Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16

, last Of all, tell your blessed grandmother
| Tanner-that you saw-that am-why
Rosy, don't you know"
Uncle Robertw She threw her arms
around the neck of her youngest and fav-
orite uncle.
81 can't stay. Rosyr He held her close
for a minute. Make Mary leave the ra-
lions here on the bench-I can get them
after! Goodbye, my little girl-keep your
promise-and be brave, no matter what
happens"
II will Uncle Robertl I will II they cut
| When Mary got back and found the
stranger gone, she was bitterly disap-
| pointed
"Whar de mars gentman go at. Miss
| Rosy2 / fetched him plenty to eati" And
| she let down her dress skirt to show that
| she had foraged half a sweet potato pone,
| some ash cakes. a piece of boiled bacon
and plug of tobacco.
Mary, he had TO go before you got back!
| But he says leave those things on the
| bench until by and by"
Miss Rosy, 1 ain gwine do so! Eff he
don eat EN- l gwine eat 'em! Tain no
| use leavin 'em hyar fur no rats and COCK
eroaches an sich!'
Mary, If you eat up those things every
n,oUthful will turn to frogs and toads, and
| you'll have to spit them out! And you'll
probably get a tapeworm yards and yards
| long that will keep on measuring you In
side forever and foreveri"
Mary quickly put the things down on the
bench.
Il dom keer who eat EN- Miss Rosy
ain gwine do sou
When Rosy opened her brown paper par
Gel Christmas morning she found not only
the china doll, but one dressed in rich
ball gown with a white satin body and
pink tarletan skirts. She was so happy
over it that she at once gave her best rag
doll TO Mary, and they played mouse all
the morning without a single quarrel.
But there was no Christmas merrymaking
In the Tanner family, and the house was
so dull and still that Rosy wished, as tie
short winter day wore on, that something
would happen to make the afternoon and
evening more gay before she must go to
bed AS if In answer to the WISH her
mother called her from the big, shadowy
library, where she was looking at picture
books.
Eyes, mother, I'm comingr' She scram-
blnd TO her feet and ran to Mrs. Tanner.
Would you like to take your doll and
Mary and go to spend the night with your
Grandmother Marshall? Would you be
afraid?"
mo. ma'aml 1 think It would be the
grandest. beautifullest Christmas end OF
ALL" Rosy loved Grandmother Marshall.
her mothers mother, almost better than
any one in the world.
Don't send her, Molly-she is too litt1e!"
begged Grandmother Tanner for Rosy was
the one grandcMld on both sides of the
family.
That is the very reason She must go:
mother!" said Mrs. Tanner. You read
Roberts note, and we must not rail- MIN!
Rosy is the only one 1t will be safe to
send,'
WELL of course, you must do what you
think is right, Molly!" sighed the old lady
Besides | don't believe anything dan
gerous could happen to her on Christmas
day."
Not many minutes after this talk Rosy
and Mary were getting their last direc-
lions from Mrs. Tanner at the top of the
front door steps
Keep to the road, children, and don't
daw lie! Remember your grandmother Is
expe citing you. Rosy. and 1t will be rude
to keep her waiting!'
Both the little girls were quite put out
to reach Madam Marshalfs without a sin
gle adventure, but short while after they
got there the old lady took Rosy on her
knee and rocked back and forth before the
blazing fire.
"Rosy, dearest, do you think you could
run an errand for grandmother"
yes, ma'am: I do 1t for mother all the
time, don't I, Nary"
''Yessum, ole miss! Me and Miss Rosy