Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-12-15

automobile swung suddenly around
the corner. To save themselves, the
girl and the boy had to make sud
den retreat, and In SO doing they
dropped the basket and it was crushed
under the wheels.
There were four young men in the
automobile. They were singing and
laughing and enjoying the license OF
Christmas eve. They jeered at the
boy for dropping the basket, and they
raised their hats in mock courtesy to
the girl.
Miss, didn't go for to do it," apol-
ogized the boy, who had been hired
as a messenger, and who had been
told that the basket contained food
for poor families in the tenement be-
yond.
Il know know" replied the girl.
1T wasn't your fault, but I'm so sorry.
The sick woman and her children
won't have the food and toys now, but
I have a little change in my purse and
I can still do something. You needn't
go any farther; 1t Is just across the
street. Goodnight to you"
Missy" said the boy as she was
about to move away, you gave me a
dime to carry the basket. Here it Is.
Give It to some kid up there who
wants a mouth-organ. oh. you must
take 1t, and if you say so I'll walt here
till them fellers come back and hit
'em with a rock"
But how about your Christmas,
jimmy" the girl asked.
"Oh, L can skirmish around. same as
I always do Night to you, and hope
that sick woman will get better"
The girl crossed the street and en-
tered the hallway Of the tenement
and climbed to the third floor. Three
children were waiting for her on the
landing. and uttered glad shouts at
sight of her. She had been there be-
fore and had promised them that she
would come on Christmas eve. With
In the poverty-stricken rooms called
home sick woman was lying on a
bed She smiled and was glad at
sight of the girl.
She told them the incident Of the
then she counted over her scanty
change and went downstairs to the
nearest grocery. 1t was little she
could buy. There would be Christmas
| eating, but no feast The little stock
ings with their holes would be hung,
but there would be no Santa Claus to
all them. The children stood with
| - II g. a.
the girl held the hand Of the sick
woman and shed tears.
AS they sat thus the door opened
and let in the cold air from the hall.
An old man stood outside. He was
ragged and unkempt, and hunger had
given him the face Of wolf. There
was not soft line In 1t. Peering out
Of his own door on the same floor, he
had seen the girl come bearing pack
ages. There was bread on the table
before him.
The children cried out as they saw
the look on the old mans face, and
the girl rose up and barred his way.
81 want bread and I'll have it," he
exclaimed hercely
But you can't take IL from this
sick woman and these helpless chill
dren."
Il tell you I'm hungry want
bread Why didn't you come to me
Hrst? | am old; there Is no work for
me, but I will not die like a dog.
Stand aside. You will not? Then"
He seized her by the arms and there
was struggle. The children were
shouting for help, and the man-wolf
was nearing the coveted loaves when
some one entered and seized him and
whirled him about and thrust him out
into the hall, shutting the door on his
paths and snarls The children ceased
their cries and the girl looked up to
see a young man standing in the cen
ter of the room, gazing around him.
''It is our fault" she half-sobbed
you were In the auto that almost
ran me down. You laughed In my
face as you raised your hat But for
you there would have been plenty OF
food and some presents here"
Yes, was one of them the man
answered. 1T is Christmas eve, and
we were out for lark Yes, looked
straight into your eyes, and In five
minutes | was ashamed of myself
came back and hunted until | found
the boy. When he told me that you
we're a Christmas angel, and that he
had given his last dime to help out,
was still more ashamed of myself and
of my friends. Can you forgive me?'
Yes, it is Christmas eve," she said
In a voice hardly above a whisper as
she seemed to listen to the merry
shouts from the street. There are
tens OF thousands of persons on the
streets in merry mood, but what have
we here? What have we in every room
in this old rookery? Were you think
ing of II when you crushed the basket
was bringing?-when you smiled In
TO my face?"
"I was a BRUTE" he answered.
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