The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-12-27
BECKY'S CHRISTMAS.
BY JENNIE NJ. BINGHAM.

down TO his eyes.
"Say, daddyr'
The old hat moved little.
"Huhr'
Say, daddyr' and this was very
persuasive SAY" not at all like the in
quiring ones before, did you know
about it-that to-morrow's Christmas ?'
He shook his head slowly.
'Oh, it is, it is, truly. I've kept count
for ever an ever so many days, since
fore Thanksgivin'. An Mr.. Patrick
knows, guess, an he brought home a
Christmas tree this very morning. /
seen it, daddy; now don't you believe
it?"
The child was sitting on a stool by
his side. She rested her hand on his
knee with little caress that somehow
appealed to him, even in his dull, des-
pOnding condition. Such little hand,
too. How thin and claw-like it grew!
Somehow Becky didn't seem to grow
like other girls. Perhaps she was built
small-some children are.
She left her stool and came and stood
by his side and reached up her arms to
put them about his neck. Daddy, 1
love you. Dye s'pose I'll get dolly,
a wax dolly, in my stocking. to-mor-
row? It's Christmas. A MAX dolly
with curly hair, and she'll open and
shut her eyes, wax dolly, and it's in
the pretty store window. 'Twould be
easy to find it, daddy-just as easy-ss
easy as anything. Oh, I could find it
for you If the stOreman couldn't. Just
think how 1 wake up early when we
have mullins for breakfast. Oh, I'll
wake up so much earlier when it's
Christmas, an l won't cry bit if we
don't have muffins-never any more.
Oh, dollies are nicer with yaller hair,
an they'll go asleep. Just think, dad
dy, go asleep, like as if it was live
baby. You'd never know when you
see it going asleep that it wasn't live
baby; you'd never guess it, daddy"
She had talked so fast she was quite
out of breath now, and laid her head
against his shoulder. The cheeks which
had been pale were rosy enough now,
and the eyes, just a moment before dull
and sunken, we're very bright. How
could he have thought that she was
sick? He put his arm around her and
held her close. 1t was little burden,
a very little one. Who would dare to
say that he didn't love his Becky?
Love her! He'd lay out the first fellow
who dared to say it. 1t had been said,
he was sure of that. Some fellow in
the saloon had said it when he had not
been in a condition to defend himself
He would like to hear him say it RO,c.
He did not need 10 feel in his pock-
e.s to know that they were empty.
Saturday nights wages were gone, and
he had lost two days since. The pros-
peet for the doll was not promising.
Just then the little head nestled on
his shoulder, and the arms frightened
about his neck. 1t was an irresistible
| kind of suasion. He muttered some
thing between his shut teeth which
Becky could not understand. He un-
elasped her arms, put her down on the
| stool and went out on the street.
He strobe hastily along the thorough
fares-busy places they were-full of
people and bundles and grocery boys
and market men.
How dead man may be to the world
when his appetite rules him. He would
not have known that I. was Christmas
eve, or cared, save for Becky. She
wouldn't let man forget it. He WAS
glad there was only one who wanted a
doll. There used to be four. Frail
children like their mother. She bad
been washing all day and would be
tired and fretful when she came home.
She might scold about the extravaganza
OF the doll. 1t was extravsgant-espe-
c ally when a man had no money.
He turned his steps toward the plOw
factory where he used to be foreman,
and where he was now day laborer.
a nd threatened with dismissal.
1t was six O'Clock. The Iaen were
I .aving. A bright light shone from the
Office. His employer was there alone.
This employe did not know how man
might feel who had TO face a cannon's
mouth, but was sure it could not take
more pluck than be needed just that
minute.
He was Ia fool to be here, anyhow.
He would go down to the corner and
stay with the boys till Becky was abed.
He would not turn beggar for anybody
not fnr B-eky.
Not for Becky? HIS little Becky,
who had stayed alone day after day,
without brother or sister, in the desc
laJe rooms, who had grown more and
more frail with every month, who
would laugh out so heartily and clap
her little hands in frenzy of joy when
Christmas morning should bring her
the wax dolly? Ii was worth some
thing to hear Becky's laugh--it was so
seldom heard nowadays.
He felt the arms tightening around
his neck and the light pressure of the
little head against his shoulder. He
turned the knob of the Office door aud
walked in hastily before his courage
should fail.
Mr.. Chester, of Chester & Son, was
looking over his mail and did not turn
around until that was done. Then he
frowned and nodded lightly, Robin
SON."
al came" began Robinson, and then
II seemed no, just the best way to be
gin. 81 thought would come, as it's
Christmas tomorrow, to see if-if there
is anything due"
Mr.. Chester shook his head and look
ed annoyed.
"You know better than 1, Robinson