The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-12-24

within my own nestled in dovelike
peace.
The boy bent over the white face
from behind and whispered something
IN her ear, trailing the little laughing
lips across her brow as he looked up.
Not now, Jamesy wait while
AM said /, shaking my head with
ielgned merriment, don't you two go
to plotting about me-"
Oh, hello, no, cap?" exclaimed the
boy. assuringly. 81 was on'y jist a.
tellin' sis to asst you if she mightn t
open that box now-honest, And you
Jist ask her If you don't believe me
| won't listen" And the little fellow
gave me look of the most penetra-
tive suggestiveness; and when mo-
ment later the glad words, Christmas
gift! Jamesy," rang out quaveringly
in the thin voice, the little fellow
snatched the sack up, in paroxysm
OF delight, and before the girl had
! time to lift the long dark lashes once
upon his merry face he had emptied
its contents out unanimously upon
! the bed.
You got it on to me, Sis" cried
the little fellow, dancing wildly round
the room; got it on to me this time.
but I'm game, don't you fergit, and
don't put up nothin' snide! How'll
them shoes there ketch you? and
! how's this fer a cloak?-is them
enough beads to suit you? And how's
this fer a hat-feather and all? And
| hOws this fer a dress-made and
everything? and Id "a got a corsik
with it if he'd ony had any little
enough. You won't look fly ner
nothin' when you throw all that style
on YOU in the morning Guess not"
And the delighted boy went off upon
another wild excursion round tho
room.
Even slatternly Molly looked up
with a faint show Of interest that
and the sodden lump OF flesh on the
floor stirred and moaned uneasily, his
drunken slumber disturbed by the
noisy JOY Of Jamesy. Sis gasped
bit and lovingly her thin hand lowered
over the things that should have been
precious to girl or woman. She lifted
the shoes, stroked the cloak and dress,
and there was just the suspicion of
sob in her throat as she fondled the
hat, feather and all" Then she turned
toward me.
Lean down here" said the girl,
great light in her eyes and the other
slender hand sliding from beneath
the covering. Here is the box you
sent me, and I've opened tit wasn't
right you know, but somepin' kind o
said to open it fore morning-and-
and | opened it." And the eyes
seemed asking my forgiveness, yet
were filled with great bewilderment.
You see" she went on. the thin voice
falling in a fainter tone, Il knowed
| that money in the bOX-that is, the
bills-I knowed them bills cause one
| of EN- had a inkspOt on it, and the
other ones had been pinned with it
they wasn't pinned together when you
sent EN-, but the holes was in where
they had been pinned, and they was
all pinned together when Jamesy had
'em-'cause Jamesy used to have
them very bills-he didn't think |
! knowed-but onct when he was
asleep and father was a-goin' through
his clothes, | happened to find EN- in
! his coat fore he did: and | counted
| EN-, and hid em back ag in. and
father didn't find EN-, and Jamesy
| never knowed it. | never said moth
me it was all right, and somepin' kind
! O said I'd git all these things here,
too-on'y | won't need EN-, ner the
money, nor nothin'. How did you get
| the money? That's ALL"
The boy had by this time ap-
preached the bed, and was gazing GU
riously upon the solemn little face.
What the matter with you, Sis?"
| he asked in wonderment; amt you
glad"
I'm mighty glad, Jamesy," she
said, the little, thin hands reaching
| for his own. Guess I'm too glad,
cause can't do nothin ony jist feel
| glad; and somepin kind o. says that
that's the gaddest glad in all the
world Jamesy!"
oh, pshaw, Sis, Why don't you
tell Teller what's the natter" said
the boy, uneasily.
The white hands linked more close
| ~ with the brown. and the pure face
4 lifted to the grimy one till they were
| blent together in kiss.
BE good to father, fer you know
he used TO be so good to us"
20 Sis Sis"
Molly"
The squabby, red-faced woman
threw herself upon her knees and
| kissed the thin hands wildly and with
| sobs
Molly, somopln' kind o. says that
/ you must dress me in the morning
but won't need the hat, and you
must take it home for Mamie Don't
cry SO loud you'll wake father
| bent my head down above the
rroWzy one and moaned-moaned
And you SIR" went on the falling
voice, reaching for my hand YOU
you must take this money baCk-yOu
must take II back, fer don't need it,
You must take It back and-and-
give il give it to the poor" And
even with the utterance upon the gra.
cions lips The glad soul leaped and
ilutiorud through the open gates.
THE END
Another Point OF View.