The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-12-31

apprUVingly, land with Allie out 81
the way, | shall take it on myself, /
shall, to give that room II tOrn-d0wn
cie&nin'. I've been threatenim' Rita
was goin' to. It's scand'IouS, that
room is, an Il disgrace to the house,
The wintry afternoon was half over.
however, before the little scamstrtss
was ready to 20. Then Allie. wit h
Tony Gatto's cap, and Tommy Oyler's
Jacket to supplement his own abbre-
waited wardrobe, was wrapped in Mrs.
l3uden'S best patchwork quilt, pieced
by her mother in better days long
gone, and then he WAS carried out the
big door and tucked into the Kerr gan
baby buggy. Aud what with the
wonderful blue lining albeit some
what faded and something soiIed,
and the dangling fringe. and the cush-
toned seat, Allie could not have been
placed on ii throne with greater 10y TO
himself; and he waved his hands gay
ly as the wheels vent round and he
started off amid the plaudits of the
neigh aorhOOd.
There is d kind of smell of Christ
mas iii the air." said the little seam
stress. picking up a bit of cedar from
the mud as they crossed the street and
inhaling the frosty air until her white
cheeks Redeemed: and. Mrs. Hillen's
bakery door opening at just that mo-
lnent, Allie shifted at the warm, sugary
spicy air that rushed out, and agreed
with her entirely, then fell to clapping
his hands at Il gay little Christmas
tree in grocery window.
"Oh. seen he cried, as presently
they passed restaurant window,
what is it? y little pig, did you say?
! Roasted, ready to eat? Dyer reckon
it'd taste good? It's got leming in
his moth. | tasted Il leming once.
| Dyer reckon we can get across this
here street? My, but amt there
crowd turns out Il Chris mas Eve"
y crowd it was, and a Christmas
crowd at that. \ good-humored, jok
ing, hurrying crowd. with bundles
| piled in its arms mp to its very chins,
and smiles on its hundreds of lips. \
| crowd whose mirth and good humor
were infectious, so that Allie and the
! little seamstre So, now part of it.
caught the contagion, and felt their
spirits rising and bubbling ard over
flowing in tiny jokes, i'll smiles, i'll
laughter. until the crowd itself turned
to look after the merry child wheeled
through the streets by the smiling
Meanwhile the good ladies left be-
hind at the old house, We're applying
themselves to their task of cleaning
Allies room with zeal seldom, alas,
brought to bear upon their own
apartments. Mrs. HOdcn. hanging
the lumpy mattress into the frosty air,
whired the few. poor pieces of turnI-
tuTe about and attacked the floor with
broom and soap ANA water. Mrs.
LatIertY with her skirts pinned up,
washed the window, Mrs. Gloysteln
took up the great bank Of aSLes, Mrs.
Oyler, with her apron tied OF II bed
slat, removed the dusty cObwebs
with as much concern AS if the Oyler
suit Of rooms did not at that moment
boast as fine hanging of them
as could be found anywhere.
Il think said Mrs. Gatto's little
Giulia from the doorsill, where she
stood, an interested specTator-''l
think my kindergarten garland would
look pretty over the fireplace"
so it would" returned Mrs. Gatto,
approvirgiy; you go bring it Giulia.'
1t proved to he an inspiration. The
various offspring OF the house, not to
be outdone by the Cato generosity,
scattered in all directions, and return
tnE LAID their assS s15 RS9 s5O
There were tdotFEe a9pga 5p9eses saiF9IA ffEHsge1
like Giuia's. thefe were II
H r,,,.%, pasted on =
holly, a Gilt corpueopis,- as'someybat
soft banana, ana q BIT OF orange Spear.
Its first-rate to chew ou,peelin' is"
explained small Dennis Latferty, anX
iouslv. as he brought it forth from his
breeches pocket; an amt got nothin'
else but jus that for Allies Christ
mas
For Allies Christmas?" The girl
about to enter the halt-closed door
paused to listen. She was IA slight,
pretty young thing, cheapiy but
SLOWLY dressed, and the broken paper
of the bundle she held so carefully,
showed a bit OF bright velvet and the
tip of cheap ostrich feather.
It'll do mighty we'll" Mrs. Boden
was assuring Dennis, and Allie will
think it fine, lie will, if he's got any
room left for thinking anything. after
going out ridin' in Miss kerrigan's
baby kerridge. He'll like it, Allie will
there never was such uncompanin'
child as Allie an easy TO please. Make
up that fire, Mis- iiUystein; / reckon
| can spare another shovel of coal
outer NV bucket. faint goin' to do
to have This floor damp for him. He's
failin' right smart now, Allie Is, tho /
amt sayiu' ne has any need 10 be.
remem Der when his ma was sick here
in this room, a year ago, Just afore she
died. how she asked the doctor about
Allie, an he said how with good feed
ing and lookin' after Allie ought Ter
| get well. ArayS il cripple. to be sure,
| he said, but able TO be up an about"
"Perhaps," said Mrs. kerri&an, pin
ming Il gaS red card over tine bed
''perhaps it's Just as well he should
| fail an go. He'll be with his mother
an better; for Rita She
But the memory OF the dead mother
was with Mrs. Boden. 1t amt for
us to Judge" she said, with unwonted
| gentleneSs; Rita ain got no one to
show her, and maybe my sharp words
has done harm where meant to help;
an she's jus young thing, after all.
But she can wear fine cio'es an
feathers III her hat, and Allie sut1erln
for things persisted Mrs. herrigan,
her baby's little cheek Rugged close
to her own as she spoke.
The figure outside the door crept
| away, DduSlLS III tllt SLid''o" VI 81
doorway in the dark hall to let Mrs.
Hiilen, from the bakery, pass by,then
hurrying out of the house into the
gathering dusk.
I'VE heardt ell dot You was making
Allie Won Christmas" beamed stout
Mrs. HiIlen, uncovering her basket,
"uud Mis- Killer init de grocery und
me; we hat made up a leetle supper to
90 NIT it, and a warm, sugary, spicy
odor arose III the air.
Then a little Boden came painting
in lis it ready he cried-"are yer
ready? Fer l seen the kerridge a
turnin' the corner just now"
The household had taken itself to
it's own apartments. Allie, worn out
by the accommodations of delights, and
put into fresh gown and clean bed
by Mrs ,Boey's kind hands, had fallen
asleep, the gilt cornucopia IN his
hand.
, The freight flickered over the room
on the paper garlands, the cedar, the
bit of holly, on the pretty face OF
Allies sister Rita as the door opened
and she came in.
She glanced about tine tidy room,
: flushed, then dropped her bundles
and hurried to the bed. She bent over
t Allie. studying his little face anXiously
and then SO worn, so white, so wasted
: did it prove, she slid down on the
floor and hid her face against the bed
! clothes
t Mother she sobbeG, don't let him
die, never meant to- only didn'
think. Eve been to take the hal