The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-06-21

"Not for yer own sake, Make-Be"
lieve; but for Saranne's."
"Well, Mr.. Dexter, yes; but I was
glad for my own sake, too"
"And now, Little Make-Believe, still
not for yer own sake, but for some
poor children's."
81 should be as happy as them, Mr..
Dexter"
81 believe you would. That was a
good bit Of pretending Of mine"
"That it was, Mr.. Dexter. I told
Saranne that I could eve pretend
half or quarter as we'll.
"shut yer eyes now, MakeBelieve, to
please me-"
To please him she shut her eyes, and
when she opened them in the silence
that followed Thomas Dexter was
gone, and on the table lay a brand new
fve.pound note. -
She understood it at once; It was for
her Christmas party to make some
poor children happy. .
She walked slowly into the shop,
where she found him so busy looking
over his stock that he hardly had time
to attend to her-a p%retense, to avoid
her thanks.
But she did thank him, in a few SIM
ple words, from the bottom of her
heart and for the second time in her
life she kissed him for his goodness.
"It,s q fve-pound note well laid
out" he thought, as she left him.
Mr.. Deepdale and Walter and Sar-
anne entered heartily into Little Make
Believes scheme.
It was decided that the Christmas
treat should be given in the house, and
m a quiet way they went about the
courts and lanes selecting and inviting
the children.
Their choice lay principally among
those who were motherless Of father
less. or both, and among the mos
physically helpless.
It is doubtful whether there was
more pleasure Or pain in this task OF
selection, for many wistful ones had
TO be passed over.
Even as it was, when Christmas Day
arrived, they found they had invited
almost more than the house would
hold. But room was made for all.
To Thomas Dexter's fve-pound note
Walter had secretly added something.
and Mr.. Deepdale had secretly added
something, and Saranne had also Sec
reilly contributed something from her
savings; so that Little Maks-BeheVe
was quite rich; but it needed careful
management, nevertheless, to make
both ends meet.
For two or three days before Christ
mas she was the busiest Of the busy.
She called in the services Of q steady
woman, and between them they made
plum buildings and mince pies, and
toasted great joints Of beef, till they:
were tired out with fatigue.
:. Saranne' and Walter, and even
Thomas Dexter and Mr.. Deepdale, as
sisted in the decoration Of the room In
which the party vas to be held, and
what with holly and mistletoe and
flags Of all nations the house 'was
turned t~opsy-turvy.
Some Of their preparations were kept
from Little Make Believes knowledge,
and when she expressed herself curl
GUS about them she received the merry.
answer: ..r
"You mind your business, and We'll
mind OURS"
Undoubtedly it was the event Of the
eason
Such a gathering had never before
been seen.
In the richest homes in the country.
in the. contest country houses In Eng
lands green lanes, at whose doors the
Door mans wolf had never appeared,
Christmas was not more truly Christ
mas than in Thomas De1ter's old
house in the heart Of Clare Market
Altogether there were present fifty
two children, one for every week in
the year.
Some were lame, some were hump
backed, four were blind; and all were
ragged.
Not one of them had eve enjoyed
such a dinner as that they sat down
to eat at four o'clock in the afternoon;
and they way they tucked into ito
adopt their own :yernacular-was a
caution.
The walters were Walter, Mr.. Deep
dale, Saranne, and Thomas Dexter,
who received their orders from Little
Make Believe, who few heaven knows
how many times-it must have been
Observation-Disclosures to the kitchen
and upstairs to the banqueting hall
for all the world as though her legs
had taken a holiday and set O pair
Of wings to do their duty.
(To be Continued.)
Generous in His Day.
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