A BLIND BOY'S CHRISTMAS

New Zealand Tablet, 18 December 1913, Page 59

A BLIND BOY'S CHRISTMAS

The dark, cold room on the top floor of an East Side tenement was not in harmony with the appearance of the streets below, filled as they were with gay throngs plodding through the fleecy snow on their way to the markets and stores to prepare for the great feast of Christmas.

For one of the occupants of the little room it did not matter that it was dark, for to him there was no light except that holy light which illumined his pure soul. For several months his sight had been dim, and now he was blind. Henry, who had just entered his 14th year, cheerfully took charge of blind Charley and frequently went without his supper that the poor little sufferer might have a delicacy, a cake, a pie, or an orange. Henry might have > been called a boy of the street, for he was there from 5 in the morning until 9 at night. He might have remained in bed a little longer, but by _ early rising he found time to attend early Mass, which he generally offered for his mother, who had died a year ago. By selling papers, carrying baskets, and running errands, he managed to earn sufficient to pay for the little room and buy plain food for himself and brother.

He had hoped to be able to earn an extra sum today that he might have a trifle for Charley’s'Christmas. He was disappointed. It had been for him a day of adventure. He had fallen in with thieves and had been robbed of his money and his papers. , Now it was dark and he was returning to Charley empty handed. r J He was so thankful that his good Heavenly Father had saved his life, that he scarcely heard, as he opened the door of his room, the voice of his brother singing the Christmas hymn his mother had taught him two years ago, Charley had a splendid alto voice and loved to sing now that he could no longer help Henry on the street. The exciting scenes of the day had almost caused Henry to forget that the morrow would be Christmas until he listened to the sweet voice of his brother. The voice ceased, for the quick ear of the blind singer heard the light step of his brother, and the little fellow ran quickly to embrace him. The two stood for a moment with their arms encircling each other’s neck and then Henry said sadly : ’ ■ ‘ brother, I know you are very hungry and wonder why I have been away so long. I hate to tell you I

haven’t, a thing for your supper. I just ran in to see you and let you know that I am all right. I'must go out again, and may be gone a long time, but I will bo sure to bring you something to eat when I come back I have O long story to tell you, but can’t stay a minute -*• ■ UUIV u ouwxjr uLf tcu j uiij n/uu uuu. u otaj cm miuuuu longer now.’ - t Charley was too deeply disappointed to make reply. Ho had waited hours for the return of the only one he had to love, for'all the pleasure of his life was confined to the few hours when Henry was home after the long day’s work. Henry held back his tears as he kissed Charley, saying: ‘You are the dearest brother any fellow ever had, and you must trust to me, for you shall have a fire and something to eat just as soon as 1 can come home.’ vf He hastily ran down the long dark stairway, and in spite of the storm began his search for the office of Dr. Geraldino, on Fifth avenue. After a long walk he found the place, but his heart almost failed him when he rang the doctor’s bell and saw standing before him a uniformed servant, who demanded in a harsh voice: >■

‘What did you ring the bell for, boy ?’ . ‘ I want to see Dr. Geraldino,’ said Henry, tremulously. * , - ‘ The doctor doesn’t see boys like you but tell me what you want.’ 1 must see him at once,’ urged the lad, whose courage was fast returning. The man was about to close the door in the boy’s face, when Henry repeated his demand in a loud voice. This brought the doctor himself to the door. His heart was touched at sight of the poor shivering lad. ‘ Come in, my child, and let me see what I can do for you. Are you hungry and cold?’ ‘I haven’t time to eat anything, sir I want to see Dr. Geraldino.’

‘I am h©,’ replied the doctor, as he seized the boy’s hand and led him into a handsomely furnished office. ‘Sit by that register, and when you have thawed out a little I will see what I can do for you.’ ‘ It is not for myself, doctor, that I came here and Ihft my blind brother in a cold room without any supper, but for you. " I want to save you.’ The doctor supposed for a moment that the little fellow, on account of cold and hunger, had been deprived of his reason, and he felt his pulse and examined his eyes, as though he would solve the mystery; but he saw no evidence of insanity. ‘Well, my lad,’ he said quietly, ‘how can you save me, and from what?’ .• "Listen, doctor, for I can’t stay long. I have got to hustle and make a little money.’ The doctor thought the mystery was now solved. ‘l’ll be your banker to-night,’ he said, offering the boy a dollar. ‘ Take this, and now run home.’ r I don’t want money, doctor, unless I earn it,’ said the boy, adding to the mystery. ‘But let me tell you my story. To-day I was cold and wet and went into a house I thought was empty to get out of the snow, which was spoiling my papers. I was so sleepy that I laid down on the floor, and when I awoke I found myself in a different room, and there were two men there. One of them took my money and said: "You little rascal, we are going to lock you up so you can’t peach on us. That’s the way we serve eavesdroppers.” X told him that I had come into the house to keep my papers from getting wet, and fell asleep before I knew it, and that I would go away; but I didn’t know what he meant by eavesdroppers. ; He said: ‘‘You are a bright one, you are, but you’ll stay here all the same.’ 7 Then they locked me in a dark closet. I heard them talking, and they said they would rob your house to-night, and if you didn’t mind, you wouldn’t see another Curistmas, for they already owed you one because you once had them sent to the Island. That’s all, doctor; and now I’m off.’

‘What is your name, my lad?’ asked the doctor. Henry Wiley LeGarren, sir.’ - . v 1 Have you always lived in New York V 7 No, sir; mother came here after father was killed in Cuba. We had a nice home in Birmingham,

Alabama, before we came here.’

A close observer might have noticed a cloud passing over the countenance of the great specialist. For a moment he remained silent, wondering whether it could be possible that this poor boy was really the son of his old friend, Helen Wiley, to whom he had been engaged years before, but who had married Henry LeGarren. For a moment he permitted his mind to wander back to the days when he had lived in Birmingham,' and there appeared before him the scene of that, summer morning when he kicked the favorite setter of his fiancee, who rebuked him so severely that he broke the engagement, came North, and was still unmarried. He quickly resolved, for the sake of Helen, to push the inquiry further. .'Henry, do you know your mother's name before she was married to your father 'Oh, yes, sir; she was the daughter of Colonel Charles Wiley, who was killed at Shiloh.' The doctor asked no further questions, but recalled the lines of Cowper: ' But ills of every shape and every name, Transformed to blessings, miss their cruel aim.' It was the ills of this poor boy which would enable him in a measure to atone for the anger and pride that had cost him the love of a true woman. Accustomed to scenes of sorrow and suffering, the doctor was soon able to put aside the remembrance of the past, and he turned to the waiting oby. ' Henry, you have rendered me a real service. These men have threatened me before, but I could never locate them. Now, with your assistance, I will have them apprehended.' Henry was fortunately able to give the name of the street and the number of the house from which he had managed to escape in the absence of the men who had imprisoned him. The doctor told him that he could not go away for an hour, if he really wished to prevent the men from carrying out their plot. The boy consented to remain if he could help the doctor, but, with an air of business, said : ' Doctor, I won't charge you for coming here, because it was my duty to save you, but I must charge ' you a dollar if I stay an hour, so I won't disappoint Charley.' All right, my little friend,' said the doctor, smiling • ' you shall have the dollar and while I am talking to the police you may have a part of your pay in the way of a supper.' Ringing the bell, he summoned a servant and had the boy taken to the dining-room, where he enjoyed a fine supper, the only drawback being that he could not share it with Charley. Meantime the doctor had not been idle. Acting on his information, the police made a descent upon the house, of Henry's adventure and captured their prey. Later Henry was driven with the doctor to headquarters and identified the criminals. As the doctor led Henry back to the carriage he said: ' You do not know, my boy, what a great service you have rendered me, but I shall try to repay you. First, we will go to a store, and provide for your brother and yourself. Then we shall go to the little fellow and see why he has lost his eyesight.' k It was quite late when Dr. Geraldino and Henry 4 entered the tatter's room, which was soon aglow with a bright fire. After Charley had partaken of the good things they had brought him the doctor examined his eyes critically. 1 Charley,' he said, ' suppose the Christ Child came to you this Christmas Eve and asked you what you wanted for Christmas, what would you say?' 'I would say: "Please, dear Christ Child, make me see, so I can help Henry sell papers."/ It's so , lonely up here in the dark all day; but I won't complain, because mother told me before she died that we must always think of what He suffered, and then we wouldn't think so much of our troubles.' • You want your, eyesight for a Christmas present, do you, Charley?'

The poor little fellow was afraid to answer, and the doctor continued : ' Now you can't have what you want for Christmas, but you will both come with me. I want Henry to stay in my office and look after things when I am not there. You are to be put in the Children's Hospital, and on New Year's Day yea will have your sight, for you have nothing serious the matter with your eyes. A trifling operation and a week in a dark room is all that is needed. Come, now, and hurrah for a happy Christmas with the doctor!'— Catholic Standard and Times. i