The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-24

! bit of Christmas fellowship. arr If you
and he haven't anything else Ilannsd
she invites you to come and dine with
her tomorrow. III watch for You &c
come back, an If YOU wave yeltr hand
i I'll know You'll come. You eaa re
member %
s.I'll remember, answered the little
girl She spoie= gravely, but there wa
an eager light IN her eyes. m sure
we'll come. Papa and me was talk
ing about Christmas last night, ana
wishing we were back in the country.
because there were homes there where
we would have been invited. We don't
know anybody here yet, except board
ing house folks. I've wanted SO TO get
acquainted with your kitty, but didn't
dare come over"
You dear little soul" said Hiss
Nab, warmly; you shan't have any
more lonesome days. if ] can help it "
Miss Nab watched anxiously tie
meeting at the corner The child did
not nestle her head On her fathers
shoulder, as was her CUSTOM she was
talking to him eagerly and pointing
across the street to the little brick
house set in the midst Of a wide gar.
den. She did not wave her answer.
Miss Mab's heart began to beat tumui-
tuously, when she saw the tall man
come striding across the street through
the snow. She threw the door open
before he knocked. He bowed courte.
ously.
'sMy little girl has told me of your
goodness he said. 1T is kind of you,
very, very kind do not know how to
thank you We shall be very happy
to come. I do not mind the loneliness
much for myself. but for Cynthia, leff
alone all day in our bare little room,
the thought of it stays with me con-
stantly while I work" Cynthia hung
delightedly over her fathers shoulder
whispering in blissful friendliness to
the gray cat.
9 Twas bold thing to do. invitin.
strangers this way said Miss Mai.
apoIogetically. The scarlet brushes wer
chasing each other across her cheer
full face 81 didn't say anything
about the little girls mother, because
didn't just know" She stopped hes
iating1y.
"Cynthia's mother died when she
was three days old" said the man
slowly; tshe has had to grow up with
hardly anybody to care for her but her
father He isn't quite as good as a
mother would be, is he, dearest?'
.sHe's pretty nearly as good. whis-
pered the child, stroking the eareworn
face
Land sake!" cried Miss Nab. with
strange, choking sob; land sake.
it is hard lines when the father has
to do the motherin'. tool
1--WE are very happy together, aren't
we, Cynthia?'' The child nodded en-
phatically.
.sThe worst is her loneliness, only
she Will be going to school pretty
soon; and our Christmas is assured
cannot thank you cordially enough,
madam, both for Cynthia and myself.
We viii be delighted te some. The
child waved a goodnight as they
crossed the street, and Miss Nab wiped
her eyes furtively when she sat down
in her big rocking chair. It is more
blessed to give than to receive, she
said to herself; somehow, it seems to
bring such warm comfort into your
own life
After the dinner had been cleared
away Miss Nab summed herself IN the
JOYOUS warmth of fellowship The gra-
cious wood fire wrapped the little group
in it's friendly glow and the very spirit
of Christmas seemed to haIIoW the
homely. cozy living room.
It was a wild, cold winter, with great
snow storms whirling over the country
and city streets blocked with huge
drifts. but there were no more lonely
DAYS for Cynthia. The room in the DESC
late boarding house was almost deserted
between morning and night The
radiance of gracious friendliness and
blissful warmth constantly awaited the
child in the house across the street
Maltie's welcome was as cordial as that
of his mistress. Every morning, after
he had eaten his comfortable breakfast
he Jumped in the living room window to
curl himself up in q gray ball with ex-
pectant half shut eyes fixed on the brick
building across the street He watched
till the door was opened by tall man,
who carried lunch box and a little
cnnging bundle wrapped in feecy
brown shawl He always chose the same
path; he came striding across the street
to the red brick house set in the wide
yard. Then Matte with assudden eager
leap went to find his mistress, and fol-
lowed her, purring loudly. to the front
door. He could scarcely wait for the
little visitor to be unWrapped. Miss
MAIDS hunger for fellowship was no less
ardent than that Of the gray cat. Then
what days followed It seemed like a
sudden burst Of sunshine come into
Cynthia's lonely life.
The careWorn look seemed to be fad
ing from her fathers face When eve
ming came and he stopped at Miss Mab's
door to gather the little g.rI back in his
arms, there was time for few moments
cheerful conversation Cynthias fare
wells were always tempered by the as
surance of her return in the morning.
Cne night the child. tucked in a
blanket, laid her cheek against her
fathers. when their bedtime talk was
nearly finished She whispered: Don't
you love Miss NAB. father p, Il do, he
said in a low voice
She's Just as good as a fairy god