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Without any real idea of what she is accomplishing, Tess Kenway goes about talking to anybody and everybody of the hospitals need. She completely stirs up the town regarding the institution.
The schools take the matter up and the Board of Education approves a plan for the pupils to give a play for the benefit of the Womens and Childrens Hospital. Each member of the Corner House quartette had a part in the play, and the performances of The Carnation Countess had but just been given during the fore part of this very Christmas week.
The narrative of these recent occurrences may be found in the fourth volume of the series, the story immediately preceding this one, called The Corner House Girls in a Play. Three thousand dollars was raised for the hospital, and Mrs. Eland Tess little gray lady is assured of the continuation of her situation as matron.
This fact is particularly happy at this time, for Mrs. Elands sister, Miss Pepperill, Tess school teacher, is ill, and Mrs. Eland is nursing her back to health. One reason for the decorating of the Corner House dining room is that the reunited sisters, Mrs. Eland and Miss Pepperill, have been invited to eat their Christmas dinner with the Corner House girls.
All this while the sooty bundle was lying on the brick hearth at the feet of the startled Corner House girls. As it squirmed, and the sooty dust arose from it, they saw that it was certainly alive.
It wore a long cloak and a hood, now of a sooty red, and trimmed with what was once white cotton-wool fur. Leggings of the same material and trimming covered a pair of stout nether limbs; and upon these legs the little figure finally scrambled, revealing at last to the Kenway sisters and to Mrs. MacCall a face as black as any negros.
For pitys sake! exclaimed the housekeeper. What d you call that, anyway?
It its Sammy, said Tess, boldly.
If it is Santa Claus, said Ruth, smiling, it is one that is not grown.
Its a perfectly savage one, chuckled Agnes. This must be a young Santa Claus in his wild and untamed state.
He is unfamiliar with the best methods of descending folks chimneys, that is sure, Ruth pursued. I dont
was quite sure of that; and she felt happy to know that she was really not so scared as she supposed she would have been.
The burglar did not seem any more fearful in appearance than the iceman, or the man who took out the ashes, or the man who came to sharpen the knives and had a key-bugle
Oh! and maybe burglars carried something to announce their calling, like other tradesmen. The junkman had a string of bells on his wagon; the peanutman had a whistle on his roaster; the man who mended tinware and umbrellas beat a shiny new tin pan as he walked through Willow Street
Oh! ejaculated the curious Dot, right out loud, do you use a whistle, or a bell, or anything , in your business, please?
My goodness! how that man jumped! Dot thought he would fall right over backward, and the round ray of the spotlight in his hand shot up to the ceiling and all about the room before it fell on Dot, standing over by the hall door.
Well, Ill be jiggered! gasped the man, in utter amazement. Wha what did you say, miss?
He was not really a man, after all. Dot saw by his lean face that he was nothing more than a half grown boy. So every little bit of fear she had felt for the burglar departed. He could not really be a journeyman burglar only an apprentice, just learning his trade. Dot became confidential at once, and came closer to him.
I I never met anybody in your business before, said the smallest Corner House girl. If you please, do you only come into folkss houses at night?
Huh! croaked the young man, hoarsely. Seems ter me were workin both night an day at this season. I never did see it so hard on a poor feller before.
Oh, my! exclaimed Dot. Do you have busy seasons, and slack seasons, like the peddlers?
I should say we did, miss, agreed the other, still in a complaining tone.
My! What makes this time of year a busy one? demanded the inquisitive Dorothy.
The frost, miss.
The frost? repeated the little girl, quite puzzled.
Yes, miss. The frost catches folks napping, as ye may say.
Dot puzzled over that for a moment, too. Did folks sleep harder when it was frosty and dark out-of-doors, than in summer? The young man stood and watched her. It must be rather embarrassing to be interrupted in the midst of a burglary.
Dont dont mind me, said Dot, politely. Dont let me stop your work.
No, miss. Im a-waiting for my boss, said the other.
There! Dot had known he must be only an apprentice burglar he was so young.
Then then theres more of you? she asked.
More of me ? No, maam, said the amazed young man. You see all there is of me. I never was very husky no, maam.
He seemed to be a very diffident burglar. He quite puzzled Dot.
Dont dont you ever get afraid in your business? she asked. I should think you would.
Yep. Im some afraid when I wipe a joint, admitted the young man. Ye see, I aint used to the hot lead, yet.