The news & observer., 1904-12-25
CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR A LADY
BY M Y R A F. l. l. :: ::

Teacher. yis ma'am," Morris inter
rupts in a bewitching rising lnilec'lUtI ~
of his soft and plaintive voice
know YOU got a kind feeling by me
and | couldn't to tell even how m
got kind feeling by you. only II
about that kind feeling | shoulu give
YOU a present / didn't-Witn
glance at the crowded desk-'I didn't
to have no soap or no perfumery, ana
my mama, she couldn't TO buy none
by the store; but, teacher, I'm got
something awful nice for you py
present
and what is it, deary?" asks the
already rich and gifted young person.
What is my new present."
Teacher, it's like this; don [
know: | ain't so big like l could to
know'-and truly, God pity him! he
is. passing small-''it amt for boys
it's for ladies. over yesterday on the
night comes my papa on my house
und he gives my mama the present.
Sooner she looks on it, sooner she has
a awful glad; in her eyes stands
tears, und she says, like that-out OF
Jewish-'Thanks. un' she kisses my
papa a kiss. Und my papa, how he is
polite. he SayS-out of Jewish, too
You're welcome, all right un' he
kisses my mama a kiss. SO my mama,
she sets and looks on the present,
und all the time she looks she has a
glad over it. Und l didn't to have no
soap, so you you could to have the
present"
Bud did your mother say
might %
Teacher, no ma am; she didn't say
like that UNI she didn't to say not like
that She didn't to know. But it's for
ladies, un' didn't to have no soap.
You could to look on it. 1t amt for
boys"
And here Morris opens a hot little
hand and discloses a tightly folded
pinkish paper. AS teacher reads it he
watched her with eager, furtive eyes,
dry and bright, until hers grow sud-
denly moist, when his promptly fol-
lowed suit AS she looks down at him
he makes his moan once more:
Its for ladies, und / didn't to have
no soap"
But, Morris, dear" cried teacher
unsteadily, laughing little, and yet
not far from tears, this is ever so
much nicer than soap-a thousand
times better than perfume; and your re
quite right 1T is for ladies, and !
never had one in all my life before. !
am so very thankful"
you're welcome. all right. That's
how my paper says; it's polite, says
Morris proudly. And proudly he takes
his place among the very little boys,
and loudly he joins in the ensuing
song For the rest of that exciting
day he is a shining point of virtue
in slightly confused class. And at
3 O'Clock he is at Teachers desk again,
carrying on the conversation as if
there had been on interruption.
"Und my mama he says insin-
uatingly-"she kisses my paper a
kiss"
"Well?" says -~eacner.
"Well." says Morris, you amt
never kissed me kiss, und / seen
how you kissed Eva Gonorowsky. I'm
loving nit you, too. Why don't you
never kiss me a kjss?"
Perhaps" suggests Teacher mis-
chievously, perhaps it amt for boys.
But glance at her light face" with
its crown of surprising combs, reas-
sures him.
Teacher, yis ma'am; it's for boys,
he cries as he feels her arms about
him, and sees that in her eyes, too,
stands tears"
IT'S polite you kisses me a kiss
over that for ladies' present"
Late that night Teacher sat in her
pretty room-for she was, unofficially
q greatly pampered young person
and reviewed her treasures. She saw
that they were very numerous, very
touching, very whimsical, and very
precious But above all the rest she
cherished frayed pinkish paper
rather crumpled and a little soiled
For it held the love of a man and
woman and little child. and the
magic of a home, for Morris MogiIew-
sky's Christmas present for ladies was
the receipt for a months rent for a
room on the top floor of a Monroe
street tenement.