forgOtten scene-a little
cabin, with white country road
winding past it, and an awkward
boy going down the road, stopping
at the last curve to wave his hand to
his mother, who stood i'm the door
watching him go out into the world.
Then he remembered himself and
asked sharply:
And who is your mother, pray,
and why should she come here ?n
Please, SIR" said the quaverine
little voice, mothor's the dust wo.
man."
"The what" calculated the old
gentleman, with another dreadful
frown.
She comes up once a week and
dusts the bric-a-brac," explained the
child. "The housekeeper hired
her. She says she doesn't feel equal
to 1t herself, and mother does 1t SO
nicely"
"Aha !" muttered the old gentle.
man with an angry gleam In his
eyes under those fearful brows. $50
Mrs. Murray brings outsiders into
the house when my back is turned
does she? They're all alike, a pack
OF cheats and robbers I'll teach
her to violate my confidence and fill
my house with irresponsible people
You may stay I'm this room till Mrs
Murray comes. Do you hear? Ant
then L shall have a message to sent
to your mother"
He rang the bell violently and or
dered that Mrs. Murray be sent Il
him as soon as she returned. Hav
ing made this satisfactory arrange
ment, he took up his paper agair
and ignored the little figure In tn,
sun bonnet,
But before he had read a dozel
lines there was light touch on hi
arm and the brown eyes were lookinJ
up into his.