The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-11
THE LAME BOYS GIFT
BY FRANCES HARMER.

The children fingered in the Sunday
school, for it WAS very cosey and
warm, and the outside world was very
white and cold. They were glad Of
snow, Of course, for was not Christmas
two days off?
| SO they gathered round the stove.
postponing to the last moment the
scamper across the snowy path TO the
church for the midday service
"Oh, l have one more thing to say,
i. children," cried Miss Winter, the
teacher. You know that we decit1ed
to have q Christmas tree for the fac
tory people. the day after our own
tree, and we hope to fill 1t. or nearly
fill 1t, from your gifts Now, will each
ono promise some one thing definite
lyf"
Gladys Gray and Hflda Leslie spoke
together, as they SO often did
! TN bring doll' @
Winnie Brown and Mary Short
said:
Wen make candy, and tie 1t up in
bags We can bring as many as you
want"
What sort Of things do factory
children hte9" Interrupted Bertha
Paul
Just what other children like, !
should say" Her brother. little
younger. was rather apt to show that
he thought her questions lacking In
sense.a too frequent habit with
brothers; but for once Bertha was
able to reply, triumphanly:
Don't You think it would be wiser
to give them useful things Miss Win
ter? Stockings and pinafores, per-
haps?"
Everybody looked anxiously at Miss
Winter who thought for a moment.
No she said slowly AT Christ
mas time, it would be nice to give them
something extra, don't you Think To
put a little beauty and grace into their
lives?"
Then everybody talked at once
eagerly.
I'm manage a pair of skates" cried
Fred Jackson. whose father kept a
hardware store. Dad will give them
him"
I've a box of paints I've never
touched" added Joe Brown.
In fact. II looked as If that tree
would be we'll supplied. Only one
of the scholars had not promised any
thing. and had not even spoken. This
was Robbie Grant, a little boy who
limped rather painfully. and who was
very shabby. He should. indeed.
the hill~-the little mission Sunday
school for the factory children, see
ing that his father worked in the
factory, But his home lay at the foot
Of the hill, and the minister thought
I Il better for Robbie to come down on
his tricycle. to the school that was
more easily reached.
Robbie could think of nothing that
he might offer as gift for the fac
hric ct yratlE 4rEn n
j, ii was not always easy for his mother
to save out of the many demands for
money even his little offering for the
missions each Sunday, He did not
( like to ask her for something else.
Yet he did wish he could add his mite
te the many beautiful things that
would be brought in the day after
Christmas.
That night as he sat by the stove.
while his father and mother talked
about the chances of turkeys being
given away to the people. as they had
been last year he turned over in his
mind all his very few and very small
possessions. Nothing seemed avail
ablei
! Christmas day came, and he went to
lchurch with his father and mother.
this time to the mission on the hill.
Far back in the yestry he could see
the tree 1t was bare OF ornament,
! but IL was a nice tree. What could
he hang on it?
| The next day his mother made him
very clean and tidy for the Sunday
school Christmas tree.
II daresay you'll get something very
nice" she said, as she kissed him
good bye. Robbie smiled, but the
smile faded very quickly. 1t was Civ
ing.-not getting, that would make him
4 happy.
! Then the thought came to him. like
a flash of light. He would give what
( ever present he might receive!
| When he reached the school house,
the tree--a much bigger one than he
had seen in the yestry Of the mission
! on the hiii--was a wonderful sight to
behold. On the top was star Of
gold and all round the star. only q
! little below. were dolls that looked like