The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-12-15

4OA Cdl onQ Al 81 0OA46 my
dropped the basket and it was crushed
1nder the wheels.
There were four Young men il 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
he girl.
Miss. I didn't go for to do it," ar,cl
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-
4 know know" replied the girl.
"It wasn't your fault. but I'm so sorry.
The sick and her children
won't have the food and toys now. but
have a little change in my purse and
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 1t Is.
Give it to some kid up there who
wants a m~outh-organ. Oh, you mus
lake it, and If you Jay SO III wait here
till them fellers come back and hit
fem with a rock"
But how about your Christmas,
gimmy?" the girl asked.
~Oh, / IAN skirmish around, same as
I always do. Night to you. and l 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
handing. 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 a sick woman was lying on a
bed. She smiled and was glad at
sight of the girl.
She told them the incident of the
auto and the loss of the basket, and
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
pngs with their holes would be hung,
but there would be no Santa Claus to
ill them The children stood with
their faces to the wall and wept, and
the girl held the hand of the sick
woman and she'd tears.
As they sat thus the door opened
and let in the cold air from the hall.
IAN old man stood outside. He was
ragged and unkempt. and hunger had
Agiven him the face of a wolf There
twas not a soft line In 1t. Peering out
3of his own door on the same floor. he
had seen the girl come bearing pack
hges. There was bread on tie able
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.
Il want bread and I'll have it," he
exclaimed nercely.
But you can't take it from this
sick woman and these helpless chill.
hren."
Il tell you I'm hungry want
Bread Why didn't you come to DOG
hrst? am old: there Ia no work for
me, but I will not die like a dog.
Stand asidei You will not? Then"
he seized her by the arms mo there
WAS a 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 hin about and thrust him out
anto the hall, shutting the door on his
loaths and snarls. The children ceased
their cries and the girl looked up to
See a young man standing In the cen.
her of the room, gazing around him.
1T is your FAULT" she h~alf-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 woold have been plenty Of
food and some presents here"
Yes, / was one of them" the man
answered. at is Christmas eve. and
I'VE were out for a lark. Yes, / looked
straight into your eyes, and in five
minutes / al ashamed of myself.
came back and hunted until / found
the boy. When he told me that you
were 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 ms?'
Yes, it is Christmas eve," she said
az 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
fl this old rookery? Were you think
ing of it when you crushed the basket
/ was bringing?-when you smiled in
to my face?"
II was a BRUTE" he answered.
Il was bringing my little mite" she
continued In a de~precatory way. :"
have a widowed mother to support
and | could not spare much. l was
weeks saving up to buy what was IL
that basket. You are rich, perhaps
II would h We been nothing to you.
The children stood hushed ant
nwed, and the sick oman closed he
eyes and wondered at it all. Thi
young man and the girl looked
straight into each others eyes as the,
talked. and her words seemed to Gu
him like the lash of a whip. WheI
there had been silence for a minute
and the OH man-wolf was heart
snarling as he paced the hall. thu
young man said: