"Come along," said Susy to the little vagrant, thinking somehow of the Lord of all who had not where to lay His head.
"For maybe if He was here," she soliloquized, "we shouldn"t be able to tell Him from anyone else. And it"s just--anybody."
[Ill.u.s.tration: "_She dropped into a little heap before the fire._"]
Susy took the little estray by the arm, and hurried her along. Poor little Jennie! her feet seemed hardly to touch the ground, they were so cold and numb. She didn"t much care even if she was being taken to the station house.
But she wasn"t. After a while she felt the warmth and heard the voices, but she was so tired and sleepy that she dropped into a little heap before the fire and only heard her young rescuer say:--
"Let her sleep, Granny; it"ll do her more good than anything else."
[Ill.u.s.tration: _"It was a famous Christmas feast."_]
"But, Susy, child, we can"t take care of her all the time. And--"
Granny stopped there, looking into Susy"s eyes.
"It"s Christmas eve, Granny. I feel as if we ought to do something, even if we have only a manger to take people into."
By and by, Jennie Morgan, the poor little waif, woke up, had some supper, and told her story. It was like hundreds of others, only her mother was a beautiful lady. She had seen some one in the street this morning that looked just like her.
"She"s smart and chipper, Granny, and she"ll soon be better," said Susy.
Jennie"s cheeks were very red the next morning, and her eyes very bright; moreover, her voice had a curious tremble in it, but she declared she was quite well. It was so delightful to be housed and warm, and to have no great hungry pangs gnawing at her stomach.
Susy went out a while, and Granny prepared her turkey to roast. Poor Jennie thought there never had been such a savory fragrance before.
It was a famous Christmas feast. There were lame Tim with a clean face, and a new red necktie to do honor to the occasion; Humpy, as the little fellow was called, who sold pins, tape, and shoe strings on the corner, and had grown deformed from a bad fall; Kit Benner, looking white enough and thin enough to frighten you; three others, and the little stray Jennie Morgan, besides Granny, in a new cap and new calico gown.
Such a time as they had! They were so crowded around the table that they had hardly elbow room. They made jokes, laughed, drank Granny"s health in the fragrant coffee, and were as happy as the happiest.
Meanwhile, over at Mr. Linley"s they had a grand tree. Nellie, dressed like a fairy, distributed the gifts, carefully laying aside those for the poor. Of course they could not ask such people into their festivities. It was honor enough to hang their gifts on their beautiful tree. Then Mrs. Linley played, and they had some charming carols.
They had two or three songs sung also at Susy Diller"s. Susy had learned them at the mission school. Finally Jennie begged to lie down in the corner by the stove, for she felt a little chilly, and her head was aching.
"O Susy, won"t you sing again?" she pleaded. "It"s like heaven. Mother used to tell me about it. And do you suppose that the Lord Jesus cares for little girls who have to live on the street and sleep where they can? Sometimes they can"t help lying and stealing."
"Yes, He _does_ care. Mr. Linley told me so. You see," and Susy laid her forefinger in the palm of the other hand, "you see this is the way: He puts the thought into other people"s hearts, "cause He isn"t here any more to do the work."
"Oh!" said Jennie slowly, and with a sage nod, "wouldn"t it be good, Susy, if He would put it into the hearts of rich folks? they could do so much."
"Sometimes He does. Look at the newsboys" dinner! And there"s a good many things."
Poor Jennie sighed a little. She could not make it out straight in her tired brain.
The crowd went away presently, declaring that it was the jolliest sort of a Christmas. They thanked Susy and Granny over and over again.
The next day was Sabbath. Susy begged Mr. Linley to come and see the little sick girl at her house. And one way and another, the story of the Christmas feast came out.
For Jennie, the little beggar girl, was very sick. Cold and hunger had done their worst. It had been so hard and dreary since her mother died, with no one to care for her, and to have to dodge around continually, kicked and cuffed and almost starved. And if the Lord up above _did_ care--
"She"s a pretty sick little girl," said Susy, "but Granny and I will do our best to pull her through."
Mr. Linley felt the pulse and shook his head. The fever was high and there was no strength to battle with it.
And then he looked into Susy"s great, wistful eyes, and was touched to the heart. The child had learned the sweetest and n.o.blest lesson of all.
She had gone out into the highway and hedges, she had gathered in the lame and the halt and the blind.
"You see I"ve grown fond of her, a"ready," explained Susy. "I"d do anything for her."
"I"m afraid it"s too late. I will send in a doctor, and some delicacies from the house."
"If you please, I"d rather not have you do the last. You see Granny spoke a little cross at first, and now she"s trying to make it all up to her. She"ll feel better if she does everything; and she"s a good heart, has Granny."
What a point of conscience here amid poverty and ignorance!
"The lessons have not all been on my side," said Mr. Linley to his wife afterward. "The poor little factory girl has taught me something that I shall never forget. To think of her going without her coat that she might provide a dinner for some homeless, hungry children. I wish you would go and see them, my dear." Mrs. Linley went with her husband.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _"O Mother! Mother!"_]
Susy stared as if she had seen an angel. Granny dropped a curtesy, and dusted a chair with her ap.r.o.n.
"Little Jennie," Susy whispered, "poor little girl, can"t you open your eyes a minute?"
She opened them--wider--wider. Then she rose a little and stared around--stretched out her trembling hands toward Mrs. Linley, and cried:--
"O mother! mother! Susy said I should find you. I tried to be good, not to lie or steal, though I was nearly starved. And Susy"s been so--kind.
She brought me in--to the Christmas--dinner--"
Mrs. Linley caught the swaying form in her arms. The last words quivered slowly on her lips and her eyes drooped. She remembered just where she had seen the child, and a pang of bitter self-upbraiding pierced her heart. She kissed the still lips for her mother"s sake, and laid her gently down. Had Susy and Granny entertained an angel unawares, while her blind eyes had not been able to discern "the least of these?"
"Oh!" said Susy sobbing, "I"m so glad you came. I s"pose she thought it was her own mother, for she has talked about her all the time. Poor little girl! I shall always be thankful that I brought her in out of the cold, though I never guessed she was going to die."
"The fame of your Christmas feast has gone up among the angels, Susy,"
said Mr. Linley reverently. "And now, my dear girl, have little Jennie buried where you like, and bring the bill to me. I want a little share in your good work."
Mr. and Mrs. Linley walked home quietly. Had her beautiful Christmas tree borne any such fruit as this?
"For I was an hungered and ye fed me."
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE BARN THAT BLOSSOMED
"Mother, it was dreadful!" Gerry"s face was all shades of soberness, and her voice had a suspicious quiver in it. "I almost wish I hadn"t seen.