Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
"Nfa'am?''

"Ma'am?'
What would you like best? Tell me all
the Things, the Queer Lady's sweet voice
| hurried on earnestly. She was too absorbed
| III her own thoughts to sec how surprised
and how wistful the little faces all were
| She hardly noticed them at all. She was
waiting. pencil and tablet In hand. for Ann
Sophy's reply. 'First-w-hato" she urged.
| Il want to make list.
"Oh-oh" Ann Sophy was too bewildered
to consider clearly. Her eyes sought her
she remembered the fcrvent ambition of her
| narrow little life "Oh pair o. Kid
gloves she cried, with plenty O. buttons
An book with pictures of cows an trees
| an country In tan music Eox-an' side
Combs an her tongue was loosened
She poured out her cherished dreams in a
| httle turbulent flood Of eloouence. The
with it. Ann Sophy had given them cour-
age and they stayed not upon the order of
their saying. but said it all. with shrill en-
thusiasn' Even the baby expressed his
wishes fiuently. # not clearly
| On their way home the little Coopers
| talked 1t all over
She's a-goin' to give US a Christmas,"
| shouted Nip in an ecstacy of delight
shes a-going to-" echoed Tuck
Hush, she'll hear you"' Ann Sophy
cautioned them but her staid little face
was quietly radiant She was almost
ready tC believe 1t herself
| Il don't know-it looks kind of So,
| she said. wistfuly.
Huh, course it's so. What's she want
us all to choose things for, then?' said
| Nip. scornfully.
| Eyes, whatd she want us to for?"
| We'll. / don't know-it kind of looks
so honest" repeated Ann Sophy, slowly.
| Hoor-ray! An we warn't goin' to have
any Christmas beforc-not a single thing
Ann Sophy Cooper, cause the coal bins
most empty"
mo. we warn't-not single, Ann sophy
| COOPER
| "Hoor-rayv'
| "Hoor-ray!'
Il can't help tit looks kind of So"
murmured Ann Sophy's wistful voice again
| The Queer Lady, left alone, was look
| ing over her list. 1t was not altogether
satisfactory. She was little disappointed
Some of the things We're so queer. If She
| could only remember-did children really
| want such things as those?
Well she said, folding the list care
| fully, 'Ill get all these things, anyway,
and perhaps they'll suggest others that
| aren't so queer"
The few Intervening days went past on
| swift wings Marjorie Graham was very
Lusy and happy. The children would
| come on Christmas eve just in time to
hang up their stockings. And, meantime,
| there was so much to do-so many beauti-
full things to to!
Two days before Christmas Marshall
| Graham came home unusually early in the
| afternoon. Twilight was just beginning to
fold in the merry Christmas world. He
hurried up the steps. Roxy let him in.
w mere IS MdT-Wnere Is Mrs. Graham ~
! he asked anXiously.
The girls pleasant, buxom face auiyered
| suddenly. She pointed toward the parIor
door,
In there" she said huskily. Then she
| sank down on the stairs and broke into
| hushed sobbing, swaying back and fort h
| and rocking her arms
shes fixing the-the-it," she sobbed
under her breath.
| The little man braced himself as for a
blow, and went into the parlor. Marjorie
came to meet him with laugh of tri-
| umph.
See. dear boy!" she cried, isn't it
lovely? It's all ready but lighting the
candles. couldn't wait till Christmas to
fix it.. You see. l can keep the parlor door
locked-the children won't know, and 1
come over this side-there! that's the best
view of 1t Now. you dear boy. say it's
the loveliest tree you ever saw-say it.
| Begin, It's the loveliest-"
| She was darling in and out among tho
| laden branches, readjusting and reloOping
Her eager eyes shone like candles to him
Say 1t, dear boy. why don't you begin?'
she cried gayly. And the little man drew
| a long, sobbing breath and said II as well
as he could 1t satisfied her. She was too
preoccupied to think his voice was stilted
and strained.
"Those little Cooper children heIned unite
| a lot. l called them in. You can't think
what funny little things they were! There.
it's quite. quite done. Tie my hands SO
won't touch another thing! And over here
see, on this sofa, are the stocking things
Four piles-this little soft ones Peck O.
Mischiefs!'
The tears were running helplessly down
the little mans face, but she did not see
them. He kept his head turned away.
Four piles Of toys were ranged in a prim
row and four little black stockings Law be-
side them, their limp lengths dangling over
the sofas edge. Outside in the hall Roxy
rocked her arms and cried tears of honest
love. That evening Marshall Graham
called on DR.. Sperry again. He told the
whole sad little story, and the kind-he rted
doctor hemmed and coughed and polished
and repolished his spectacles. my dear
sir" he began, then coughed and tried
again. my dear sir. you must wait Wait
/ oy,l thn I'D ho1v Aovr