The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-07-14
CHAPTER MI.
Cnntiured


The colored Christmas candles
which were fixed In every safe and
convenient spot. the flags, the holly
and mistletoe, 10 say "othing Of the
good chee. which warmed the
children's miserable little bodies, con-
verted this room on the first floor into
a very palace Of cnchantment.
Then when dinner vas cleared away
there were games; then there was a
huge Christmas tree; tLen marched in
a fiddle and harp-with mortal
bodies attached 70 them, OF course,
though the red.nosed man who played
the fiddle and the moon-faccd mau
who played the harp might really have
been regarded as super1ulties, for on
such night the harp Ind the fiddle
would certainly have played of them
selves II they had been allowed
Then there was dancing. Such danc-
Ing!
II required 20 be seen 10 be believed,
aad even then the observer might rea-
sonably have doubted the evidence Of
lis senses.
The wild steps, the eccentric steps,
the jig steps. the double shuttle steps,
the solemn way In which some wen.
round ana round and did nothing else
all the time the music played, and
sometimes when it didn't. the ecstatlc
way in which some kept their eyes
fixed upon the ceilibg. the extraordi-
xtsat tn tt-h Id IN "a
the extraordinary efforts which had 10
be made 10 disentangle them, the airs
that some gave themselves In imita-
ton of their bctters-truly IL had to
be see 10 be believed.
Then taere were tea and cake, then
there was more dancing. then there
were lemonade and more cake, then
there was a distribution OF toys-and
then it was ten o'clock at night, and
time TO break UP.
But before they broke up there was
surprise At one end Of the room
there was a row Of candles which had
not been lighted all the night. and be-
hind this row OF candles was long
strip of green calico stretching down
ward about foot from the ceiling.
walter and Thomas Dexter, standing
OH chairs, lighted the candles, and dex-
terously whisked away the strip of
green calico. and there. In letters cut
out OF golden paper, was revealed the
legend, God Bless Our Dear Little
Make Believe"
She trembled all over when she saw
II. and covered her face with her
hands. but she could not hide her
emotion. for her full heart forced the
tears through her fingers.
And when Mr.. Deepdale went up 70
her and kissed her, and when Thomas
kissed her and held her hand In his
and when Saranne threw her arms
around the faithful girls neck and
sobbed on her shoulder. and when the
children-very few Of whom could
read. but all OK whom knew that she
was the one whom they lad chiefly
TO thank for the happy night they had
spent-cluns TO her froCk, and looked
wistfully up iIto her tear-stained face,
and pulled her down 10 her knees so
that they might embrace her too-it
needed all her self-coutrol to prevent
her passion of tLanLfulness from be
coming hysterical.
But she knew that that would spoil
all. and that some of the children
might suppose her heart was filled
with pain instead Of JOY; SO. thinking
us she had ever done-of others, and
not OF herself, she looked round. her
lips quivering with smiles. and kissed
this one ana that one, murmuring as
she did so:
"Oh. how good you are 10 me! How
good you are TO me-"