Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-01-02

YOU, miss, and you can have it on TINS .
little table," said Sally.
"Will you stay with me this evening
Sally, please? ] will read you some
lovely stories" added Rowena as she
saw the girl hesitate.
Now the truth was, the servants had
planned quite a party for that evening"
and Sally's best young man was com
ing, and yet she could not leave this
little lady alone if she wanted her.
What was she to do?
"Well. miss, I'll be comm up every
now and then-will that do?"
ooh, yes, that will do" said the child.
"Sally, don't you think it was kind
deed for mother TO give $25 to the or
phan asylum for me?" she asked IS
the girl was serving her dinner.
Sure" answered Sally, land twas
me heard her say she wisht it'd bin 80
win she heard Mrs. Esmond Gray had
give more"
"Sally, did you ever see any of those
Iitile orphans?"
THAT ! did, miss. There's little
Katie Shannon, an orphan, and it's
! often look in on the lamb
Rowena sat thinking.
We amt eatin' fit for a bird miss"
demonstrated the girl.
NO. I'm thinking about them, Sally.
Do YOU think they have Christmas
! tree?"
81 dunno, miss, they may have, but
they mostly needs close. That money
the Christmas fund there calm IT,
is 70 buy each wan something to wear.
an each of them poor lambs wan
prisint apiece. That's what the
/ lnatron-loidy told me-"
ooh, do you know the matron?
Eyes. an a fine young person she is,
then" answered the maid.
Sally, oh. my dear Sally, why
couldn't we have some of them here to-
nipht to see my tree?" exclaimed Row
ena. excitedly.
"'Twould niver do, miss. WHATEVER
would ye're mither say!"
"Now, Sally, you know she would
not care. She never cares what ! do
and we could telephone now and have
them come right OFF, and she was half
way up the stairs with Fritz barking
at her heels.
IT'S not a sthroke of the blame I'll
take. miss, SIGH an idee!"
May l speak to the matron?"
Rowena was saying over the telephone
a minute later.
ooh. this is Rowena Marcus-Crewes,
of Fifty-frst street, and we, or |, would
like some of your children to come
and see my tree. 1t is very pretty, and
] have lots of presents, too"
The matron recognized the name OF
one of the fashionable women of the
board" and. not understanding that
II was only the invitation of a child,
said she would, with pleasure, seno
some of the children who were not in
bed.
"She asked if 20 would be enough,
and I said that would do" said
Rowena. dancing about with delight,
while Sally just stood and looked at
her.
"WiI. there's wan thing l do know.
an that's they must eat!" and away
she went to prepare for this queer
party.
They came. Twenty of them, with
bright. eXpectant faces, and not one OF
them was as embarrassed or shy as
was Rowena Marcus-Crewes. But the
delight of having all those children
there for her to make happy overcamc
everything. and il would be hard to say
which had the best time, all those
laughing children. Rowena, or the dog
| The fun was at its height when Sally
came in, bearing a tray heaped with
good things. She had found some diff
Guilty in getting away from the kitch-
en- this last time. Her young man was
getting impatient.
pat, now, We niver would hinder me
if We could see that child. niyer saw
the lamb that happy, an ] don't care
if | lose me place for it, I'll help this
party along"
| And with that, Pat had to be con-
tent, though this was not his idea of
spending Christmas eve.
"Oh, must they go?" said Rowena as
the shabby hoods and cloaks were be-
ing gathered together. At last they
we're gone, merry little troop and
not one went empty handed. The room
looked as though a small whirlwind
had struck it, but who cared.
II never had such good time" said
Rowena, land l shall do that every
Christmas"
"Oh, miss, whativer will your mither
say about all your foine PRESENTS? ]
dare to think, not at all"
81 haven't one left and Pm SO glad
80 glad Mother won't care-at least
1 hope she won't. Sally. do you think
my beautiful mother will care?'
perhaps not, my darlin', if you ask
her pretty like that"
That night the beautiful mother
came home tired and with a heart
longing for a little brown-eyed girl.
She had been thinking of her all the
evening, wondering how she was anus
ing herself.
81 must devote more time to the
child as soon as Lent comes she said
to her husband when they were com
ting home, as the bells were ringing
out the Christmas tidings.
This was the beginning of Rowena's |
:harity work, and though she is now
grOwn-up young woman, there has |
never passed Christmas eve that she /
has not gathered together a little |
group of poor children whom she |
makes happy.-Detroit Free Press.
nrr1a VI, A q |