The Somerset reporter., 1895-12-12
SANTA CLAUS CAME.
III you please, sir
NO Mint r,n.,,.Ntl

denly and sharply and glarcd from beneath
his shaggy eyebrows at the little figure be
side him. The figure was that of girl
years old perhaps, but small and frail. She
wore an enormous sunbonnet that might
have been made for the wife of the giant
Blunderbore SO out OF proportion was it to
the diminutive wearer, and out of its
depths peered a thin little face, with big
frightened brown eyes. Her clothing was
SO clean and neat that one scarcely noticed
how very poor 1t 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 10 tell
you that she couldn't come up today be-
cause she's sick "
The childish treble was little shaken
this time, for the shaggy eyebrows were
very close to her, and they gave the old
gentleman look that was terrible beyond
belief
He was In dreadful temper, this crus-
ty old gentleman, and nothing made him
angrier than for poor people to get into his
house. He hated the sight of poverty, aud
all his servants had special orders to guard
the doors and the gates and To see that no
moan of woe or want ever reached his
ears. And yet, after all, this little beggar
had Slipped past the bolts and bar 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 "mothcr' in the child's
Tutoring 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 il
and an awkward boy going down the road
stopping at the last curve to wave his
hand to his mother, who stood in 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 hore?'
PLEASE, sir" said the quavering little
voice, "mothcr's the dust woman.
The what" calculated the old gentle.
man, with another dreadful frown.
She comes up once week and dnsts
the brie-a-brac," explained the child
1.-The housekecpcr hired her. She says she
doesn't feel equal to 1t herself, and mother
does it so nicely"
"Ahai" muttered the old gentleman
with an angry CLEAN in the eyes under
those fearful brows. $50 Mrs. Murray
brings outsiders into the house when my
back is turned, does sheg They re all
alike, pack of cheats and robbers I'll
teach her to violate my confidence and I'll
my house with irresponsible people! You
may stay In this room till Mrs Murray
comes. Do you hear? And then | shall
have u message to send to your mother.
He rang the bell violently and ordered
that Mrs. Murray be sent to him rs soon
as she returned. Having made this salts
factory arrangement he took up his paper
again and ignored the little figure in the
sunbonnet.
But before he had read dozen lines
there was "A light touch on his arm, and
the brown eyes were looking up into his
"Please, sir may look out of the win
dow while we re waitingY'
He was so astonished that he could not
reply for moment but he did finally give
"a soornful grunt of assent.
There was ailence in the room for IA long
time Not a clock licked, for old Mr.
Roberts could not endure the ticking of
clocks. Not leaf stirred, not cricket
chirped The stiffness disturbed him at
last, and he looked up. The child was out
on the little balcony, leaning on the stone
balustrade. Her bonnet had fallen off,
and the sunlight, falling ON the mass of
brown hair, wove il full of CLEANS of gold
Another touch on his arm--thcre she
was again. Her hand-such little morsel
of hand-trembled with some new emo
ton, and her eyes shone with IA strange
light
- 1t must be nice to live on hilll" was
what she said.
The old gentleman in the armchair had
never been more astoundcd in his life. He
stared at her and forgot to say anything
q have always wanted to live on "A
hill, " She went on. 'Our house is away
down yonder, and you can't SEQ anything
but the houses across the street But up
here you con look SO far, and the sky's SO
close to you. Don't you think people can
be better when they live on Il hill}"
The newspaper fell to the floor unhcedcd
and the crusty old gentleman and the lit
tie girl looked at one another After
awhile the old gentleman went to the bal,
cony and looked down to the roofs Of the
crowded Houses in the narrow streets be
low and then away TO the far horizon
This beautiful home of his crowned the
summit of this purple Hill and was up
lifted SO far above the noise and dust and
wretchedness Of the city that lay below.
Truly, it Was a pleasant thing to live on
hill He had never thought of it before,
but all ut once he fanCicd himself down
among those miserable tenements looking
up mt this beautiful home and thinking
how near to heaven it reached
There was "a hurried tap at the door,
and Mrs Murray presented herself Her
comfortable figure WAS attired still in the
neat dress thHt she had worn in the street.
Her round face was wreathcd with smiles,
but she WAS obviously nuttered and quuk
ing with fear.
Did you lo,ye word that you wanted
to see me sir: She asked and then waited
for the blow 10 fail
Mrs Murray said the old gentleman
in his stif1cst and most formal manner,
"Am | to understand that You have en-
ployed woman to come here once week
and dust tho brica-b racY'
yes. sir Mrs Holmes her name ia.
ard she's very careful sir. couldn't do
better myself"
She glanced up anxiously at the wooden
eountenance before her What terrible
thing 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 RECEIVERS"
Mrs Murray went back to her own
room and fell into n chair. II it had been
consistent with the dignity Of Mr., Roberts
housckeeper to staggcr, she certainly
would have staggered She kept repeating
TO herself: Did you every' and Il can't
believe it. She said afterward that you