Middletown transcript., 1898-12-24


chose the words "Borrioboola Cha" al
her "roar. She said nothing to he1
mother Of all this, although the strug.
gle in her mind was long and severe,
and she longed sorely for sympathy and
advice. She had grown SO accustomed
to using the "yell" that she no longer
thought of it at all. She called out the
long word as she did that Of ''Paper' n
and it had no more significance to her.
But on this particular day, this dreary
Christmas eve, as she stood mechanical
ly repeating it, thinking meanwhile Of
the added pleasure for her mother and
Sweetie which every penny meant, she
was startled by light touch on her
shoulder and turned her head to see a
kindly face looking down into hers.
"Where do you say the accident hap
pened?" queried the tall, pleasant faced
man who owned the hand which still
lay on her ann. "Did you say Borrio-
boola Cha? ] have heard great many
queer cries used by newsboys," T" he said
with a whimsical smile at the pretty
face, which bent away from him, "but
yours is the most peculiar / have ever
known. Did you borrow it from Dick
ens?''
"Yes, SIR" she whispered, blushing
still deeper. and hurrying breathlessly
into her explanation. "Yes, sir. You
see, the boys said I'd have to make up
a roar if / was going to sell papers, and
I thought that was honest anyway"
"Poor little kidd" he thought later,
as he heard her cry. ring out under
his window as he sat in his comfortable
room at the hotel. "Poor little kid I
wish / could do something for her. She
reminds me of Jennie, somehow. Poor
JennieI I' And in reveries of his dear,
lost sight of sister he forgot all about
Maggie, and thought no more of her
until he heard her again the next morn
ing-Christmas morning.
"Not a cheerful day for fellow
who's got nothing but money to help
him enjoy himself, and no on to share
that with" he thought as he dressed
slowly, drearily, for the day promised
to be long and barren. ''Ie I only had
Jennie and her babies to help me out.
By Jovel" and he quickened his move
ments with a look of sudden interest,
"I'll hunt up Little Borrioboola Cha
and give her a jolly. Christmas. She
looks as though it wouldn't do her any
harm, and I can play pretender, as
Jennie's baby used to say, play that she
is one of Jennie's children"
Hastily completing his toilet, he dis
posed of a hearty breakfast, his pulses
quickening as he thought Of the pleas
ure which lay before him, the pleasure
of giving happiness to another, the one
pleasure which neither the world, the
flesh, nor the devil has the power to
mar or spoil.
Meanwhile the object Of his thoughts
had finished selling her papers the night
before and gone slowly homeward, re-
sisting the temptation to stay out in
the brilliantly lighted streets because
of her mothers well remembered re-
quest to this effect, and after buying as
much candy and fruit for Sweetie as
was consistent with saving few PEN
mics to buy a flower to 60 to the hos
pital with her and the baby tomorrow
afternoon and laying enough away to
buy her stock the next day she had got
straight into bed.
When she awoke, it was broad day
light, the shining light of Christmas
day, which has never seemed quite like
that Of ordinary days since that first
wondrous dawn nearly 1900 years ago,
and she sprang up with the sweet
Christmas joy in her heart and face, in
spite of her aching toes and lonely con-
dition.
CHOW for a cup of coffee and a
doughnut, she thought as she hurried
ly fastened her garments, ''and then for
my papers.
"Well, Little Borrioboola Cha, said
the samo kindly voice which had greet.
ed her the day before, "merry Christ
mas to you"
"Same to You, SIR" she answered
Ehyly, glancing up at him with the eyes
which reminded him 80 forcibly q his
sister. Paper, sirf''
"Well, yes, I suppose So" he re-
sponded, reaching in his pocket for a 81
bill. "How are you going to spend
your Christmas?'
"I'm going to the hospital to see
after I get through selling"
said Maggie, who, with child's Quick |
intuition, had OWNED that this was q
man to be trusted. "And I'm going to |
take Sweetie with me.
"Who is Sweetie?' was the next |
question, asked with a sympathetic in |
tonation which somehow expressed all |
The kindly words he did not say about |
ner mother. And Maggie, whose heart |
opened easily to any one who used the |
Key Of "Sweetie" wherewith to unlock |
1t, grew talkative at once.
"Sweetie's my sister," she prattled, |
forgetting her wares IN the joy Of tetif.
ing her love to some one. "My baby
sister. And she's been specially mine |
ever since mamma got sick and had to |
20 to the hospital. Auntie and Uncle |
Stewart have got her now," She went
On, not noticing the start the gentleman
gave, "but I'm going to get her back to
i've with us just as soon as mamma can
come home"
lis Auntie Stewart your real aunt?"
lueried her listener. a strange interest
70 his tone and manner. "And what is
your mammals manner"
"No. Auntie Stewart is an old friend
# mammals and papa's," answered
Maggie, tuoking her papers more tight
y under her arm, land mammals name
8 Jennie Brownell. y
"Jennie Brownellr' gasped the man
It her side, grasping her arm SO tightly
hat the tender flesh was bruised. "Jen-
lie Brownelll And what was your
,apa's name?'
'Papa's shame was Arthur Brownell, I"
aid Maggie, wondering more and more
it this mans odd behavior. "But he's
'een dead long, long time. and mann
ma took care Of us until she got sick
md / was big enough"
'You big enough" exclaimed her
listener excitedly. "You big enough,
'ou poor babyl Why, how old are your"
"I'm just IS, !" said Maggie proudly,
and, indeed, sir, Pm big enough.