Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-10-24


had net q single penny to her name.
SIZE had done no work: the small
amount Of pocket-money which she
used 70 earn by painting fans and
purses had failed her since her re-
nOval to Dresden. She had not
touched BRUSH; she had been
painted, and on those afternoons that
she might have had for herself she
sat dreaming by the window, with a
pFetence of work before her, or she
had wandered about the street in tor
turing restlessness, farther and
farther. till at last she came home
tired to death.
Hilda started violently as Aunt
Polly pulled at her cloak, and signl-
fed that they would get out. She
walked like one in dream behind the
stout little woman, through the streets
tEronged with Christmas shoppers.
What had she TO do with all this? She
could not bear to look at them, these
laughing faces of young and old. these
crowds of people, the booths, the
Christmas-trees; and she thrust an
grily away little fellow who was
pursuing her with some bright paper
stalls, crying indefatigably: Only ten
pfennigs. They are the last, gracious
LADY,"
The child staggered backward, and
the tears gushed out of his eyes. "Oh,
now, now. said a stately man, as he
picked up the boy and set him on
his feet, ''the little fellow isn't made
OF wood" But when he saw the girl
ish face with its dark eyes, pale and
rigid in its angry scorn, he said no
more, and hurrying on, muttered to
himself: by Jove, she looks desper.
ate, though"
Aunt Polly did not notice, When she
stopped in front of shop-window
now and then, that the girl stamped
her foot angrily on the pavement; she
did not notice her pallor and the blue
tightly compressed lips, until they
came out of the fish-shop where she
had been bargaining for the tiniest
carp that had ever been caught.
Good gracious, what ails you?'
she asked then.
Inconsistencies" was the court
reply.
Inconsistencies? You?" cried Aunt
Polly increduously; and as Hilda was
silent, she added: II should sooner
have thought of the skies falling than
of your being homesick."
But Aunt Polly was Obliged to be
| lieve in il at last, for her niece was SC
pale and still as she sat in the little
sittingroom. she paid so little heed tc
the mysterious illusions of Santa
Claus, who had something worth while
this time, that poor Aunt Polly set III
the tiny Christmas tree in the best
room with a sigh and shake of the
head, and thought to herself that il
was better to be quite alone on such &
day than to be with some one who
was so cross and disagreeable as hei
niece.
A box had arrived from the Zwei
DORIS in Altwedel. and Aunt Polly sci
1t on the table under the tree and
| added several pair of stockings she
had knitted; then she went into the
| kitchen and dressed her tiny carp
| When it got dark she would light the
| lamps.
Hilda remained motionless in the
| G n
! falsely; she was homesick. or at least
she imagined so. She thought how
her mother would be slipping into the
| Christmas room now. with her few
poor little presents hidden in her
apron, but with a happy face. They
always had presents in her poverty
stricken home. even though they were
ever so Insignificant: their father
never allowed Christmas TO go with.
out its little pleasures. He began to
save up again from the New Year for
the next Christmas. and each one
found something at her place. There
Is something touching in love like
that, and it does exist in spite of
poverty oh. if she were only at
home now. if only for quarter of an
hour!
But, no, she would not go if she
could, All at once she sat up straight
IA her old high-backed chair. which
had belonged to the deceased Berger.
What should she do at home? Submit
to questions as TO what she had been
doing? What had she gained and at.
tanned in that strange world where
she had hoped to make her fortune?
She gave low, bitter laugh. Moth.
ing she said half-aloud; nothing
nothing" she repeated again. clench.
ing her little fist.
She had gained nothing, she had
only lost-her young heart.
And he to whom she had given II
did not think it was worth the trouble
of STOPPING for, or at least he acted as
II he did not. During all this time he
had looked at her with longing ewes;
her smiles had made him happy. her
frowns had made him detected; she
could have twisted him round her lit.
tie finger. as Aunt Polly said. IL she