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

QUILL S&otaSS GO IhCSS VII oAoh~ -
regular swell, Make-Believe," he said
with bitter emphasis. "When are yeI
going to set up yer kerridge"
"Yer q false, wicked wretch" said
Little Make-Believe, with looks Of fire
"I'm not a swell or a fine lady; Pm Q
poor girl, and yer ought to be ashamed
Of yerself for saying sech things about
me. If I was q man I wouldn't be jeal'
GUS of a girl who never. did me nc
harm, because she's been lucky enough
to find Some friends who r good to
her, and who, because Of their good
ness, has a pair Of boots to her feet and
q better. frock to her back than she
ever had afore! / should say, Good
luck to yer; I'm glad to see yer getting
on But yer're too NEAR for that! ]
never would have believed It Of yer,
never! ] thought you had a mans
heart in yer. There, let me go, and If
yer don't like my speaking my mind to
yer, yer can lump It'll Hate me as much
as yer like, I don't care a bit"
II shall never hate Yer, Make-Be-
tieve; / shall love yer as long as I live,
whether yer'.ye got 4 silk dress on or
not a rag to yer back. Do yer hear me!
I'm going on loving yer every blessed
day Of my life, and yer can't stop me!
I give yer fair warning, Make Believe;
don't drive me too hard, or both on ISL
live to repent it." "!c..;.r"
at this point she managed to- get
away from him, and from that time till
now she had caught only a transient
glance Of him once or twice.
It wanted q week to Christmas. and
the snow was falling. =.
Thomas Dexter's shop was shut, and
he and the Deepdales, with Little
Make Believe and Saranne, were as
sembled ip Mr.. Deepdale's sitting room,
| the appearance Of which would have
surprised even the oldest resident in
| Clare Market it was furnished with so
much taste.
This was due, not to one, but to all,
| the chief contributor being Thomas
Dexter, who had been a large buyer at
the public auction Of Mr.. Deepdale's
| furniture and treasures.
Many Of these had found their way
into Mr.. Deepdale's apartment, and al.
though they were no longer his prop
erty. he derived a pleasure from see
ing them around him. o..
It had grown into & custom with
them to find themselves assembled in
MI. Deepdale's apartment, during the
| winter, four or five nights in every,
week, and the pleasant hours they
spent there together had become to be
eagerly anticipated by old and young.
On this night the conversation had
been chiefly sustained by Thomas
Dexter, who related how he had first
become acquainted with Little Make
Believe and Saranne, and, encouraged
by his auditors, recalled the singular
dream he had haG during his illness. ;
MI. Deepdale and Walter had heard
this dream before, but 1t was quite
new to Little Make Believe and
Saranne.
In his description of the birds and
the strange figure who had, as it were,
created them by hinging the farthing
into the air, Thomas Dexter was quite
graphic; and although the narration
placed him in an unfavorable light, he
did not spare himself. go
Perhaps" he said, ut was out-and-
out the strangest dream a man ever
had. It was about this time of the
year. I remember the winter well; it
| was just such another as the one we
are having now"
Eyes" said Walter, "Christmas Is
coming quickly upon us; 1t will be here
almost before we have time to turn
round"
OF all those who had listened to the
| description Of the dream, Little Make
| Believe vas perhaps the most inter-
| ested. It had set her sympathetic ma
ture in a glow.
"How I wish I had a lot Of money"
| she said.
ITO give to Saranne, I suppose" said
| Walter.
mot at ALL" she replied, "I'd like to
spend q little of it another way"
"In what way, Make-BelieveT"
"I'd make the dream come true.
Not the birds-that couldn't be. But
I'd give a large party, and make a lot
Of poor little children happy. Christ
mas is the proper time. amt it,"
always is the proper time" said
Mr.. Deepdale, "but Christmas especial.
~. II we were as well of as we were
once upon q time, Wally, our Little
Make-Believe should have her wish"
II know I should, SIR" said Little
Make-Believe. "Yer wouldn't want
asking twice"
ut is a great reproach TO a man."
observed Mr.. Deepdale, ".when he
looks back and sees what o%pportuni-
ties he has missed of doing good"
Thomas Dexter said nothing, but the
next day he called Little Make-B elieve
to him.
would yer like to do it, Make-Be-
lieveT' he asked.
what I like to do what, Mr.. Dex-
ter?
"What you spoke Of last night. Give
a large party, and make a lot of poor
children happy?"
Indeed I would, Mr.. Dexter, but it's
no use wishing"
How much would it cost?"
"Oh, a lot. Two or three pounds, ]
| decsoro