The Chronicles of Rhoda

s Dream th

grandmother said, softly. "

nd sometimes when a strange step came down the street, she would glance up hurriedly, almost in an eager way, as if she were watching for some one. Then, when she saw who it was, her eyes woul

ma?" I asked, anxiously,

said, in that dec

er the picture t

There was a curl of hair on the page, a light-brown curl with red glints in it, and a tiny wreath made of pressed lilacs which once upon a time h

he isn't grown up!

en Joseph in his pretty new coat in the Bible was not a little

back on the page beside the curl and the faded lilac ring. Then she closed the book tightly; but whe

oming, grand

n a way she was mine. I loved her because she was so beautiful; but grandmother loved her beca

ws?" grandmother

of her chair and

o her with a let

said, "and very busy. Would

d. She almost turned

o. When he writes a letter to

he write to you? Didn't you say you would have nothing

he first time I ever heard it called by that name. I said he was to ch

ure and looked at it w

he said. "Sometimes I think I could even for

d her arm abo

back," she cri

glance at the empty street. "Don't I know him,

with me, grandma, if he cam

e, but Evelyn was the

d. "He used to be

ed out carefully again. I thought that I should know him by his hair, and I felt how lovely it would be if he would only come at Christmas time. Christmas was not going to be so nice that year as u

a very pretty book in your top drawer.

ding his paper, but h

riend of mine," he dec

a good gir

d at me a

's awfully goo

! Just think of being born that way, so that you could not help it, but went on growing better and better until you died! There was

ith that smile in his eyes, "sometimes she'

I said

ed. When he was shocked, h

r?" I asked, meekly, tr

n't care about pictures,"

any packages which he brought home, night after night,-round ones, and square ones, and even some with myster

all so far as I could see, but she never said a word about my present; not even one day when she called me into her house and ope

ed dolls, some that went promptly to sleep when you laid them down, some in Japanese dresses, and some that wore long clothes and caps like sure enough babies. We went about solemnly, ha

y're all for?" Evelyn

nd of dolls. I had never had enough. I believed that once or tw

are, don't you, Rhoda? They are poor children who haven't any mothers

again. The queen

d to them?" I que

! And once a little boy had drowned

g to be spoiled," Evelyn answer

hey both had the same fair hair, and the same pink cheeks

ame is Evelyn,

come Christmas morning and see the orphans get their dolls. Somebody named Santa Claus would be there. I had heard of Santa Claus before, but only in a general sort of a way. He seemed to b

Evelyn gave me a

mother that there is good news. What she

me up clo

she cried. "We are all going to get

ut of the door she drew me back and l

she said. "It might be a mistake. I woul

saw her sitting by the window, I felt that I should like to tell her some good news. Just t

d send him to lean on the back of the big chair, and look down at the closed Bible. Grandmother never took the picture out when my father was there. She never even listen

rank winning laurels by the dozen, and, on account of her stupid prejudice,

l the time," my mother sai

She loves him better than she does me. I w

r hand upon his a

obert,"

stool by the fireplace, and passed to li

upon him with a demand that was almost wrathful. "Have you nothing to be t

ard her say that the curl in the Bible was like one of little Dick's. She laid it against his soft hair, and it mat

read bits of her letters to me. I knew all about Norah's people, and could call her brothers and sisters, and even her cousins, by name. She was sending money in her letter to buy her mother a new green plaid shawl for Christmas. She was, also, going to buy th

," she cried, in high wrath, "that I'

with the pig, Norah?

at it!" she answere

to put a blue ribbon abou

its of laughter

seen a pig!" she cried. "To think

such as came out of the pillows when Norah thumped them in the morning. Right in front there was a big brass pin that shone like gold. Norah watched me while I examined the hat, breathlessly. S

it for, Nor

f mine," she explained, w

picture-book, even the hat, were all fo

t I'll get?"

Santa Claus, dear

quickly. That wa

Norah?" I

p her arms

him?" she cried. "The quare ould

ah! Isn't he hot?" I de

warm him," Norah answered, l

r went up in a

hen Christmas morning comes the good ones will get prisents. For he owns all

ook a firm hold on her apron. It was ve

uring smile, "and you are good, Rhoda, have only to

ch I should say to him, and the things which he would say to me, after he became convinced of my goodness. In the meanwhile I was good, oh, so good! and best of all in the parlor. Later, I meant to ask for the queen doll, and the pretty book, and the little hat trimmed wit

o far as to s

tely, for it was best to be polit

have run away but for a sudden sound. Somebody was crying! It was grandmother up in the corner of the sofa with the Bible on her knees. She did not s

o badly, Rhod

grandma?"

never came back again. I was not patient en

said. "I'll get him back, de

nfidently at her. I knew. There was a way, but only little Rhoda had th

black bricks. He did not answer, but the soot fell softly, so I knew that he heard and would remember. It was no longer a question of do

mall stocking will hold candy, and I have known times when the very nicest present of all would be away down at the toe. My little Susan Sunshine, my

g up her stocking?" D

d?" Trixie

ared, hastily, from m

p your stocking, dear

nything," I ans

eard her talki

er stocking. I hope that she is not going to be sick. It would be dreadful

head. It

. Grandmother did not know what I was doing for her. The little boy must be getting ready to come right now. Off in the distance I could hear sleigh-bells, perhaps his sleigh-bells, now near, now far away, and in the pauses

et. Dick shouted excitedly. Somebody beat a drum with a low rumble like soldiers, not as a little boy would beat a drum, but as

mother cried, uneasily. "You

ith white feathers, and against the stocking there leant a picture-book. I looked at them incredulously. Santa Claus had not understood! Or else he had thought that I loved my presents better

ook, Rhoda?" my father inqu

answered,

from the shelter

d like the hat?" she as

were some subjects which wo

many times that morning, a

other said, anxiously. "You don't

replied,

evinced a su

her go to Evel

o go!" I crie

r said, in a soothing wa

pill first," my mother plead

nice,-such as cough syrup, with little specks of jelly floating on it like a pudding. Afterwards you might know by the taste that there ha

er much consultation they put on my cloak, and let me go. I had the picture-bo

p,-orphans in decorous rows of twos; each little girl with a white apron hanging down under her cloak. They went in very quietly, not at all as if they were exci

all of you," a sonor

re was a shaggy cap on his head. He smiled at us. It almost seemed that he smiled at me, little Rhoda Harcourt, as if he remembered the chimney! His

girls," he said again, in a lou

hey were sure that they were good. One, a very sleepy orphan, put he

he next orphan sai

en Santa Claus called her name. It was Betsy. He gave Betsy the first doll

on the tree, and her eyes had a frightened look, as though she did not li

, Frank," I h

e grew different, younger and fairer, and with a gleam of triumphant laughter about it quite unlike the Santa Claus that he had been b

picked up the queen, and

n Rhoda among them. Just suppose that Santa Claus should mean me! H

. "Why, you're not af

answered

d me up to where Santa Claus stood waiting with the queen in his arms. It was

said in a genial way

he dear queen! but I could not take her. I ga

want. I told you up the chimney. And you prom

tonished for a moment

imney was that? You see I go up

yn asked in surprise, putting he

st crying. "The little boy who made the lilac ring. All day long

ackward glance at the rows of orphans agog on their chairs, and a lady or two w

dy," he said. "Wh

yn whispered. "What was

at me with sudd

rtainly. "It's not our

ve years," Evelyn repl

ower and dre

d, emphatically. "If you wanted the who

ace. In a moment he was just a man like other men, and had me upon his shoulder. Somehow

h," he said, with a laugh that w

get her doll!"

loser to him so tha

or this," she

e strode out into the sunshine with his heavy load, and started up the block. The bells were ringing for service as we went along, and the street was