"An" here"s Christmas," the old man went on whiningly, "an" not a penny to spend, an" I needin" another blanket so bad, with my rhumatiz, an"
haven"t had a drop of tea for I don"t know how long!"
"I know it," said Ann, never mentioning that she too had been without tea, and not only that, but with small allowance of food of any kind, "and I"m desperate sorry I can"t get a bit of something for Katey. The child never missed a little something in her stocking before."
"Yes," John struck in, "much you care for your flesh an" blood. The child ha"n"t had a thing this winter."
"That"s true enough," said Ann, with a sigh, "an" it"s the hardest thing of all that I"ve had to keep her out o" school when she was doing so beautiful."
"An" her feet all on the ground," growled John.
"I know her shoes is bad," said Ann, hanging the shirt up on a line that stretched across the room, and was already nearly full of freshly ironed clothes, "but they"re better than the Parker children"s."
"What"s that to us?" almost shouted the weak old man, shaking his fist at her in his rage.
"Well, keep your temper, old man," said Ann. "I"m sorry it goes so hard with you, but as long as I can stand on my feet, I sha"n"t turn anybody out to freeze, that"s certain."
"How much"ll you get for them?" said the miserable old man, after a few moments" silence, indicating by his hand the clean clothes on the line.
"Two dollars," said Ann, "and half of it must go to help make up next month"s rent. I"ve got a good bit to make up yet, and only a week to do it in, and I sha"n"t have another cent till day after to-morrow."
"Well, I wish you"d manage to buy me a little tea," whined the old man; "seems as if that would go right to the spot, and warm up my old bones a bit."
"I"ll try," said Ann, revolving in her mind how she could save a few pennies from her indispensable purchases to get tea and sugar, for without sugar he would not touch it.
Wearied with his unusual exertion, the old man now dropped off to sleep, and Ann went softly about, folding and piling the clothes into a big basket already half full. When they were all packed in, and nicely covered with a piece of clean muslin, she took an old shawl and hood from a nail in the corner, put them on, blew out the candle, for it must not burn one moment unnecessarily, and, taking up her basket, went out into the cold winter night, softly closing the door behind her.
The house was on an alley, but as soon as she turned the corner she was in the bright streets, glittering with lamps and gay people. The shop windows were brilliant with Christmas displays, and thousands of warmly dressed buyers were lingering before them, laughing and chatting, and selecting their purchases. Surely it seemed as if there could be no want here.
As quickly as her burden would let her, the old washerwoman pa.s.sed through the crowd into a broad street and rang the bas.e.m.e.nt bell of a large, showy house.
"Oh, it"s the washerwoman!" said a flashy-looking servant who answered the bell; "set the basket right in here. Mrs. Keithe can"t look them over to-night, there"s company in the parlour--Miss Carry"s Christmas party."
"Ask her to please pay me--at least a part," said old Ann hastily. "I don"t see how I can do without the money. I counted on it."
"I"ll ask her," said the pert young woman, turning to go upstairs; "but it"s no use."
Returning in a moment, she delivered the message. "She has no change to-night; you"re to come in the morning."
"Dear me!" thought Ann, as she plodded back through the streets, "it"ll be even worse than I expected, for there"s not a morsel to eat in the house, and not a penny to buy one with. Well--well--the Lord will provide, the Good Book says, but it"s mighty dark days, and it"s hard to believe."
Entering the house, Ann sat down silently before the expiring fire. She was tired, her bones ached, and she was faint for want of food.
Wearily she rested her head on her hands, and tried to think of some way to get a few cents. She had nothing she could sell or p.a.w.n, everything she could do without had gone before, in similar emergencies. After sitting there some time, and revolving plan after plan, only to find them all impossible, she was forced to conclude that they must go supperless to bed.
Her husband grumbled, and Katey--who came in from a neighbour"s--cried with hunger, and after they were asleep old Ann crept into bed to keep warm, more disheartened than she had been all winter.
If we could only see a little way ahead! All this time--the darkest the house on the alley had seen--help was on the way to them. A kind-hearted city missionary, visiting one of the unfortunate families living in the upper rooms of old Ann"s house, had learned from them of the n.o.ble charity of the humble old washerwoman. It was more than princely charity, for she not only denied herself nearly every comfort, but she endured the reproaches of her husband, and the tears of her child.
Telling the story to a party of his friends this Christmas Eve, their hearts were troubled, and they at once emptied their purses into his hands for her. And the gift was at that very moment in the pocket of the missionary, waiting for morning to make her Christmas happy.
Christmas morning broke clear and cold. Ann was up early, as usual, made her fire, with the last of her coal, cleared up her two rooms, and, leaving her husband and Katey in bed, was about starting out to try and get her money to provide a breakfast for them. At the door she met the missionary.
"Good-morning, Ann," said he. "I wish you a Merry Christmas."
"Thank you, sir," said Ann cheerfully; "the same to yourself."
"Have you been to breakfast already?" asked the missionary.
"No, sir," said Ann. "I was just going out for it."
"I haven"t either," said he, "but I couldn"t bear to wait until I had eaten breakfast before I brought you your Christmas present--I suspect you haven"t had any yet."
Ann smiled. "Indeed, sir, I haven"t had one since I can remember."
"Well, I have one for you. Come in, and I"ll tell you about it."
Too much amazed for words, Ann led him into the room. The missionary opened his purse, and handed her a roll of bills.
"Why--what!" she gasped, taking it mechanically.
"Some friends of mine heard of your generous treatment of the poor families upstairs," he went on, "and they send you this, with their respects and best wishes for Christmas. Do just what you please with it--it is wholly yours. No thanks," he went on, as she struggled to speak. "It"s not from me. Just enjoy it--that"s all. It has done them more good to give than it can you to receive," and before she could speak a word he was gone.
What did the old washerwoman do?
Well, first she fell on her knees and buried her agitated face in the bedclothes. After a while she became aware of a storm of words from her husband, and she got up, subdued as much as possible her agitation, and tried to answer his frantic questions.
"How much did he give you, old stupid?" he screamed; "can"t you speak, or are you struck dumb? Wake up! I just wish I could reach you! I"d shake you till your teeth rattled!"
If his vicious looks were a sign, it was evident that he only lacked the strength to be as good as his word.
Ann roused herself from her stupour and spoke at last.
"I don"t know. I"ll count it." She unrolled the bills and began.
"O Lord!" she exclaimed excitedly, "here"s ten-dollar bills! One, two, three, and a twenty--that makes five--and five are fifty-five--sixty--seventy--eighty--eighty-five--ninety--one hundred--and two and five are seven, and two and one are ten, twenty--twenty-five--one hundred and twenty-five! Why, I"m rich!" she shouted. "Bless the Lord! Oh, this is the glorious Christmas Day! I knew He"d provide. Katey! Katey!" she screamed at the door of the other room, where the child lay asleep. "Merry Christmas to you, darlin"! Now you can have some shoes! and a new dress! and--and--breakfast, and a regular Christmas dinner! Oh! I believe I shall go crazy!"
But she did not. Joy seldom hurts people, and she was brought back to everyday affairs by the querulous voice of her husband.
"Now I will have my tea, an" a new blanket, an" some tobacco--how I have wanted a pipe!" and he went on enumerating his wants while Ann bustled about, putting away most of her money, and once more getting ready to go out.
"I"ll run out and get some breakfast," she said "but don"t you tell a soul about the money."
"No! they"ll rob us!" shrieked the old man.
"Nonsense! I"ll hide it well, but I want to keep it a secret for another reason. Mind, Katey, don"t you tell?"
"No!" said Katey, with wide eyes. "But can I truly have a new frock, Mammy, and new shoes--and is it really Christmas?"
"It"s really Christmas, darlin"," said Ann, "and you"ll see what mammy"ll bring home to you, after breakfast."