The news & observer., 1904-12-25

for any such observance on the part
of her small adherents, for her first
study of the roll book had shown her
that its numerous Jacobs, Isidores and
Rachels belonged to a class to which
Christmas Day was much as other
days.
But Morris Mogilewsky, whose loVe
for Teacher was far greater thah the
Combined loves of all the other chill
dren, had as yet no present TO DestoW.
That his kind feeling should be
without proof when the lesser loves of
Isdore Wishnewshy sadie Genorow
sky, and Bertha Binderwitz We're TAX
ing the tangible but surprising forms
which were daily exhibited to his con-
fidential gaze was more than he could
bear
The knowledge saddened all his
hours. and was the more maddening
because it could in no wise be shared
by Teacher. who noticed his altered
bearing and tried with all sorts of art
ful beguilements to make him happy
and at-ease. But her efforts served
only to increase his unhappiness and
his love. And he loved her. on how
he loved her. Since first his dreading
eyes had clung for a breaths' space to
her like mans shoes and had then
crept timidiy upward past a black
skirt, from silk" apron. red
Jumper" and from gold" chain to
her light face" she had been mis-
trcss of his heart of hearts. That was
more than three months ago. How
we'll he remembered the day!
His mother had washed him horrib-
ly. and had taken him into the big
red school house, SO familiar from the
outside, but SO full or unknown terrors
within. After his dusty little shoes
had stumbled over the threshold he
had passed from the ordeal to ordeal
until at last he was torn in mute and
white-faced despair from his mothers
skirts.
He was then dragged through long
halls and up tall stairs by a large boy,
who spoke to him disdainfully as
"greenie," and cautioned him as to
the laying down softly and taking up
gently of those poor dusty shoes, so
that his spirit was quite broken and
his nerves were all unstrung when he
was pushed into room full of bright
sunshine and of children who laugn-
ed at his frightened little face. The
sunshine smote his timid eyes, the
laghter smote his timid heart. and he
turned to flee. But the door was shut,
the large boy gone, and despair took
him for its own.
Down upon the floor he dropped.
and walled and wept and kicked. 1t
was then he heard for the first time
the voice which now he loved. A
hand was forced behind his aching
body and the floor and the voice said:
why. my dear little chap, you
mustn't cry like that What's the
matter?"
The hand was gentle and the aues-
tiOn kind, and these, combined with :,
faint perfume suggestive of drus
stores and barber shops-but nicer
than either-made him uncover his
kaf fa li,rr do h
was a lady, and he forced his eyes
to that perilous ascent; from shoes TO
skirt, from skirt to jumper, from
jumper to face, they trailed in dtead
uncertainty, but at the face they
stOpped-they had found rest.
Morris allowed himself to be gath
cred into the lady's arms and held
upon her knee. and when his sobs no
lon~er rent the very foundations of
his pink and wide spread tie, he an
swered her question in voice as
soft as his eyes. and as gently sad.
Il amt so big. and L don't know
where is my mama"
SO. having cast his troubles on the
shoulders of the lady he had added
his throbbing head to the burden,
and from that safe retreat had en-
icved his first dav at school immen-
sely.
Thereafter he had been the first to
arrive every morning and the last to
leave every afternoon; and under the
care of Teacher, his liege lady. he
had grown i'm wisdom and love and
happiness, but the greatest of these
was love. And now, when the other
boys and girls were planning sur
prises and gifts of price for Teacher,
his hands were as empty as his heart
was full. Appeal to his mother met
with denial PROMPT and energetic.
For what you go and make. over
Christmas. presents? You amt no
Krisht: you should better have no
kind feelings over Krishts, neither;
your papa could to have Il mad
Teacher ain't no Krisht." said
Morris stoutly; "alI the other fellows
buys her presents. und I'm loving nit
her: it's polite | gives her presents
the while I'm 1t such a kind feeling
over her"
We'll. we amt got no money for
buy nothing" said Mrs. MogileWsky
sadly. mo money. und your papa. he
has all times a scare he shouldn't to
get no more, the while the boss -
and here followed incomprehensible,
but depressing. financial details. un-
til the end of the interview found
Morris and his mother Sobbing and
rocking i'm one another's arms. SO
Morris was helpless. his mother poor,
and eacher all unknowing.
And now the great day the Friday
before Christmas. has come. and the
school is, for the first half hour, quite
mad. Doors open suddenly and softly
to admit small persons, clad in woc-
Grous ways and bearing wondrous
parcels. Room IS. generally so placid
and so peaceful. is a bowling WILDER
ness full of brightly colored. quickly
changing groups of children. ali whis-
pering. ali gurgling, and all hiding
queer bundles. a newcomer iaVari-
ably causes a diversion; the assembled
multitude. athirst for novelty. fails
upon him and clamors for glimpse
of his bundle and statement of its
price.
Teacher watches in dumb amaze.
What can be the matter with the
children? They can't have guessed
that the shrouded something in the
corner is a Christmas tree? What
makes them behave so aueerly, and
WhN do they look so strange? They
seem To have grown stout in single
hiSht' and Teacher as she notes this,
marvels greatly.
The explanation is simple. though
II comes in alarming form. The
sounds OF revelry are pierced by a
long. shrill yell. and a pair of agitated
legs spring suddenly into view between
Two desks. Teacher: rushing TO the