Boys -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories, American; Fantasy literature; Short stories, American
"This is a poor sick little fellow we are going to see first," he said.
"He wanted a set of choo-choo cars, but we can't give them to him
because the only set we have is for you, Jimmieboy. Your application
came in before his did. I hope he won't be disappointed, though I am
afraid he will be. A fish-pond isn't half so much fun as a set of
choo-choo cars."
"That's so," said Jimmieboy. "But, Mr. Marmy, perhaps, if it's going to
make him feel real bad not to get them--maybe--perhaps you might let him
have the cars. I don't want them too much." This wasn't quite true, but
Jimmieboy, somehow or other, didn't like to think of the little sick boy
waking up on Christmas day and not finding what he wanted. "You know, I
have one engine and a coal car left of my old set, and I guess maybe,
perhaps, I can make them do," he added.
Marmy gave the little fellow an affectionate squeeze, and said: "Well,
if you really feel that way, maybe we had better leave the cars there.
Eh, Santa?"
"Maybe, perhaps," said Santa.
And it so happened; and although he could not tell exactly why,
Jimmieboy felt happier after leaving the cars at the little sick boy's
house than he ever thought he could be.
"Now, Jimmieboy," said Santa, as Marmy took the reins and they drove off
again, "while Marmy and I are attending to the hotels and flat-houses,
we want you to take that brown bag and go down the chimney of the orphan
asylum, and leave one toy for each little child there. There are about
a hundred little orphans to be provided for."
"What's orphans?" asked Jimmieboy.
"Orphans? Why, they are poor little boys and girls without any papas and
mammas, and they all have to live together in one big house. You'll see
'em fast asleep in their little white cots when you get down the
chimney, and you must be very careful not to wake them up."
"I'll try not to," said Jimmieboy, softly, a lump growing up in his
throat as he thought of the poor children who had no parents. "And I'll
make sure they all get something, too."
"That's right," said Marmy. "And here's where they live. You take the
bag now, and we'll let you down easy, and when we get through, we'll
come back for you."
So Jimmieboy shouldered the bag full of toys, and was lowered through
the chimney into the room where the orphans were sleeping. He was
surprised to find how light the bag was, and he was almost afraid there
would not be enough toys to go around; but there were, as he found out
in a moment. There were more than enough by at least a dozen of the most
beautiful toys he had ever seen--just the very things he would most have
liked to have himself.
"I just guess I'll give 'em one of these things apiece, and keep the
extra ones, and maybe perhaps they'll be for me," he said.
[Illustration: JIMMIEBOY IN THE ORPHAN ASYLUM.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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