Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1913-12-24

bid that | speak with this stranger
this year. please! He is noble like
well-like you!"
Every well, then. you may, but prom
Use me. dear. on the word of a gentle
man. you will not go anywhere with
him, eh?"
The boy raised his right hand: "Foi
de la Quereau. grandmamma, never"
Betty kissed him and drew him closer.
Presently he asked: .sShalI we have
a Christmas tree, grandmamma? Do
they have one hereY"
Betty sighed. Yes, Pierre. they
have Christmas trees here. of course.
but we will not have one this year.
We are not happy enough yet"
twill we be happy?"
Maybe"
rs Christmas a sad time here.
grandmamma?"
Sometimes. dear. But we, you and
| and the pussy cats. we will make it
glad. Well try it. Stradivarius and
Ole Bull and Paganini shall have new
collars and saucers of cream and fish,"
w%hereupon the child began to gambol
with his pets, and presently they. and
he after them. had galloped up the
steep stairs to the garrett.
While Betty sat by the fire and strug-
gle6 with herself. Had she not fallen
! upon her knees? Had she not humbled
her soul? Was she not living in Pc
ter's house?
| Did not the little boy bear Peters
unliked name? Had she not nailed her
antipathies to the cross of remorse?
Were not her nerves racked each day
by the fortunes of the violin she had
elected that Peters namesake should
learn to play upon? Had she not nam
J ed the very cats in remembrance Of
, the fiddle masters of the world? Then
Betty. laughing Betty, smiled as she
heard the child's feet scampering in
their play over head.
She was the same Betty that she had
been years and years ago, full of little,
I whimsical conceits. child and woman
both in one. By and by the pattering
footsteps died away and the log burn
ed down on her hearth and the snow
blew and flew and beat at her panes.
The early twilight crept N. and Betty
alone there heard nothing but the tick
ing of the tall clock out on the landing.
Would Peter ever knock at the door
of her side of the old house?
AS she knelt that was the cry of her
bitterness. She felt the Christmastide
coming. people were counting up the
days to it already; the little lad was
; u,iSfful nunr e. An uynr11d fho hlocc0d
day of all birthdays fetch to her the
gift she crayed2
While Betty knelt alone there. above
little Peter was having a very fine
time. indeed. inducing the cats to the
most lively games of hide and seek.
ver and under and in n out. OF all
the odd dark corners a garnet alone
can afford.
Ole Bull had separated himself from
his friends: he had discovered a bit Of
string hanging from some keys on a
wooden peg. just enough in reach of
his claws to set the keys jingling and
the string flying. whetting his joy more
and more.
Little Peter. attracted, of curse.
came over to loOk at the keys. He had
looked at SO many things already, and
he had put on a pair of Hessian boots
and spurs. in which his small legs were
swimming. and a soldier cap of Peter
Van Zandt's which covered his ears
like a basket. and he was brandishing
a rusty gun over Paganini and Strad-
ivarius, when Supple. it being Thurs
day and her day for what she called
"redding up the garrett" beheld him as
she mounted the steep stairs. her head
popping through the we'll hole just as
the little boy was carefully attempting
to fit n of the keys to the door Of
the pantry under the caves.
Miss Bridget Supplies eyes danced.
She paused. leaning on her room han
die. and actually seemed to feast upon
the grotesque little figure in the army
boots and rap. its busy fingers at the
key and lock.
''That don't fit in there. Master Pc
ter" said the serving m
mo? But where. then. Brigitte. eh?'
Nobody knows but me. SIR"
"But you will tell. yes?"
Maybe so" Miss Supple sat upon
the top step while the three pussy
cats collected around her, purring and
arching their backs: they knew who
fed them very well indeed. will you
promise not to tell any Twin soul. sir,
II l tell yOu:"
"Grandmamme?" little Peter said
tentatively and in mild reproof.
Suppl, shook her head, which was
crowned by a most remarkable turkey
red sweeping APP. decked with a bow
Of great size that nodded with her
every movement.
"Not madame, my grandmammaY
Supple still shook her head. mot
yet. Master Peter, by and BY"
"Oh. very well. Now tell me-"
"Sure. sir: why do you wan to know
that?" Miss Supple was adjusting
sundry matters in her mind and was