Читать книгу Playing Santa Claus and Other Christmas Tales - Sarah P. Doughty - Страница 5

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“A happy New Year to you, Lottie!” exclaimed a bright-eyed and neatly dressed little girl, as she tapped at the door of a small apartment in the second story of a large dwelling-house which was occupied by a number of poor families.

The summons was answered, and the greeting returned, by Lottie herself, who proved to be a pleasant-looking little girl of about the same age as the visitor.

“A happy New Year to you, Miss Emily!” she replied; “and thank you for calling to see me so early in the morning. Will you walk in?”

“No, thank you, Lottie: for I have several places to go to; and I must be at home in good season. Mamma says that this is the day for the gentlemen to make calls, and the ladies must stay at home; but she gave me leave to call upon you, and three or four other little girls who go to sabbath school with me. Here is a New-Year’s gift for you, Lottie. Is your mother well?”

“Oh! thank you, Miss Emily. Yes, my mother is quite well. She will be here in a few moments.”

“I will call and see her another time. Good morning, Lottie!” And, with a kind smile, Emily ran quickly down the steep stairs; and, in another moment, Lottie heard the street-door close after her.

The “New-Year’s gift” which she had handed to Lottie was contained in quite a large and neatly folded parcel; and the little girl hastened to close the door of the room, that she might examine it at her leisure.

She placed it upon the table, and untied the string; but still she did not feel quite willing to unfold the paper until her mother returned to share her pleasure.

She had not long to wait: for, just then, a step was heard in the entry; and her mother entered, with a small basket on her arm, containing a few articles of daily food which she had been purchasing.

The paper was quickly unfolded now; and a neat hood and shawl, with a pair of warm mittens, soon appeared.

Lottie clapped her hands with delight. “Miss Emily brought them to me, mother!” she exclaimed. “Is she not very kind? Now I can go to sabbath school all winter; for my frock and shoes are quite good yet: but my thin cape and my straw hat were very cold.”

“They were indeed, my child,” replied Mrs. Wilton (Lottie’s mother); “and I am very grateful to the young lady and her mother for their kindness in sending you these warm garments. This is a happy New-Year’s Day for you.”

Very happy did Lottie feel, and bright as the sunshine was her face, for some minutes: but then a shadow seemed to come over her glad spirit; and, after a little thought, she said, almost sadly, “How very happy Miss Emily must be to be able to give such nice presents to poor people, mother! How I wish I had something to give!”

“And have you nothing, Lottie?” asked Mrs. Wilton, kindly.

“Nothing at all, mother. You know we are so poor, that we need everything we have for ourselves.”

“We are, indeed, quite poor, Lottie; but that need not prevent us from giving to others. You cannot go, as Miss Emily does, and carry warm garments to those who are poorer than yourself; but still you may do much for their happiness and comfort. Give them the love that is in your little heart; and you will soon find that you have no reason to say that you have nothing to give.”

“But love will not do them any good, mother,” persisted the little girl. “I want to be able to make New-Year’s gifts to those who are in want.”

“Give them your love, and you will often find that the gifts will come of themselves, Lottie,” replied her mother. And, as she spoke, Lottie’s countenance brightened; and she exclaimed,—

“O mother! I know what I can do, if you are willing. I can give a part of my breakfast to those two little children up in the third story; for you know they are a great deal poorer than we are.”

“I think they are, Lottie; and you may divide your breakfast with them, if you please. And here is a New-Year’s cake that the baker gave me for you when I went for the loaf of bread.”

“Such a nice large one! and so pretty!” said Lottie, as she looked admiringly at the figures upon the cake. “I can give a part of this to the children, mother.”

“Very well: now eat your own bread, and then you may go with theirs. So you will have the pleasure of making one New-Year’s gift this pleasant morning; and if you keep your heart filled with love, and all your servants busy in helping you to make this love useful to others, you will find many opportunities to make gifts before the day passes away.”

“My servants, mother!” exclaimed Lottie. “Who are they?”

Mrs. Wilton smiled, as she replied, “You have two bright eyes, Lottie; and, with these, you can look around for those who are in need of your assistance. You have two quick ears with which to hear their wants; and you have hands and feet which will cheerfully work at your bidding.”

The shadow had quite gone from Lottie’s heart and from her face: for she now began to see clearly what her mother meant; and she had already formed many little plans for doing good.

A large portion of her own breakfast and of the tempting cake were given to the hungry little children; and their joy, and the eagerness with which they ate the food, showed that the gift was a most acceptable one.

The next hour was passed in assisting her mother: for, as Lottie justly observed, “Mother ought to have a New-Year’s gift as well as other people;” and the only thing she could give her would be a little more help than usual.

Mrs. Wilton was glad to find her room in neat order, and to be able to sit down to her sewing at an early hour: for she was making some garments, which she had promised to have completed within a few days; and, if they were ready at the promised time, she was to receive extra pay.

“And now, mother,” said Lottie, “I will take the basket, and try to find some bits of wood around the new buildings. Perhaps I shall find some one to whom I can make a New-Year’s gift while I am gone.”

“I have no doubt you will, dear,” replied Mrs. Wilton; and Lottie ran merrily away, while her mother employed her hands very busily, and her thoughts no less so: for New-Year’s Day brings many recollections,—both sad and pleasant memories of years gone by. Mrs. Wilton thought of the time when she had a kind husband to love and care for her, and when a fine manly boy, some two or three years older than Lottie, was among her household treasures. Both husband and son had long since passed to the spiritual world; and the poor widow was now obliged to work hard for the support of herself and her little girl. But she had a cheerful, uncomplaining spirit; and she trusted with full faith in our heavenly Father, who never forsakes the widow and the fatherless.

The little that she could earn with her needle was not always sufficient to supply them with necessary comforts; but, as yet, they had never suffered from cold or hunger. Often their most pressing wants, as in the case of Lottie’s hood and shawl, had been unexpectedly supplied; and, thankfully acknowledging the Providence which watched over them, the widow worked away steadily and cheerfully, with little anxiety for the future.

But we must accompany little Lottie, as she bounded merrily along, with her basket in her hand. The first object which attracted her attention, when she reached the new buildings, was an old woman, bent nearly double with infirmity and age, slowly endeavoring to gather a few of the chips which lay scattered upon the ground.

“Poor old creature!” thought Lottie, pityingly, “I have a great mind to fill her basket before I do my own. There are not many children picking up chips this morning: and I shall find enough, I dare say.”

“I will fill your basket for you,” she said kindly, as she drew near to the woman; “and you can sit on these boards, and rest.”

The old woman looked surprised, and, at first, seemed a little afraid to let Lottie take the basket. Perhaps she thought she might run away with the pieces she had already collected; for some children are wicked enough to do such things. But, when she looked in the little girl’s pleasant face, all her fear went away; and she gladly rested herself upon the boards, while Lottie’s busy hands and feet worked briskly until the basket was well loaded with the nice dry chips.

“Have you far to go? Shall I help you to carry it?” asked Lottie, as she placed the load at the old woman’s feet.

“You are a good child; and I thank you,” was the reply. “But I am well rested now, and can get home by myself. Make haste, and fill your own basket. Good-by! and may God bless you!”

Lottie’s heart was very glad, as she watched the old woman moving quickly along with the basket.

“She walks quite fast,” she said to herself. “I am so glad that I helped her, and gave her time to rest! Those chips were a nice New-Year’s gift for her.”

After half an hour of patient labor, Lottie succeeded in filling her own basket, and set out on her return home.

As she turned into the street which led to her own dwelling, she saw a richly dressed lady upon the sidewalk, a little in advance of her. Lottie looked admiringly at her velvet hat, and the soft, warm furs, and splendid silk dress.

“What a happy lady!” she said to herself. “What beautiful New-Year’s gifts she can make!”

As Lottie said this, a rich lace-veil, which had been lightly thrown over the lady’s hat, fell upon the sidewalk; and the owner passed on without observing her loss.

“Stop, ma’am! please stop!” called the little girl, as she placed her basket upon the stones, and ran quickly along, with the veil in her hand.

“Thank you, my child,” said the lady, as she turned around in answer to Lottie’s repeated calls. “I should have been very sorry to have lost my veil. Here is a quarter of a dollar for you.”

“No, thank you, ma’am,” returned Lottie, blushing deeply. “I do not want any pay. I am glad that I found your veil. It is New-Year’s Day; and I like to have something to give people.”

“Well, you have made me a beautiful present,” replied the lady, smiling; “for I should certainly have lost my veil if it had not been for you. But why may I not make you a little gift in return?”

Lottie still shrunk from taking the money; and, after a moment’s thought, the lady ceased to urge her, and, after inquiring the number of her residence, bade her “Good-morning!” and walked on; while the little girl took up her basket of wood, and hastened to her mother.

Mrs. Wilton listened with delight to her account of the adventures of the morning, and sympathized with her pleasure in having already made three or four New-Year’s gifts.

“And now, mother,” said Lottie, “I will help you to sew; and by and by, if you will give me leave, I will go and read one of my pretty books, that the teacher gave me, to that little sick girl in the next street. Don’t you remember I told you about her? She used to come to sabbath school.”

“Yes, I remember what you told me, Lottie. You may go to see her this afternoon. And now I have a long seam for you to sew.”

“I am glad that I can sew neatly enough to help you, mother,” said Lottie; and in a few moments she was seated at her mother’s side, sewing away as busily as Mrs. Wilton herself.

The afternoon visit to the little sick girl proved a very pleasant one; and Lottie came home with the delightful consciousness that she had done much good, and almost made the little sufferer forget her pain.

“This has been a happy, happy day,” she said. “I wish every New-Year’s Day would be like it.”

“All days may be much like it, my dear child,” replied her mother, “if you continue to find happiness in doing good to others. You will not again complain that you have ‘nothing to give.’”

“No, indeed, mother; for I have found that even poor people like us have many things to give which make others happy. And you know, mother, I gave something even to that rich lady.”

“You did, indeed, dear,” answered Mrs. Wilton, smiling. “And now go to sleep, and dream of your happy day.”

Lottie’s dreams were very pleasant, you may be sure; and her mother saw her smile many times in her sleep, as if the angels were whispering to her in their words of love.

The next day brought a visit from the lady who had lost the veil. She had not forgotten little Lottie; and now came to inquire into Mrs. Wilton’s circumstances, and to offer her assistance if she was in need. A kind friend she proved to the widow and her child; and they often thought with thankfulness of the day when Lottie picked up the veil, rejoicing, in her simplicity, that she had something to give.