Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-12-20

But we never break a pair" Dor
othy exclaimed. with some amuse-
ment. "Oh," she added, sympathet-
ically, as the boys face fell, was 1t
was it for some one with only one
leg?"
It's for my partner. He's got two
legs, but he's crippled-just been let
out of the hospital. And I'm going to
give him Christmas"
oh" said Dorothy, comprehend
ingly And you wanted the stock
ing to hang up? I'm sorry. but
watt" she cried suddenly, as the boy
was gathering up his money in disap
pointment Il can lot you have it,
think. Cash! Cash.
The little girl who came in re-
Spouse to the summons nodded to the
! boy. and then sped away to the desk
with the quarter that Dorothy substi
tuted for the dime and three pen
MES.
When the customer had departed
carrying his package. Dorothy contem
pIdleu VIC cu1 StOChlHS "lllSAl IldN
come into her possession.
well, what an idiot l ami she
murmured. why didn't give him
both of them? But of course he
wouldn't have taken them-as long as
he was paying for one"
She called the little cash girl again.
do you know the boy that was here
little while ago." she asked. II
thought l saw you nod to him."
Barney Flynn. He lives on tbs
floor above us" cash" answered,
with Billy; and Billy got run down
by 'lectric. Barney sees to him.
Customers claimed Dorothy's atten,
ton, and for awhile she was all hurry
and hustle. During the afternoon,
however, when the ncighboring sales
woman volunteered to watch over h1c
counter for her, she slipped down the
aisle to the shirt waists, says Youths
Companion. She was quite excited
for fear that the particular shir'
waist should be gone. There was that
woman with the bargain counter hab
it. Dorothy had seen her dallying al
the counter.
She rummaged a moment in pile
of shirt waists; then she looked trag
ically at her friend behind the coun
ter
20 Peggy, it's gone I knew it!
knew it. ] saw it in that bargain won,
ans eye!"
She had waited so patiently for that
waist to be marked down! It would
have suited her complcxiOn- it had
just the right warm, rosy tints.
Peggy, why did you let it go?' she
cried. rcproachlully.
"IIad to, my dear. did my best
put it at the very bottom OF the pill
but she fshcd it out"
Dorothy went back slowly 70 hcl
counter
"Dick would have liked it, too" she
thought disconaolatcly. And row
he'll Lave to see me in just my shah,
by cid one
1t occurred to her that other poo
pie probably had Christmas disaproint-
m"nts: a.d then she thought of Bar
ney Flynn and his partner.
"I!c's going TO hang up the stocking
for Eilly--ani I don't believe he ever
had a Christmas for himself in his
liip,' Dorothy moditatcd. Il know
what ! bought The odd stocking for
SO long as | can't buy myself that
lovely waist"
And she felt glow of enthusiasm
as plans began to take shape in her
nnd. 1t was almost closing,tim
when the little cash girl came darting
up with a message from Peggy.
She's brought it back-thc shirt
waist-slecycs too short. If you want
it, better hurry.
Dorothy hesitated "No, I've changed
my mind" she said resolutely. Tell
Peggy I'm much obliged" And she
added to herself: "Now if Dick doesn't
like me in my old plaid waist,
guess we'll have to quarrel.
When Dorothy returned to the store
the lllOlulnS alter HIlSllldS, the III |
tie cash girl came running up to her,
and cried:
Il got it in for you all right, Miss
WinsloW! | worked it fine. l crep'
in in the dark, when Billy and Bar.
ney were asleep; you couldn't have
heard me with an ear trumpet. And
| felt for Billys stocking, and hung
yours alongside. And then l filled |
EN- both with all the things you'd |
given me-"
WELL" said Dorothy, eagerly; land
what happened?"
20 my sakes," said the child. "All |
Of US on the floor below was walked !
up that early Christmas mornin'
Such a y.llin' and stompin'! You'd
like to lave thought they'd never had
a Christmas"
Dorothy turned away to hide a
smile.
And Dick was glad to see me just /
as l was,' she thought, contentedly.