The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-12-19

and little Peck. Mischief-oh, l don't
see why Pm so stupid 1 can't remem-
ber--I can't decide! Oh, dearw
Roxy, the children's nurse, came into
the room on an errand. Or was it to
make sure the children's mother was
quite safe?
"Roxy," the childrens mother said
abruptly, "did you ever have any little
sisters and brothers"
me, mem? 1 had a little brother
once, but he di-he went away when
he was a baby" the girl answered
quietly.
ooh, then you can't help me! 1
thought you might be able to remem-
ber."
Marjorie began her restless rocking
again, with a little sign of disappoint-
ment Then her eyes fell once more
on the little red mittened band out
side. They were just putting on the
snow mans head. The oldest girl was
| holding the baby up to do it. Mechan-
tcally the pale woman at the window
counted little cold blue noses "Why,"
she cried softly, "why, Roxy"-but
| Roxy was gone-''there are four Of
them! There are just four, and-why,
they are almost the same sizes too!
One, two, three-three of them girls,
| and the little ones boy"
She sat up, mildly excited. Little
red spots blossomed out in her white
| cheeks. Just four and just-almost-
the same sizes Then she had an in
| spiration.
"Oh, yes, they'd knowr' she cried.
They'd know everythingp'
She raised the window little way
| and called down to them in her clear,
sweet voice that carried" distinctly:
Little children! Little girl-you old
est one, won't you please come over
here and see me little while? want
| to ask you something"
The children stopped their play and
| looked at each other with round, as
tonished eyes.
ooh, my!" said Nip excitedly.
"Oh, my" said Tuck.
Nip and Tuck always said the same
things.
Lets go tell mother" advised Ann
| Sophy wisely. 'I'll ask my mother,
ma'am," she called up to the eager
face at the window.
Mother! Mother!" they all chorused
"The queer lady wants us to go over
there an see her. She called us out O.
the winder-honest, she did! She wants
| to ask US somethin'."
"Yes," Ann Sophy recapitulated, with
slow emphasis, honest"
"Well, of all things!" calculated Mrs.
| Cooper In amazement. 81 declare!
| Well, / s'pose you'll go. She's harm
less, and they say she has to be hu-
mored. But you've got to clean up.
Ann Sophy, you scrub the baby's face.
| Nip, you braid Tuckys hair over again
smooth, mind you, and you may tie
her best ribbon on. Hurry!'
After good deal of hurrying and
smoothing down and washing up the
small Coopers went in solemn little
procession to the queer lady's.
She was waiting at the front door.
| "Come right inv' she said eagerly.
"And you'd better take off your things"
"Oh. nom" Ann Sophy cried hur-
riedly. "We couldn't. We only had
time to clean up outside Keep your
mittens on she whispered in a shrill
aside to Nip and Tuck.
Mrs. Graham pointed to chairs, but
Ann Sophy arranged them in a straight
line, side by side. before they sat down.
Then she seated them gravely accord
ing to sizes, herself at the head and
| the baby at the foot. They sat up
primly and folded all their gay little
mittens on their little shabby laps.
The baby's stout, abbreviated legs
stretched straight out before him and
barely reached the chairs edge.
"Now, ma'am" Ann Sophy said ex-
| pectantly, taking last sidewise view
of her line of parade.
"What do you want for Christmas o.
asked the queer lady.
The question was SO abrupt, SO unex-
| pected, that row of little gasps broke
forth unmutfled. Ann Sophy swallowed
hard.
"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 in her own thoughts to
see how surprised and how wistful the
little faces all were. She hardly no.
ticed them at all. She was waiting,
pencil and tablet in hand, for Ann
Sophy's reply. "First,' what?" she
urged. Il want to make list"
"Oh-oh! Ann Sophy was too be-
wildered to consider clearly. Her eyes
sought her red mittens in her lap, and
then in a flash she remembered the
fervent ambition of her narrow little
life. "Oh, pair of kid gloves" she
cried, with plenty of buttons, an a
book with pictures of cows an trees
an country in it, an music box, an
loosened. She poured out her cherished
dreams in little turbulent flood of
eloquence. The queer lady's pencil
could hardly keep up with it. Then the
others had their turn. Ann Sophy had
given them courage, and they stayed
not upon the order of their saying, but
said it all with shrill enthusiasm. Even
the baby expressed his wishes fiuently,
if not clearly.
On their way home the little Coopers
talked it all over.
"She's a-goin' to give us a Christ.
mas" shouted Nip In an ecstasy of de-
light
"She's a-goin' TOP echoed Tuck.
"Hush! She'll hear you" Ann Sophy