"Rosa had spoken rapidly, feeling that her plea must be made now or never, for before another Christmas she might be far away and speech of no use to win her wish. I was much touched, though she was only a horse; for she was looking earnestly at me as she spoke, and made the last words very eloquent by preparing to bend her stiff knees and lie down at my feet. I stopped her, and answered, with an arm about her neck and her soft nose in my hand,—
"'You shall not be sold, Rosa! you shall go and board at Mr. Town's great stable, where you will have pleasant society among the eighty horses who usually pass the winter there. Your shoes shall be taken off, and you shall rest till March at least. The best care will be taken of you, dear, and I will come and see you; and in the spring you shall return to us, even if Miss Merry is not here to welcome you.'
"'Thanks, many, many thanks! But I wish I could do something to earn my board. I hate to be idle, though rest is delicious. Is there nothing I can do to repay you, Miss Belinda? Please answer quickly, for I know the hour is almost over,' cried Rosa, stamping with anxiety; for, like all her sex, she wanted the last word.
"'Yes, you can,' I cried, as a sudden idea popped into my head. 'I'll write down what you have told me, and send the little story to a certain paper I know of, and the money I get for it will pay your board. So rest in peace, my dear; you will have earned your living, and may feel that your debt is paid.'
"Before she could reply the clock struck one, and a long sigh of satisfaction was all the response in her power. But we understood each other now, and, cutting a lock from her mane for Miss Merry, I gave Rosa a farewell caress and went away, wondering if I had made it all up, or if she had really broken a year's silence and freed her mind.
"However that may be, here is the tale, and the sequel to it is, that the bay mare has really gone to board at a first-class stable," concluded Miss Belinda. "I call occasionally and leave my card in the shape of an apple, finding Madam Rosa living like an independent lady, with her large box and private yard on the sunny side of the barn, a kind ostler to wait upon her, and much genteel society from the city when she is inclined for company.
"What more could any reasonable horse desire?"
Tilly's Christmas
" I'm so glad to-morrow is Christmas, because I'm going to have lots of presents."
" So am I glad, though I don't expect any presents but a pair of mittens."
" And so am I ; but I shan't have any presents at all."
As the three little girls trudged home from school they said these things, and as Tilly spoke, both the others looked at her with pity and some surprise, for she spoke cheerfully, and they wondered how she could be happy when she was so poor she could have no presents on Christmas.
" Don't you wish you could find a purse full of money right here in the path?" said Kate, the child who was going to have " lots of presents." "
" Oh, don't I, if I could keep it honestly!" and Tilly's eyes shone at the very thought.
" What would you buy?" asked Bessy, rubbing her cold hands, and longing for her mittens.
" I'd buy a pair of large, warm blankets, a load of wood, a shawl for mother, and a pair of shoes for me ; and if there was enough left, I'd give Bessy a new hat, and then she needn't wear Ben's old felt one," answered Tilly.
The girls laughed at that ; but Bessy pulled the funny hat over her ears, and said she was much obliged, but she'd rather have candy.
" Let's look, and may be we can find a purse. People are always going about with money at Christmas time, and some one may lose it here," said Kate.
So, as they went along the snowy road, they looked about them, half in earnest, half in fun. Suddenly Tilly sprang forward, exclaiming,
" I see it ! I've found it ! "
The others followed, but all stopped disappointed ; for it wasn't a purse, it was only a little bird. It lay upon the snow with its wings spread and feebly fluttering, as if too weak to fly. Its little feet were benumbed with cold ; its once bright eyes were dull with pain, and instead of a blithe song, it could only utter a faint chirp, now and then, as if crying for help.
" Nothing but a stupid old robin ; how provoking ! " cried Kate, sitting down to rest.
" I shan't touch it. I found one once, and took care of it, and the ungrateful thing flew away the minute it was well," said Bessy, creeping under Kate's shawl, and putting her hands under her chin to warm them.
" Poor little birdie ! How pitiful he looks, and how glad he must be to see some one coming to help him! I'll take him up gently, and carry him home to mother. Don't be frightened, dear, I'm your friend;" and Tilly knelt down in the snow, stretching her hand to the bird with the tenderest pity in her face.
Kate and Bessy laughed.
" Don't stop for that thing ; it's getting late and cold : let's go on and look for the purse," they said, moving away.
" You wouldn't leave it to die?' cried Tilly.
" I'd rather have the bird than the money, so I shan't look any more. The purse wouldn't be mine, and I should only be tempted to keep it ; but this poor thing will thank and love me, and I'm so glad I came in time."
Gently lifting the bird, Tilly felt its tiny cold claws cling to her hand, and saw its dim eyes brighten as it nestled down with a grateful chirp.
" Now I've got a Christmas present after all," she said, smiling, as -they walked on. " I always wanted a bird, and this one will be such a pretty pet for me!"
" He'll fly away the first chance he gets, and die anyhow ; so you'd better not waste your time over him," said Bessy.
" He can't pay you for taking care of him, and my mother says it isn't worth while to help folks that can't help us," added Kate.
" My mother says, ' Do as you'd be done by ; ' and I'm sure I'd like any one to help me if I was dying of cold and hunger. ' Love your neighbor as yourself? is another of her sayings. This bird is my little neighbor, and I'll love him and care for him, as I often wish our rich neighbor would love and care for us," answered Tilly, breathing her warm breath over the benumbed bird, who looked up at her with confiding eyes, quick to feel and know a friend.
" What a funny girl you are," said Kate ; " caring for that silly bird, and talking about loving your neighbor in that sober way. Mr. King don't care a bit for you, and never will, though he knows how poor you are ; so I don't think your plan amounts to much."
" I believe it, though; and shall do my part, any way. Good-night. I hope you'll have a merry Christmas, and lots of pretty things," answered Tilly, as they parted.
Her eyes were full, and she felt so poor as she went on alone toward the little old house where she lived. It would have been so pleasant to know that she was going to have some of the pretty things all children love to find in their full stockings on Christmas morning. And pleasanter still to have been able to give her mother something nice. So many comforts were needed, and there was no hope of getting them ; for they could barely get food and fire.
" Never mind, birdie, we'll make the best of what we have, and be merry in spite of every thing. You shall have a happy Christmas, any way ; and I know God won't forget us, if every one else does."
She stopped a minute to wipe her eyes, and lean her cheek against the bird's soft breast, finding great comfort in the little creature, though it could only love her, nothing more.
" See, mother, what a nice present I've found," she cried, going in with a cheery face that was like sunshine in the dark room.
" I'm glad of that, dearie ; for I haven't been able to get my little girl any thing but a rosy apple.