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Citation |
- Permanent Link:
- https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00084125/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- Fritz and his work : a tale for boys and girls
- Series Title:
- "Little Dot" series
- Creator:
- Maddick, Maud ( Author, Primary )
Knight ( Printer )
Religious Tract Society (Great Britain) ( Publisher )
- Place of Publication:
- London
- Publisher:
- Religious Tract Society
- Manufacturer:
- Knight
- Publication Date:
- c1896
- Language:
- English
- Physical Description:
- 64 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 16 cm.
Subjects
- Subjects / Keywords:
- Boys -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh )
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh ) Christian life -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh ) Dolls -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh ) Brothers and sisters -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh ) Christmas -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh ) Baldwin -- 1896
- Genre:
- novel ( marcgt )
- Spatial Coverage:
- England -- London
- Target Audience:
- juvenile ( marctarget )
Notes
- General Note:
- Frontispiece printed in colors.
- Statement of Responsibility:
- by Maud Maddick, author of "Kathleen's Victory," "Mother's Eyes." etc.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Florida
- Holding Location:
- University of Florida
- Rights Management:
- This item is presumed to be in the public domain. The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not claim any copyright interest in this item. Users of this work have responsibility for determining copyright status prior to reusing, publishing or reproducing this item for purposes other than what is allowed by fair use or other copyright exemptions. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions may require permission of the copyright holder. The Smathers Libraries would like to learn more about this item and invite individuals or organizations to contact The Department of Special and Area Studies Collections (special@uflib.ufl.edu) with any additional information they can provide.
- Resource Identifier:
- 026859900 ( ALEPH )
ALH4033 ( NOTIS ) 232624807 ( OCLC )
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Full Text |
Phi tieeke
F, the Goe)rer
Pa 092 the Suneloy
prhoct
Wooclhurs&
January ga 1s 7 &
’
\
~ a iz
“OH! WHAT. A LOVELY DOLLYâ€
, Mittle Dot Series.
FRITZ AND HIS WOKK,
& Fale far Boys and Girls,
_ BY
MAUD MADDICK,
AuTHOR oF “Katruvesn’s Victory,†‘Moruer’s Eves.†etc.
Lads and lasses, do your best,
Scorn not a humble task,
But put it to the simple test,
“Can I a blessing ask?â€
THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,
56, PATERNOSTER Row; 65, St. Paut’s CHURCHYARD ;
; AND 164, PICCADILLY.
cHAL,
Il.
Iii.
Ty,
CONTENTS.
Seen
FRITZ BRINGS HomE soME News
AT THE SHOP.
“ PEACE, PERFECT PEACEâ€
CHRISTMAS EVE : .
36
5t
FRITZ AND His WORK,
KH
CHAPTER I.
Fritz BRINGS Home some News.
H, what a lovely lovely doll!â€
\ were the first words that I can
7 remember hearing; and al-
though I really am not at all
a vain doll, I must say I
thought that child’s ery of
admiration had a very plea-
sant sound.
“You are right, my little Nan,†said a
graver and much older voice, ‘“‘and how
longingly you look at it, poor child! I wish
it were to be yours, to keep for your long dull
days, my dear one, instead of only being sent
here for me (the doll’s dressmaker), to deck it —
out in Christmas finery.â€
6 Fritz and His Work.
Her sigh of regret was echoed by a very
loud one from the child.
“Let me hold it.in my arms, mother, just
one little moment before you begin to work,â€â€™
pleaded the pretty childish voice.
~ 80 you shall, for those tiny fingers are too
gentle to do the dainty dolly any harm;â€â€™ and
I was lifted from my cardboard bos, and placed
in two eager little hands. I was very glad of
this, because directly they held me in an
upright position, open flew my eyes, and I was
able to see the child. My first thought was :
“Oh dear me! what a wee white face she
has;� and my second:
‘Why the poor.child is an invalid; * for I
noticed that she lay flat upon her back in.a
shabby old crib, and I felt so sorry, that when
Nan’s thin fingers pulled the wire at my side,
I jerked out the sound that was meant to be
““Mam-ma†in a very sad and squeaky way.
But Nan screamed with delight; and while
her dark eyes shone like bright stars, two faint
spots of colour came into her pale cheeks, and
made her look such a different child.
Fritz brings Home some News. 7
Her mother stood by the crib and watched
us, then stroked Nan’s hair with a very loving
touch.
“ Sweetheart,†she whispered, “‘ what good
that, doll has done you; you have not looked
so well this many a day.â€
Ido not think Nan even heard, so intent
was she in gazing at me.
“‘Is she not lovely? such yellow hair, such
blue, blue eyes that open and shut, two tiny
white teeth, and oh, to think that she can cry
just like a real live baby.â€
The mother laughed; and as Nan had
turned me round to face her, I had a good
look at her. She was very small, and very
tired and anxious-looking, but her face was in-
deed a fair one. My own golden locks were not
prettier in colour than her smoothly braided
ones; and as to eyes—well, to show you I am
not jealous, I tell you that no doll’s eyes could
be so pleasant to see.
“Cry, Nan!†she merrily repeated. ‘‘ Ah,
you will offend Miss Dolly, she is supposed
to be saying a word, though I do believe you
8 Fritz and His Work.
did not find it out. Pull the wire again, little
one, and tell me what she says, or cries, if you
will have it so?â€
Nan obeyed, holding her breath to listen,
and handling me very carefully. Once again
I jerked out my one stock exclamation, and I
tried to say it very distinctly; but she looked
rather puzzled, and said seriously : “Tt is a
funny word, ‘ Mim-mie’!â€â€™
“Poor Dolly means it for ‘Mam-ma,’â€
laughed Nan’s mother.
“But she swys ‘Mim-mie,’â€â€™ the child per-
sisted; “maybe that is her name, and she
wants to tell me so. Don’t shake your head,
mother, I like to think it is that; and we will
call you Mimmie, Dolly dear. It is a nice
name, 1 am sure.â€
And so I was there and then christened
with a light kiss from Nan’s little lips, that
brushed my forehead so lightly, for fear of
hurting me, that they felt like the brush of a
butterfly’s wing.
“« Alas, my child, I must claim Dolly—I beg
your pardon—Mimmie I mean, or my work
Fritz brings Home some News. 9
will be behind-hand. The maiden must be
dressed, you know. See, dear,†as she saw the
cloud on Nan’s white brow, “‘I will sit at your
side, and you shall even help to cut these
smart ribbons and fairy laces for your
Mimmie’s Christmas clothes.â€
The child gulped down a sob.
‘When Christmas comes, she will be far
away from poor little Nan, who cannot have
this lovely Mimmie for her own,’ she mur-
mured, laying me down on the crib, but not
before I saw a tear in her eye, and a quiver of
her mouth. It was such a pitiful sight, that
I did not mind my eyes shutting directly Nan
put me down, half as much as I should have
done a few minutes ago.
“Don’t, sweetheart, don’t fret,’ I heard
her mother say anxiously, ‘‘ your little head
will ache so badly. What can I do to cheer
youP Ah, Nan, my darling, mother would
gladly buy her little girl the doll, if only she
could, but she cannot; she barely can earn
enough for rent and food, how then shall she
afford a costly toy?â€
10 Fritz and His Work.
Her voice broke as she lifted me up, and
once more I was staring at them.
‘Why, mother, little mother,†cried an-
other, and a third voice,†are you and wee
Nan quarrelling that you both wear such
gloomy faces?†and a boy came across the
shabby bare-looking room and leant over the
child’s crib. He seemed to bring a ray of
sunshine into the dull place, with his cheery
laugh and sunny smile. The little woman’s
face grew less anxious, and Nan forgot her
grief in a cry of welcome.
“Fritz! where have you been all the day,
Thave wanted youso badly. Mother has been
out, and poor Nan has been ‘so lonely; and
she cried, poor little Nan!â€
I noticed that she always spoke as if Nan
were another child when she pitied herself.
- She looked very doleful now, and evidently
thought she had been hardly treated. Fritz
kissed her, and looked grave. “It was hard
to bear; but did you quite forget Who says,
‘Iam with you always’? Didn’t that help you.
to be patient, as you. promised me it should ?â€â€™
Fritz brings Home some News. il
““T forgot,†she whispered, in some sorrow
because Fritz was watching her with grieved
eyes.
‘Tt is so sad for her, these lonely: hours,
and she not able to play like other children,’
the mother said hastily, in sympathy for her
dear afflicted child.
“Yes,†he answered; ‘“‘and Nannie knows
how much we griéve for her; but God can help
her to be brave, if she asks Him to.â€
“T-have been naughty all day,†the little
girl said, in her pretty feeble tone; “oh, so
naughty, Fritz, and had such horrid thoughts,
that I don’t deserve to be loved one little bit.
Mother would not say so, because she is so
patient with her naughty grumbling Nan;
but Jesus knows it, Fritz, and He must be
feeling very angry,†and Nan’s eyes filled with
great drops.
“Only sorry, Nannie darling, and wanting
His little girl to try and bear her troubles for
His sake;â€â€™ and leaning lower, he added in her
ear, “ Because it hurts poor tired mother, who
loves you more than anything on earth, to
12 Fritz and His Work.
see you fret, and want what she cannot
give.â€
Nan nodded. She knew it was true, I
suppose.
“Then see, Fritz, I will be better. Mother
shall not cry for me any more, for I will beg
and beg of the dear Jesus to take away all my
grumbles.â€
She wiped her tears away, and smiled.
“Mother, will you bring the scissors, and begin
our Mimmie’s frock. 1 will not ery when you
take her to the shop; no, no, indeed I won’t, for
I see now it would be wrong.â€â€ Her wee white
face was very sweet just then, and I don’t
wonder that her mother kissed it again and
again.
“God bless you, sweetheart. Ah, Fritz, you
always seem to know the way to cheer the
child; and now we will have a happy evening ;
yes, yes, let us try and be very merry.â€
‘And I have good news,†laughed Fritz;
“listen, wee Nan, your big brother has found
some work to do, and you shall have a bonnie
new-laid egg each day, and milk, oh! your thin
Fritz brings Home some News. 13
cheeks shall soon be plump and rosy, that they
shall.â€
The little woman had a startled look in her
beautiful eyes. They sparkled at the thought
of eggs and milk for Nan, but she seemed
troubled for all that.
“Work, my son; what work can you, but
a little lad after all, fin] to do?â€
“Ah!†he said, merrily, “ you donot know
how clever is your Fritz, no longer will you be
the only worker.†It looked to me as though
his eyes were rather dim at that moment, but
he went on cheerfully,
“One must not expect great things all at
once; but a beginning is something, eh? and
we must not think a humble step too low to
take, dear mother.â€
Fritz had put his arm round her neck, as
she sat at work, with me propped upon the
table at her side, ready to be measured for a
skirt of pale pink satin.
She had turned quite white.
“What is it that you would do, Fritz?
‘Remember, poor as we are, that your father
14 . Frite and His Work.
was agentleman. It is enough for me to work
at-anything I can get; but there is nothing,
child, that you could do.â€
“All work is honest, mother, be ads
I will not let you work your fingers to the
bone, day after day, and late into the- night,
when I can and will help. It is no disgrace,
little mother, and I have promised to go each
morning to the very shop that sends you
dolls to dress. What todo? Take down the —
shutters, sweep out the -shop, and make
myself useful to the old couple who keep the
toy-shop. Don’t look like that, dear; a little
work won’t hurt your Fritz; and see! they
even advanced half my first week’s money.
There!’’ and he laid two shillings and a six-
pence upon her knee.
She burst into tears.
“Fritz, Fritz, you to go out as a common
shop-boy.; you, with your talents and refined
ideas.â€â€™ -
“Oh!†suddenly cried Nan, ‘“‘come and
kiss me quickly, Fritz. How I love you, and
oh, how Jesus must be loving you this minute.
16 Fritz and His Work.
You are so good, that you will do this horrid
work for us. I wish I could be brave like you.
We are so proud of you.†Her face was one
bright glow of love and pride.
The weeping woman held up her head.
“Dear Nan, why, you are teaching me a
lesson now. You are right, I should be proud,
not grieved; and yet, my son, forgive me if
I cannot be glad at this moment;†and her
“trembling fingers refused to cut the satin
straight. “These bitter mornings,†she
faltered ; “and you with your scanty clothing
to walk so far in all weathers.â€
His eyes glistened at the anxious words of
love, but he tried to laugh her fears away.
“Tam not made of sugar, little mother, or
wax, like this dainty doll; and did you not
say we would be merry this evening? Fie,
fie!†Then Fritz knelt beside her, and lay
his cheek against her own. ‘Dear, do I seem
wilful and careless of your pain. Don’t think
it; but we need the money so sorely, and even
this,†touching the silver coins, “means much
to us, does it not? and if the work is honest
Fritz brings Home some News. 17
and right, don’t you think the good Lord will
bless it, however humble itis? If my father
.could speak to me now, I can’t help thinking
he would say, ‘ Work away, Fritz, for your
mother and crippled sister, and don’t be
ashamed of any honest work.’ Don’t you
fancy you can hear him say it, mother?â€
Fritz was smiling so brightly, that the little
woman couldn’t refuse to smile back, and wee
Nan clapped her hands.
“ Mother’s good again! Aren’t we a tiresome |
pair with our tears? Fritz is the brave one
of our family, Miss Mimmie, as you are
thinking, I am sure.â€
Fritz and his mother both laughed at the
child, and the boy picked me up to have a
look at me. - o 2
. “So this is Mimmie? Well, young lady!â€
he said to me, ‘ you will see me in your shop
every morning, so we must be friends.â€â€™ .
Friends indeed ! I can tell you he had quite
won my doll heart, and I thought him the
nicest, handsomest lad that anyone could see.
I have heard people say since then, that
C
18 Fritz and His Work.
Fritz was not a really good-looking boy, and
it was only his pleasant expression and sunny
smile that made him appear so. Now, could a
boy have better looks than amiable loving
ones? Certainly not; and though I may be
but a doll, I can tell you that if old or young
people want to be handsome, there is nothing
like goodness, pure and simple, for making a
face apleasant sight. Fritz was good; and I
will declave that Fritz was handsome, in spite
of his old worn coat, and trousers that seemed
to have shrunk above his ankles.
“Be careful with her, Fritz,†cried Nan;
“is she not the sweetest, loveliest-doll?â€
Ti really was very nice to see how tenderly
that child already loved me. I began to wishâ€
and wish that this queer shabby room was to
be my home; but there was no good fairy to
wave her hand and sing,
“Thy wish, oh Doll, shall come to pass,
I give thee to this little lass!â€
No, these are not the days for wishing caps
and fairy deeds ; so Fritz gave me to be dressed,
and his mother wenton snipping, and snipping,
Fritz brings Home some News. 19
at laces and ribbons, and Fritz sat down
beside Nan; and after agreeing that such a
wonderful doll as Mimmie had never been
made, he told funny stories, one after the other,
until the little invalid’s cheeks were rosy with
laughter, and gradually she fell into a peace-
ful sleep, and mother and brother gazed at
her tiny face with tender glances, and
whispered together, “God bless our wee
Nan.â€
Then Fritz crept to the table, and drew
such strange figures upon bits of paper, with
just a few crayons, that I wondered to see him.
Every now and then, the little woman
would look up from her work, to see what he
had drawn, and then she would sigh, and
murmur, ‘It is a gift, surely, to draw like
that, yet I cannot have you taught, and so the
gift is lying useless ;â€â€™ but Fritz softly laughed.
‘“No, no, for it serves to amuse me, and
better still, the dear little one. Do you see,
to-night I shall have drawn what will please
and console her when she loses Mistress
Mimmie ?â€
20 Fritz and His Work.
He held up a sheet of paper, and there upon:
it was a picture of a doll’s head. It must
have been a very good one, for the mother
dropped her work, and eagerly seized it,
erying beneath her breath,
“Tt is the doll herself! Ah, Fritz, what a
happy thought to draw this Mimmie’s portrait.
What should we do without your love to cheer
us, my son? You are never downcast; why
is it, Fritz?â€
He hesitated a moment, then in a very low
sweet voice repeated two -lines of a favourite
hymn,
“ Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round,
On Jesu’s bosom nought but calm is found.â€
She was silent, and he went on,
“ Peace, perfect peace, cur future all unknown,
Jesu we know, and He is on the Throne.â€
’ “Somehow, mother, I can’t be very unhappy
when I think of those lines. He is so good,
that He will take care of us; and we—we need
only do our best, mother, and leave all else to
Him. Migs Cray, at Sunday class, has often
told us so, ‘1 will never leave thee, or forsake
Fritz brings Home some News. OL
thee,†God has said, and if is such a good
promise. Shouldn’t we be ungrateful, little
mother, if we were not glad to know it?â€
While he was talking, I was being laid away
in my cardboard box, so of course my eyes
were shut. It wasa great pity, for | was so
anxious to see just then, and now she began to
put folds of tissue paper over me, and, oh dear
me, that of course would prevent my even
hearing that dear boy’s words. However, I
heard her say,
“Yes, darling; and you shall teach me to
feel some of your ‘ perfect peace,’ for these are
dark days for all of us.â€
Then down came the lid of the box, and
there was no help for me, but to wait patiently
for another day, when I should be taken from
this dark little prison.
99, Frite and His Work.
CHAPTER II.
AT THE SHOP.
2 SEES qurRrau! I was being
B
| lifted out of my close
Se quarters, and my eyes
a were wide open. Here
was the doll’s dress-
maker, here was Fritz,
looking as happy as
possible, and there in
her crib Nan was lying,
just as she lay the day
before, and just as I fear she
always had to lie.
It was early in the morning, and a very cold
morning too. Through the tiny panes of the
window I could see flakes of snow gently
falling, and the few embers of fire in the grate
‘At the Shop. 23
were not.enough to prevent the air -in the room
being chilly and raw. A:
Fritz was talking away ever s0 fast. ss “Now,
Mistress Mimmie, you are to show yourself
in all your finery to wee Nan, whose eyes are
as round as saucers to see such loveliness; and
you are to bid her good-bye, because such a
grand lady as you cannot stay in our small
home. It is not to be expected.â€
I felt a little hurt, for it sounded as though
I was too proud to stay, and all the while I
was longing to do so. But there! I knew he
was only talking like that to amuse Nan, who
looked very ill to-day, but was evidently
trying to keep cheerful.
_“Ah, my Mimmie, will you quite forget
your Nan?†she said, with rather a faint
smile; ‘‘will you belong, I wonder, to some
rich little lady, who will nurse you, and play
with you every day? Never mind, no one can
love you more than I do, and I shall never,
never forget you.â€
“Of course not,†put in Fritz, cheerfully ;
“why, Mimmie has a parting present to give
24 Fritz and His Work.
you, that will quite prevent you forgetting her,â€
and he placed a paper, neatly pasted upon a
‘card, in Nan’s hand. :
“Oh! oh! A portrait, a lovely picture of
my dear Mimmie.†She hugged it to her
breast, then held it away to stare at it in
quite frantic delight. Fritz was surely repaid
for his trouble, and I could see he thought so.
_ “Mimmie must be packed up, dear,†said
the mother; ‘‘ will you say good-bye to her,
for Fritz is to take her with him to the
shop?â€
Yes, Nan would say good-bye; and she said
it very bravely, giving me another butterfly
kiss on the forehead. ‘“‘ Not a bit as I should
like to kiss you,†she assured me, while I was
left in her arms a moment, for the little
mother was tying a comforter round Fritz’s
neck, and begging him to drink the hot coffee
with which she had refilled his cup, for they
had all been having their breakfast to-
gether.
He shook his head, and kissed her cheek.
‘*T have already had my share,†he said.
At the Shop. 25
Did you think to hide your trick from me?
Fie, mother, your cup has not been filled at
all, and I will see you drink that before [leave
this room.â€
He put on a very fierce air, and the colour
came into the unselfish woman’s cheeks; but
though she was unwilling, he lifted the cup
to her lips, and forced her with a loving force
to drink up every drop.
Then he kissed her again, and I was put
into the box, which was tucked under his arm ;
and we started out, I, even I, wrapped up as
I was, feeling the bleak wind that rattled along
‘the streets, and also feeling sad to think I had
left poor crippled Nan. We seemed to have
been in that wind for some time, before once
more I was being unpacked.
“Fumph, humph!†muttered a gruff voice,
“the doll looks well enough, and ought to
fetch a goodly price; what do you say,
wife ?â€
“Give it to me, Jonathan,†answered a
woman’s sharp tone; let me see, yes, she is
a fine doll, to be sure,†and I was raised, and
?
26 Fritz and His Work.
able to see the old couple. Not a very
pleasant pair, I thought, as they peered at
me, and twisted me round and round. ‘“ This
doll must be placed in the window, boy, when
you have taken down the shutters. Come
now, set to work; no loitering here, if you.
please!â€
_*No indeed, I will not loiter,†Fritz
answered brightly ; and was soon busy setting
things to rights, that the old man and his wife
looked at one another, and chuckled, ‘‘He’ll do,
he’ll do;†but I felt angry to hear how gruffly
they ordered him about; only Fritz did not
once answer sharply, but obeyed their wishes
most carefully.
- Iwas stuck up in the shop window, with. a
funny thing holding me ina sort of clip round
my waist, and there I dangled for children to
come and gaze longingly at me and my
finery.
Sometimes hay would come and ask my
price, then go away without me, sol concluded
I was a very expensive doll, as indeed my
beauty ought to be.
At the Shop. 27
It was very lively watching the people
‘hurrying by; for, as it was getting near
Christmas time, there was a great many folks
coming to this street of pretty shops, and a
great number stopped at this one to buy toys,
no doubt, for presents. I wished that the
family I knew could have some good gifts, but
feared they would not do so.
Fritz came every day; and as I was put
away each night, he used to unpack me in the
morning, and place me dangling in the window ~
again.
T used to hear the old people often grumbling
at the lad, not that I believe they meant to be
unkind, but it seemed their way to be always
onthelook out for a grievance; and I wondered
how Fritz could be so patient and gentle in
his replies, when he seemed to be doing his
very best to please them.
Once I heard him singing,
“Art Thou my Father? let me be,
A meek, obedient child to Thee,
And try in word, and deed, and thought,
To serve and please Thee as I ought.â€
28 Fritz and His Work.
Fritz was not to be discouraged by these .
cross folks.
“What's that?’ asked old Jonathan.
“ A hymn, sir,†Fritz replied; “do you mind
my singing it?†:
“Mind! no, I don’t know as I do, you’ve a
fairish voice, the wife says; and there ain’t no
one to object, if we don’t, to you singing a bit
before there’s likely to be a customer. I guess
the toys can put up with a little noise.â€
A little noise, when Fritz had ‘a voice that
‘was like sweet music!
“Thank you,†he said, quietly ; “I’m so used
to singing, that I do it almost without thinking,
and it helps me with my work.â€
“Ho, ho!†chuckled old Jonathan, “ sing
away then. I thought from the look of you at
- first, you'd be rather too fine a lad for us; but
you can buckle to, I see. D’ye like the work,
lad ?â€
Fritz was arranging some toys in the
window, and he flushed up, “ No, sir, it would
be a falsehood to say I like sweeping and
cleaning; but I don’t mind it, at least, not
‘At the Shop. 29
much, and I try to do it well, sir, for I want
to please you.â€
‘“‘Humph! Well, I don’t see as I can com-
plain, as long as you do please us. Tabitha
said you were above your work, as the saying
goes.â€
“Oh, sir, I didn’t mean to be that,†Fritz
cried, earnestly ; “if I take your money, I must
not be above your work. Only tell me every
day what you want done, and indeed I will
do it.â€
“Tut, tut! I ain’t finding fault with your
work; but look here,’’ curiously, ‘‘I’d rather
like to know what makes you so mighty
particular that you do it so thoroughly.
*Tain’t like some boys as I’ve had.â€
“Why, sir, it’s only right, . ‘ whatsoever
things are honest,’ the Bible tells us to do.
It would not be honest to take wages for work
I did not do well.â€
- “Of course not; of course not,†muttered
Jonathan, quickly; but added under his
breath, “’Tain’t all as think of that, though
I mustn’t say so to him again, He might
30 Frite and His Work.
change his ways; and he’s the best lad we've
ever had, fine gentleman or not.â€
As the days went by, it seemed to me that
Fritz looked rather less bright, although he
spoke as cheerfully, and did his duties as
briskly as ever. The old folks noticed it, and
I heard them remark upon it.
“ What's the matter with that boy of ours?â€
asked Tabitha of Jonathan, when they were
alone in the shop, “he’s got a kind o’ look
as though tears ain’t very far behind his
smiles.â€
“Lor, wife, now that's a funny ita: you
thinking that, for it has just been running
through my mind lately, only I didn’t quite
know if it wasn’t my fancy.â€
“Bah!†said Tabitha, sharply, ‘it don’t
need much eyesight to see as he’s fretting his
heart out over something, for all his brave.
smiles and cheerful words.â€
It was astonishing how her voice softened
over the last words. Ah, Master Fritz, you
_ have found a soft corner in Tabitha’s poor old
heart.
At the Shop. . 81
“Aye, aye!†agreed Jonathan; “but we
can't help it, Tabitha.â€
“You’re a nice old man,â€â€™ she said, very
much as if she meant “‘a nasty oneâ€â€™ instead.
Jonathan was rather afraid es 7abehs when
she took that tone. ;
“Well, can we, Tabby, my dear?†he
asked. ‘‘I don’t mind letting him go a bit
earlier for once, if you think it would please '
him. He seems mighty eager always to get
off home; but it won’t do, Tabitha, to give
way too much to that sort o’ thing, it’ll
be inconvenient, you know. Business is
business ! †_
“Yes, an’ hearts is hearts,†she retorted,
much to his surprise, and so sternly, that he
said hurriedly,
“Certainly, my dear, of course you know
best; you speak to him yourself. I ain’t
going to interfere with you,’ and he shuffled
away, justi as I saw Fritz coming in from an
errand of taking some toys home. ;
“Come here, young man,†she said, ‘‘ you
needn’t look scared. Bless the boy, am I such
at
82 Fritz and His Work.
an ogre’? (she meant ogress, but she said
ogre) ?
“Oh no, ma’am, you are not, only you
startled me, I thought 2
‘‘Maybe as I was going to give you notice
to be off, eh? and you'd think that bad
news, eh?
‘Indeed, I should,†he replied, truthfully. .
‘*T hope you are not, ma’am, for I need the.
wages so badly, every penny. You see, Nan’s
illness costs so much, though we can’t give
her all the strengthening things she ought to
have, and she’s worse just now,†his voice
grew husky. Here was his trouble plainly
enough.
. ** Worse, is she? And pray, who’s Nan?â€
‘*She’s my little sister, ma’am—she is. a.
cripple—a weak spine, ma’am, and—and——â€â€™
Fritz had jerked out the words in broken.
sentences, and now he failed to finish, for the
grief that would choke his speech. ‘‘ You will
excuse me,†he said, in a few moments,†I
know she is in good hands, but—but some-
times it is so hard not to feel worried,â€
At the Shop. 33
‘Good hands, well, well, an’ whose hands ?â€
‘Why, the Lord’s, ma’am; and I know we
ought to trust Him, even with our dear wee
Nan; but it’s breaking mother’s heart to see
her pain and weakness, and [ am not as
brave as I ought to be. I didn’t think that
anything could be so hard to bear.â€
There was silence, and Fritz began moving
about the shop, putting some packages away,
I suppose, for—
“Come here,†she said again, “and leave
those cases alone. I guess you wouldn’t be
sorry to get home now, eh? I thought so!
Well, Jonathan, he won’t mind, so on with
your cap, and—— wait a moment.â€
Off she marched out of the shop, and I saw
her queer old figure (in the serge skirt and
woollen cap and cape she always wore in the
shop) cross the road, and disappear into the
large grocer’s opposite. Out she came again,
and marched into a confectioner’s, then came
trundling back again with some parcels, her
wrinkled face as stern as ever.
“Took here,†she said, abruptly, “I ain’t
D
34. Fritz and His Work.
had much to do with sick folks, but I guess a
little meat jelly, and arrowroot gruel can’t do
no harm, and children think a deal of sweet
cake; so take these things, and be off home.â€
“Ah! it was not for this I told you our
troubles,†Fritz cried, with a ring of pain in
his voice, ‘‘I was not begging.â€
* An’ who said you were, young man? If
Iam a disagreeable old dame, ain’t Ia right
to spend my money as I choose, an’ can’t I
buy a sick child a bit o’ something without all
this to-do? What’s the odds to anyone ?â€
Fritz made a sound that seemed like a
grateful sob, and her sharp tone altered.
“There, lad, there, I don’t want no thanks.
*Tain’t worth it; but here comes my old man,
an’ he’s a rare queer one about such things,
so run along!†and in another minute, Fritz
was hurrying towards home as fast as his
eager legs could carry him.
Didn’t I wish he was carrying me there! I
fancied how pleased Nan would be, and it
might bring those faint spots of colour back
to her wan little face.
At the Shop. 35
Ah me, I am afraid there are plenty of
children who do not understand how precious
one of the many toys they throw aside would
be to poor little creatures who have not the
money to buy playthings, although they may
long and long for them.
86 Fritz and His Work.
CHAPTER III.
“PEACE PERFECT PEACE.’
{r you please, what is the price
i you are asking for Mimmie ?â€
Fritz was as usual taking
me from my nightly wrap-
fe pings, and only old Tabitha
was standing by.
“‘Mimmie, Mimmie, ah,
yes, of course, you told me
your strange little sister
had given the doll that ~
outlandish name. Well, Jonathan said it
was to be ten shillings.â€â€™
Ten shillings! Fritz gazed sadly at me
and sighed.
“But we don’t seem able to get sueh a.
price, though she’s well worth even more, I
reckon we must ask Jess, though in these
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†37
hard times it’s a shame! Time was when
the likes of that doll would have fetched
fifteen shillings.â€
“And what will you get now, do you
think?†gaid Fritz, anxiously.
“Tikely not more than seven and six-
pence,†grumbled Tabitha; ‘‘ for her fresh-
ness is going off, that it is, worse luck.â€
Fritz made no reply, but as he fixed me in
the window I noticed that he knitted his
brows as if in deep thought, and then smiled
at me, whispering, ‘“ Wait a while, Mistress
Mimmie, and perhaps, who knows——†He
nodded hopefully at me, but did not finish,
and I felt very curious to know what I was to
wait for. It was becoming rather tiresome,
this dangling in that little toy-shop window,
especially now I heard that my beauty was
getting less. I wondered if Nannie could see
me now if she would love me just as much.
Well, well, it was no use wondering; there
I was, and there I must stay until some one,
with a long purse, would take pity upon me.
Things seemed going all awry that day.
38 Fritz and His Work.
Jonathan was in a very crabby mood, and
-growled dreadfully at poor Fritz.
“ What’s the sense o’ your singing, ‘ Peace,
perfect peace ?’’’ he muttered ; ‘‘ there ain’t
no peace for folks as is losing money over
these toys. Look at that thing, dressed up
in her satin and laces! Will people pay her
proper price? No; a mean seven and six-
_ pence will be as much as we'll get. What’s
the world coming to, at Christmas time.
an’ all ?â€
Fritz did not answer; perhaps he didn’t
know what the world was coming to !
** Now then, what are you so mum over all
at once ; haven't I told you that Mrs. Tabitha
likes to hear you chirping about the shop.
Sing away at your “ Peace,†do, or she'll be
coming out o’ the parlour to know what’s
made you stop.â€
“ Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties prest,
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest!â€
sang Fritz.
“ Peace, perfect peace, Death shadowing us and
ours,
Jesus has vanquished Death, and all its powers.â€
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†39
- There -was a tremble in the last words.
“Tut, tut! and do you feel all that,
boy ?â€
“Yes, indeed I do, sir. I don’t think I
could bear some troubles if I didn’t believe
that Jesus’ will is always right.â€
‘** An’ don’t you be plaguing the lad,’ ex-
claimed Tabitha’s voice. ‘It ’d be a good
thing if every one were half as patient as he
is, Mr. Jonathan Grim. A sinful old couple
like us might do worse than listen to Fritz
Hermann.â€
“Certainly, Tabby,†said Jonathan, as he
always did when she spoke up in that sharp
way of hers; ‘‘ but,’’ he added, boldly, “you
didn’t use to care for such like things.â€
“An’ if I didn’t, time enough I should
begin,†Tabitha returned answer.
“Well, you know, Tabby, my dear,†he
said, timidly, ‘‘ Fritz would tell you it ain’t
just the thing to snap a man’s head off, as
the saying goes.â€
“Maybe you’re right, Jonathan. I ain’t
going to say I ain’t a snacky old woman; but
40 Fritz and His Work.
who can tell? Why, if I set my mind to it,
who's going to say I shan’t alter?â€
*‘Of course, of course,†he replied, as she
put this question to him; “ but ’tain’t an easy
matter, eh, eh, Master Fritz, what do you
say?â€
‘“With God all things are possible, sir,â€
Fritz said, respectfully, though firmly.
“There!†exclaimed Tabitha, “you hear
that, Jonathan; and if I give up snacking
you can give up some o’ your faults. We've
only to ask the Lord, that boy says; and he
wouldn’t tell a lie for a kingdom, not Fritz.â€
“Humph, humph! Well, here comes a
customer. Now then, miss, what can I do
for you?â€
“ How much is that doll in the pink satin ?â€â€™
eagerly asked a voice.
The long deep breath of anxiety that came
from Fritz was easy enough to hear.
“Well, miss, you shall have her for a
bargain, that you shall, as we’re wanting to
sell off our Christmas toys. What do you
think of eight shillings for a real wax doll,
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†41
what opens and shuts its eyes, says ‘Mamma’
as beautiful as possible, an’ is dressed in a
rich satin frock? No! Seven and sixpence
then, miss. Now, I can’t say no lower than
that ; you must take it or leave it, miss.â€
And the young lady left it, murmuring,
“ She is a beauty, but I couldn’t afford that!â€
“Well, ain’t it enough to make a saint
wild ?� burst out the old man, when she had
gone.
“But you aren’t a saint,†chuckled Tabitha.
‘Lor, there you go!’ he growled.
“So I do!†she said, remorsefully; “a bad
habit’s a nasty thing to get rid of, ain’t it?â€
She spoke in such a humble way for her,
that old Jonathan must have felt very sur-
prised, though he was too cross and put out
just then to say anything pleasant.
Presently Jonathan went out, and Tabitha
called Fritz to clean the counter. .
“‘How’s the child?†she said, with some
interest.
“Much about the same, ma’am, thank
you.†Fritz and Tabitha had got very
42, ' Fritz and His Work.
friendly lately, and he used to talk to her
about his little home and Nan’s quaint say-
ings. He must have done that old woman a
great deal of good, she was so different in
many ways.
“No stronger, eh ?â€
“Why no, alas! sometimes, I fear me, alle
never will be; and, poor little wee mite, she
has such lonely times without anything to
make the hours pass quickly. Mother must
leave her, now and then, to fetch and take
back work.; but ah!†with a sigh, ‘‘ there
hasn’t been much to fetch lately. Oh,ma’am,
how glad I am that you gave me a trial as
your shop boy. I think the Lord Himself
must haye whispered in my ear to come and
offer to work for you, just when you. did
require a lad! What should we have done
this winter without my shillings; I was
feeling so uESepe not to be able to help
poor little mother.’
At that moment in shuffled old J anathan,
“Now then, you Fritz Hermann; what's
this I hear about you? You call yourself a
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†43
good, respectable lad, do you, an’ when you
leave this shop, it isn’t to hurry home to your
mother. No, no. You don’t do that, as we
thought, and for which we let you off early.
Oh, you artful—you artful—with your meek
face and pretty words !â€â€™
“Stop that, Jonathan!†cried Tabby.
“You've been listening to some parcel o’
rubbish, [ll be bound. Not go home! don’t
tell me such nonsense. Of course he goes
home these cold dark nights.â€
*No, ma’am, I don’t,†said Fritz; ‘and
please, I never said I did (though I went home
each time I left early, because you said it
was for that). But why is Mr. Jonathan so
angry? I have not done harm.â€
“Don’t talk to me,’ growled the old man.
“What do you loiter about the streets for,
begging ; yes, Tabitha, he begs, just as though
we didn’t pay his wages. See his red face.â€
“Tt is because you do not say what is
true,†cried Fritz. “I never begged in my
life; I would not beg while I have strength
to work.â€
44 Fritz and His Work.
“Why do you stop people as they go by?
You were seen, I tell you, lad, and seen by
my friend, the man opposite, who knows you
well, and he saw them give you money.â€
“It is true,’ answered Fritz, with calm
dignity now; ‘“‘true that they handed me
money; but it was not given,†proudly, “it
was payment,â€
“For what?’ said Tabitha, who had been
standing by, quietly listening.
“T will tell you in two days!†he said,
quietly. ‘1 have not done harm.â€
‘** Then tell now, ’ cried the angry Jonathan.
“Two days! Tut, tut! it isa put off. You
are ashamed of begging.!—or,†he added,
“ something worse, maybe.â€
“You wrong me, as you will say soon,â€
was all the boy’s answer, in a sad reproachful
tone.
“Say! Does your mother know what you
do?â€
** No, sir ;†he hesitated, then repeated once
again, “‘I have not done harm.â€
I believe Jonathan would have turned the
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†45
boy away at once, so angry was he, had it not
been for the value of Fritz and his work.
Well he knew such another hardworking lad
would be difficult to find.
- €Ma’am, will you believe me?†I heard
Fritz ask, in a pitiful voice. ‘If you will
not, I must tell you about it now; but if you
will but trust me this little while I would so
like to wait two days.â€
How earnest and truthful was his voice !
“Aye, aye. Wait your time, an’ if you
wish,†old Tabby said; “TI can’t bring it to
my mind that you have done very wrong. All
the same, I don’t like it, lad, I don’t like it.
Hanging about streets of a night can bring
trouble; there are queer folks about, and a
boy’s place at night should be in his home.â€
“T have not stayed out long,’ murmured
Fritz,†and it seemed to me but harmless. I
hope I was not wrong. Oh! I hope not.â€
** Av’ so do I,†she whispered, quite softly ;
“it would grieve me sore. I couldn't bear to
find you only like most o’ the lads we’ve had,
after all,â€
46 Frits and His Work.
Poor old soul, she loved him by now. As
for Jonathan, perhaps it was because he
thought he had cause for disappointment in
Fritz that he was so upset and violent. We
must not be too vexed with his unkind words,
for they were spoken hastily, and maybe he
was sorry the next minute; for he marched,
or rather shuffled about, as if he did not feel
too happy.
When Fritz took me down that sai he
shook his head sorrowfully at me.
“Tt is a pity that you are quite so fine,
Mistress Mimmie,â€â€™ he said ; ‘“‘ even seven-and
sixpence is a large, a very large sum, but wait
a little longer.â€
- Oh, Fritz, how curious you made me, with
your mysterious ‘‘ wait.â€
-The next day came, and Fritz withit. Again
he put me in the window, and whispered,— -
“T wish you could turn your face away,
Mistress Mimmie, that the people might not
see how pretty you are ; but it would be hard,
after all this time, if now you should be
fancied.â€
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†47
What did this mean ?
It was the day before Christmas Eve, and
in spite of Jonathan’s grumbles yesterday, it
seemed to me that plenty of customers were
in and out of the toy-shop.
“We shall not shut up till late to-night,â€
said old Jonathan Grim, as he rubbed his
hands so smartly together that I could hear
his bony fingers cracking in the operation.
“ Things are looking up at last. We shall
be able to have a little Christmas fare, Tabby
my dear, without feeling we are going to the
work’us; but we mustn’t be extravagant, no,
no, Tabby !
What an old miser he was! As though
there were any fear of their going to the
workhouse, with all these toys being sold so
fast. I began to be nervous; would my turn
come soon, and what sort of a person would
claim me ?
I was rather surprised to see how very
cheerful Fritz seemed all that day. Certainly
he could not be afraid of any disgrace; but
then I never thought that he could do wrong.
48 Fritz and His Work.
I did hope I should hear his tale that would
clear away the old folks’ anger.
He was humming his “ Peace, perfect
peace,†a good many times that day; and
though Jonathan often grunted in an unplea-
sant way, he did not say anything to stop him.
He seemed anxious, did Fritz, when he
heard they would be late; I heard him ask,
“ How much later ?â€â€™
Tabitha answered: ‘“’Twon’t affect you;
you can get along at the usual hour.â€
Jonathan growled out something, but
Tabitha said, “I say he shall!†in her old
snappish voice, but the next moment added
gently, ‘You won’t contradict it, Jonathan,
when I ask it as a favour to me, now will you,
my dear?â€
“That lad’s bewitched you, Tabby, ’m
bothered if he ain’t; but o’ course, if you put
it in that way—why, why, oh, let him go as
soon ag you like. ’Tain’t often as you speak
like that, Tabby. Lor! it puts me in mind
o’ when we was first married, that it do!â€
and he sighed,
“ Peace, perfect Peace,†49
She chuckled pleasantly, ‘An’ why shouldn’t
we talk as we did then ? It ’d be a deal nicer,
after all, eh, Jonathan? We was always
‘Tabby’ and ‘ Jonny’ then.â€
“ So we was, so we was. Ah, what a woman
you was in those days!â€
“ Aw what a kind-spoken man my Jonathan
was!â€
I don’t know what tender memories would
not have cropped up, if the old folks had not
been disturbed by some customers; and very
soon Fritz was sent off home, and though a
good many people came in and stared at me,
no one offered to buy me that day.
Tabitha put me away in my box that night,
and she was muttering as she did so, “‘ Peace,
perfect peace!’ Ah, it must be a lovely
thing! We ain’t had much of it, poor old
Jonathan and me; but it seems almost as
though the Lord had shown us this evening
that we could, with Him to help us. For
’*twasn’t only cross old Tabitha who spoke
in that gentle way to-night. No, no; she
couldn’t a’ done it. It was the Lord who put
a ts
50 Fritz and His Work.
the gentle feeling in her heart, just as that
boy says He can.â€
Then, to my astonishment, her cracked old
voice struck up in a.quaver—
* Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin ;
The blood of Jesu whispers peace within.â€
CHAPTER IV.
Curistmas Eve.
tT was a glorious frosty morn-
ing, and my first thought, as
I came out into the light
again, was how bright a world
this is, for the shop seemed a
flood of sunshine, and the
icicles hanging from the
feomework of the window sparkled and shone
like diamonds in the light.
And Fritz, dear me! Had ever boy so glad
a face before? And he hugged me, yes, ac-
tually hugged me, just as some little girl
might have done.
‘“You dear Mistress Mimmie,’’ he aaid, as
though he could not help telling some one of
his delighted thoughts, “you shall do such
wonderful things this Christmas time. You
52 Fritz and His Work.
shall make two eyes grow bright and merry,
you shall make a tiny sad mouth, so merry,
so merry, and perhaps your medicine will do
such good to one wee creature, that another
bigger one will cheer up to see such wonders,
and oh! we will be so happy all through
you!â€
It was very nice to hear how much I had
power to do, but I didn’t quite understand
it all. .
Just as I was puzzling my head very
much indeed, ding, ding went the shop bell,
and in came a lady and a child. They
matched the bright morning, so cheerful and
‘happy a pair they looked.
_ donathan and Tabitha, hearing the bell,
‘came hurrying forward. Such early cus-
‘tomers were seldom seen, and these must be
good ones surely; their clothes were rich,
and their air one of prosperous happiness.
* The lady put up her vel, and showed a very
: pleasant face.
“Good morning,†she commenced; in a
clear brisk voice, ‘‘ my little daughter has
Christmas Eve. —- , 53°
brought me out. very early to see some -
wonderful doll she fell in love with yester- .
day, while walking by this shop with her
governess, and nothing would. do but I must
come before breakfast, so afraid was she of
it being sold. Is that not right, my Amy?
And now we fear that evil has happened, for
it has been taken from the window!â€
“Only for the night, ma’am,†cried Jona-
than, quickly, his face beaming.
I was in Fritz’s hands, just the other side
of the shop, and could see all that was hap-
pening.
It was written on the old man’s face, .
“‘Here’s my chance to make a pretty penny.
This lady is rich, and will give a good sum to,
please her spoilt child!â€
At that moment little Amy turned, and~
saw me.
‘‘There, there!†she exclaimed, ‘‘ mamma,
look! That is the doll I want for my Christ-_
mas gift. Do buy her, oh, do buy her!’
She ran towards me, holding out her arms;
but Fritz hugged me tighter, and his heart
54 Frite and His Work.
- beat, and beat against me, until I was quite
alarmed.
“Give the little lady the doll,†growled
Jonathan Grim.
“Ten shillings and sixpence, ma’am; ten
shillings and sixpence is all I asks for that
lovely doll; what opens and shuts its eyes,
says ‘Mamma’ quite beautiful, and is dressed
in a rich satin frock.†;
“Very well,†said the lady; ‘* but what’s
the matter with the little boy?’ Tears were
pouring down Fritz’s cheeks, and I feared my
“rich satin frock� would be quite spoilt, not
that Icared, oh dearno! but Jonathan would.
‘Eh, eh? What’s the matter, indeed, he’s
crazy, I do believe, a-ruining my property like
that. Give me that doll, sir, I say.â€
“No, no, no!†sobbed Fritz, ‘‘ you must hot
sell Nan’s Mimmie, she is mine. See, see!â€
and he pulled out a handkerchief, in which
some money was tied up, “‘ I have the money
that you said you would sell her for. Seven
and sixpence! Ah! I have not a penny more;
don’t take her away, don’t take her away.â€
Christmas Eve. 55
Old Jonathan grew as red as fire. “You
impudent young rascal, what do you mean by
such conduct?â€
“‘ Oh hush,†begged the lady; ‘‘ poor boy, he
is in such distress, don’t be angry with him.
Amy will have another doll, will you not, my
darling ?â€
‘‘We ain’t got another doll anything the
likes of that,†said Jonathan, who of course
was thinking of his ten and sixpence.
“Don’t take her away,†sobbed Fritz, “ it
will break Nannie’s heart, for I have promised
she shall have her ‘Mimmie’ to-day, and I
_have tried so hard to get the money before.â€
“Tut, tut, tut!’ suddenly cried Mrs. Tabi-
tha, wiping her glasses fiercely, “‘ an’ have the
doll you shall, Fritz, let Jonathan say what
he will. Ten and sixpence, eh? Well, well,
he shall have his ten and sixpence too.â€
She tugged at her pocket, dragged out an
old leather purse, and counted three shillings
upon the counter, before old Jonathan’s blink-
ing eyes.
All this while Amy stood round-eyed and
56 Frite and His Work.
dismayed, and her mamma looked from one
to the other, with a good’ deal of feeling ex-
pressed on her face. ot
“Wait a bit, wait a bit! » said Jonathan,
“how do we know that:he came by that
money quite honestly? What about this
night work o’ his after he leaves our shop.
Let him tell us that afore ‘he takes your
money, Tabitha, and my property!â€
“*Tain’t your property now, Jonathan,†she
said, more quietly, ‘‘it belongs to only Fritz,
and it’s paid for, and settled, ’fore he says a
word. If we can’t trust such a boy as that.
good gentle lad, why we’re a more suspicious,
wicked old couple- than I thought, that’s all.â€
“God bless you, ma’am,†Fritz said, in a
trembling tone, “I’m going to tell you all;
but I will never forget you trusted me before
I said a word.
’ “Tt was all for Mimmie, as Nan calls this
doll. When mother had it home to dress it
out in all this satin and lace, our wee Nan,
who takes such odd ideas into her poor aching
head, grew to love this wax thing as much as
Christmas Eve. 57
if it were a real live baby; and when she was
worse, and light-headed, her cry was so sad
to hear. ‘Bring me Mimmie, I want Mimmie,
and Mimmie wants me.’ It fretted mother
dreadfully, but we had no money to spare,
and even mother’s needlework was getting
less.
‘“‘« Fritz,’ said Nannie, one night, ‘bring
me Mimmie, and I will get well.’
“She did not know, my little Nan, in her
fever, that I had not the shillings; but I
thought, and thought, until I had a plan, and
I hoped it was the dear Lord Jesus who sent
it to me.
‘“*T draw so cleverly, my little mother says
(just as my dear father used to do), and I
could make Nan and her laugh so much at
my pictures. Very well, I thought, I will
make others laugh, and they shall pay one,
two, and three pence for my funny pictures.
I will sell them in the busy streets at night,
on my way home, and I will get up so early
to draw fresh pictures every day with my
pretty coloured crayons. I will not tell any-
58 Fritz and His Work.
one, I said, lest I should fail, and Nannie fret
the more. But last night I made up the seven
shillings and sixpence, as I reckoned that I
might, and I whispered to my crippled Nan,
. Cheer up, to-morrow Mimmie shall be your
own.’ :
“That is all, dear ma ‘aain,†Fritz finished,
with his eyes on Tabitha. “But ah! how I
have dreaded that she would be sold, and all
my work in vain!â€
The richly-dressed lady was brushing a tear
from her cheek; old Jonathan was muttering
‘“Humph, humph, an’ who was to guess all
this?†But Tabitha, sharp good-hearted
old Tabitha, went to the lad, and stroked his
burning cheek with her wrinkled hand.
“You might ’a’ trusted me, laddie, I would
have helped you if you had.â€
“But I wanted to surprise you, and Mr.
Jonathan, dear ma’am, with a drawing for a
Christmas greeting,†and still clasping me in
one arm, he went to the side shelf, and took
down a large sheet of cardboard, hidden be-
hind some toys. I caught a glimpse of it as
Christmas Eve. 59
silently he passed it to her, and really, if a
doll could start, I should have done so then.
It was so wonderful. There was the inside
of the toy shop, with its shelves filled with
carts, and drums, and bats and balls, while
standing behind the little counter was Jona-
than, just fixing his glasses on his big red
nose, and smiling more amiably than he often
did, and Tabitha sat close by, knitting away,
as she always did in the afternoons. It was
wonderful, truly wonderful, how Fritz could
have done all this.
-“Tor, lor!’? mumbled Jonathan, forgetting
everything in his delight. ‘If that ain’t a
stunner, my name ain’t Jonathan Grim!â€
Tabitha said not a word, but something in her
eye must have shamed her husband, for he
said uncomfortably :
“You needn’t look like that, Tabby, my
dear. O’ course I see I was wrong, and Fritz
is—is as good as we thought he was. I ain’t
too proud to say, afore this lady too, that I
was rough on Fritz, who has done his duty
by us, fine gentleman as we feared he’d be.â€
60 Fritz and His Work.
‘“‘He’s better than a fine gentleman, I am .
thinking,’ smiled the lady, who had been.
whispering to Amy ‘‘ not to mind the doll, she
should have a better,†which really was
rather rude to me; but there! people don’t.
care for what dolls feel.
“‘T should much like to see this little Nan,
my boy; will you tell me where you live?â€
Fritz gave the address of their lodgings
and then brought forth a bit of paper, shyly, .
yet rather proudly. :
“Will you see this, ma’am, it is my mother
and Nan too?†‘The lady looked, started,
and looked again.
“Is it possible? My dear child, take me
to your mother at once, I cannot wait one
hour.†Her eyes were overflowing, and her
lips trembling. ‘To think I should find my
pretty Gretchen after all these years, through
this lad and his doll.â€
“You know my iiother,†faltered Fritz.
“Know her, child, indeed I do. We were
friends as children together, girls together,
and loved one another as dearly as sisters.
Christmas Eve. 61
“But at last my father took me to Australia
‘for some years, and during that time I heard
‘your mother had lost her parents, and
married a young artist. She wrote to me
‘from Germany (our native home) for some
time, but gradually our correspondence ceased,
or rather I should say hers, for I wrote many
times, and longed in vain for an answer.
“‘T was married too, by then, and we went
back to Germany for a while: but I was told
your mother and father had left for England,
‘where it was feared they were tasting poverty ;
but none knew her address, for alas, my poor
Gretchen was so proud, she would, I knew,
avoid her old friends, lest they should try to
help her. It was her great fault, that mis-
taken pride. -
“We are living in London now, and,
strange to say, my husband is an artist too.
You shall be made to have his help, my dear
little lad, whatever proud little Gretchen may
‘gay. Come, take me to her.â€
She held out her hand to the shop-boy.
In truth, she was not proud, and as Tabitha
62, Fnvtiz. and His Work.
said gently, ‘‘ Aye, go, and may the Lord you
have trusted, Fritz, reward you with some-
thing better than shop work, though it is a
dark day that will take you from us.†.
We were soon on our way to that queer
shabby room I had so often longed to visit.
Now, can you picture the scene that took
place? The excited cry of joy that tiny Nan
gave as she snatched me in her arms, no
longer with butterfly kisses, but warm, eager
ones.. .
Can you imagine how Fritz’s tale had to be
told all over again, before the pale, golden-
haired little mother could understand any-
thing?
And, oh dear! can you picture the kisses,
the tears, the rich lady declaring it was the
happiest Christmas she had ever known, and
Gretchen Hermann promising to put away
such wrong pride with a friend who loved her
like a sister. 7 ; ;
Then nothing would do but Fritz must go
and buy dainty rolls, pies, and all sorts of
good things for them all to have a late break-
Christmas Eve. 63
fast together, which breakfast .caused . Miss
Amy much amusement, and she and Nan
grew so friendly, I was almost jealous.
In the midst of it all, Fritz started up.
“Tam wrong; to-day, this busy day, I must
not leave the shop like this. It is cruel, and
Mrs. Tabitha will be wanting help.â€
The women looked at each other, and then
the rich lady said: ‘‘ Then you shall go, dear
child, for this once more. You shall finish
your work honestly on Christmas Eve; but it
is for the last time, the very: last time.â€
. We will find-work more suitable for you,
_ though I agree with you that it was well to
do the humble work that lay at hand, sooner
than be idle. But the necessity is over. God
has sent me now to help you all, and with His
blessing, so I will. I knew a child as ill with
her spine as ever Nan, but she was cured;
and please the Lord, dear Nan shall be, if
doctoring and nursing in some purer air can
do it.â€
Gretchen, do not fear, you shall not be
quite dependent, proud little woman. There
64 Lritzg and His Work.
are plenty of things we will find for you to do,
that shall be nicer than dolls’ dressmaking ;
but at present you must trust to me—nay
not to me—to God, dear friend.’â€
Now I can’t tell you what the old éoupts at
the shop said to Fritz, but I do know that he
goes to see them to this day, although he will
be a famous painter, folks say, earning a
fortune of gold. While I, oh, J am still Nan’s
‘lovely Mimmie.†But she is getting a big
girl, and so rosy, and so fat, that no one .
would know her for the thin litile lass who
caused her mother so much grief and anxiety
in the days of long ago, when Fritz first
found work, and did it well and cheerfully
because, they say, ‘“‘ He worked with trust in
the Lord!â€
LONDON; KNIGHT, PRINTER, MIDDLE STREET, AILDERSGATE, E.C.
Setina, the Turkish Captive,
Show Your Colowrs.
Always too Late.
The Patched Frock.
The Story he was Told.
Stephen Grattan’s Baith.
David the Scholar.
DVired of Home,
Setting Out for Heaven.
The Stolen Money.
Helen's Stewardship,
Pat Riley's Friends.
Olive Crowhurst.
The White Feather.
Steenie Alloway's Adventures.
Angel's Christmas.
Cottage Life; its Lights and
Shadows,
The Raven's Teather,
Aunt Milly's Dianonds, and
Our Cousin from India.
How the Golden Bagle was
Caught. < .
Bmily’s Trouble and what é
_ taught her. J =
Lhe Adopted Son,
|
Full Text |
Phi tieeke
F, the Goe)rer
Pa 092 the Suneloy
prhoct
Wooclhurs&
January ga 1s 7 &
’
\
~ a iz
“OH! WHAT. A LOVELY DOLLYâ€
, Mittle Dot Series.
FRITZ AND HIS WOKK,
& Fale far Boys and Girls,
_ BY
MAUD MADDICK,
AuTHOR oF “Katruvesn’s Victory,†‘Moruer’s Eves.†etc.
Lads and lasses, do your best,
Scorn not a humble task,
But put it to the simple test,
“Can I a blessing ask?â€
THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,
56, PATERNOSTER Row; 65, St. Paut’s CHURCHYARD ;
; AND 164, PICCADILLY.
cHAL,
Il.
Iii.
Ty,
CONTENTS.
Seen
FRITZ BRINGS HomE soME News
AT THE SHOP.
“ PEACE, PERFECT PEACEâ€
CHRISTMAS EVE : .
36
5t
FRITZ AND His WORK,
KH
CHAPTER I.
Fritz BRINGS Home some News.
H, what a lovely lovely doll!â€
\ were the first words that I can
7 remember hearing; and al-
though I really am not at all
a vain doll, I must say I
thought that child’s ery of
admiration had a very plea-
sant sound.
“You are right, my little Nan,†said a
graver and much older voice, ‘“‘and how
longingly you look at it, poor child! I wish
it were to be yours, to keep for your long dull
days, my dear one, instead of only being sent
here for me (the doll’s dressmaker), to deck it —
out in Christmas finery.â€
6 Fritz and His Work.
Her sigh of regret was echoed by a very
loud one from the child.
“Let me hold it.in my arms, mother, just
one little moment before you begin to work,â€â€™
pleaded the pretty childish voice.
~ 80 you shall, for those tiny fingers are too
gentle to do the dainty dolly any harm;â€â€™ and
I was lifted from my cardboard bos, and placed
in two eager little hands. I was very glad of
this, because directly they held me in an
upright position, open flew my eyes, and I was
able to see the child. My first thought was :
“Oh dear me! what a wee white face she
has;� and my second:
‘Why the poor.child is an invalid; * for I
noticed that she lay flat upon her back in.a
shabby old crib, and I felt so sorry, that when
Nan’s thin fingers pulled the wire at my side,
I jerked out the sound that was meant to be
““Mam-ma†in a very sad and squeaky way.
But Nan screamed with delight; and while
her dark eyes shone like bright stars, two faint
spots of colour came into her pale cheeks, and
made her look such a different child.
Fritz brings Home some News. 7
Her mother stood by the crib and watched
us, then stroked Nan’s hair with a very loving
touch.
“ Sweetheart,†she whispered, “‘ what good
that, doll has done you; you have not looked
so well this many a day.â€
Ido not think Nan even heard, so intent
was she in gazing at me.
“‘Is she not lovely? such yellow hair, such
blue, blue eyes that open and shut, two tiny
white teeth, and oh, to think that she can cry
just like a real live baby.â€
The mother laughed; and as Nan had
turned me round to face her, I had a good
look at her. She was very small, and very
tired and anxious-looking, but her face was in-
deed a fair one. My own golden locks were not
prettier in colour than her smoothly braided
ones; and as to eyes—well, to show you I am
not jealous, I tell you that no doll’s eyes could
be so pleasant to see.
“Cry, Nan!†she merrily repeated. ‘‘ Ah,
you will offend Miss Dolly, she is supposed
to be saying a word, though I do believe you
8 Fritz and His Work.
did not find it out. Pull the wire again, little
one, and tell me what she says, or cries, if you
will have it so?â€
Nan obeyed, holding her breath to listen,
and handling me very carefully. Once again
I jerked out my one stock exclamation, and I
tried to say it very distinctly; but she looked
rather puzzled, and said seriously : “Tt is a
funny word, ‘ Mim-mie’!â€â€™
“Poor Dolly means it for ‘Mam-ma,’â€
laughed Nan’s mother.
“But she swys ‘Mim-mie,’â€â€™ the child per-
sisted; “maybe that is her name, and she
wants to tell me so. Don’t shake your head,
mother, I like to think it is that; and we will
call you Mimmie, Dolly dear. It is a nice
name, 1 am sure.â€
And so I was there and then christened
with a light kiss from Nan’s little lips, that
brushed my forehead so lightly, for fear of
hurting me, that they felt like the brush of a
butterfly’s wing.
“« Alas, my child, I must claim Dolly—I beg
your pardon—Mimmie I mean, or my work
Fritz brings Home some News. 9
will be behind-hand. The maiden must be
dressed, you know. See, dear,†as she saw the
cloud on Nan’s white brow, “‘I will sit at your
side, and you shall even help to cut these
smart ribbons and fairy laces for your
Mimmie’s Christmas clothes.â€
The child gulped down a sob.
‘When Christmas comes, she will be far
away from poor little Nan, who cannot have
this lovely Mimmie for her own,’ she mur-
mured, laying me down on the crib, but not
before I saw a tear in her eye, and a quiver of
her mouth. It was such a pitiful sight, that
I did not mind my eyes shutting directly Nan
put me down, half as much as I should have
done a few minutes ago.
“Don’t, sweetheart, don’t fret,’ I heard
her mother say anxiously, ‘‘ your little head
will ache so badly. What can I do to cheer
youP Ah, Nan, my darling, mother would
gladly buy her little girl the doll, if only she
could, but she cannot; she barely can earn
enough for rent and food, how then shall she
afford a costly toy?â€
10 Fritz and His Work.
Her voice broke as she lifted me up, and
once more I was staring at them.
‘Why, mother, little mother,†cried an-
other, and a third voice,†are you and wee
Nan quarrelling that you both wear such
gloomy faces?†and a boy came across the
shabby bare-looking room and leant over the
child’s crib. He seemed to bring a ray of
sunshine into the dull place, with his cheery
laugh and sunny smile. The little woman’s
face grew less anxious, and Nan forgot her
grief in a cry of welcome.
“Fritz! where have you been all the day,
Thave wanted youso badly. Mother has been
out, and poor Nan has been ‘so lonely; and
she cried, poor little Nan!â€
I noticed that she always spoke as if Nan
were another child when she pitied herself.
- She looked very doleful now, and evidently
thought she had been hardly treated. Fritz
kissed her, and looked grave. “It was hard
to bear; but did you quite forget Who says,
‘Iam with you always’? Didn’t that help you.
to be patient, as you. promised me it should ?â€â€™
Fritz brings Home some News. il
““T forgot,†she whispered, in some sorrow
because Fritz was watching her with grieved
eyes.
‘Tt is so sad for her, these lonely: hours,
and she not able to play like other children,’
the mother said hastily, in sympathy for her
dear afflicted child.
“Yes,†he answered; ‘“‘and Nannie knows
how much we griéve for her; but God can help
her to be brave, if she asks Him to.â€
“T-have been naughty all day,†the little
girl said, in her pretty feeble tone; “oh, so
naughty, Fritz, and had such horrid thoughts,
that I don’t deserve to be loved one little bit.
Mother would not say so, because she is so
patient with her naughty grumbling Nan;
but Jesus knows it, Fritz, and He must be
feeling very angry,†and Nan’s eyes filled with
great drops.
“Only sorry, Nannie darling, and wanting
His little girl to try and bear her troubles for
His sake;â€â€™ and leaning lower, he added in her
ear, “ Because it hurts poor tired mother, who
loves you more than anything on earth, to
12 Fritz and His Work.
see you fret, and want what she cannot
give.â€
Nan nodded. She knew it was true, I
suppose.
“Then see, Fritz, I will be better. Mother
shall not cry for me any more, for I will beg
and beg of the dear Jesus to take away all my
grumbles.â€
She wiped her tears away, and smiled.
“Mother, will you bring the scissors, and begin
our Mimmie’s frock. 1 will not ery when you
take her to the shop; no, no, indeed I won’t, for
I see now it would be wrong.â€â€ Her wee white
face was very sweet just then, and I don’t
wonder that her mother kissed it again and
again.
“God bless you, sweetheart. Ah, Fritz, you
always seem to know the way to cheer the
child; and now we will have a happy evening ;
yes, yes, let us try and be very merry.â€
‘And I have good news,†laughed Fritz;
“listen, wee Nan, your big brother has found
some work to do, and you shall have a bonnie
new-laid egg each day, and milk, oh! your thin
Fritz brings Home some News. 13
cheeks shall soon be plump and rosy, that they
shall.â€
The little woman had a startled look in her
beautiful eyes. They sparkled at the thought
of eggs and milk for Nan, but she seemed
troubled for all that.
“Work, my son; what work can you, but
a little lad after all, fin] to do?â€
“Ah!†he said, merrily, “ you donot know
how clever is your Fritz, no longer will you be
the only worker.†It looked to me as though
his eyes were rather dim at that moment, but
he went on cheerfully,
“One must not expect great things all at
once; but a beginning is something, eh? and
we must not think a humble step too low to
take, dear mother.â€
Fritz had put his arm round her neck, as
she sat at work, with me propped upon the
table at her side, ready to be measured for a
skirt of pale pink satin.
She had turned quite white.
“What is it that you would do, Fritz?
‘Remember, poor as we are, that your father
14 . Frite and His Work.
was agentleman. It is enough for me to work
at-anything I can get; but there is nothing,
child, that you could do.â€
“All work is honest, mother, be ads
I will not let you work your fingers to the
bone, day after day, and late into the- night,
when I can and will help. It is no disgrace,
little mother, and I have promised to go each
morning to the very shop that sends you
dolls to dress. What todo? Take down the —
shutters, sweep out the -shop, and make
myself useful to the old couple who keep the
toy-shop. Don’t look like that, dear; a little
work won’t hurt your Fritz; and see! they
even advanced half my first week’s money.
There!’’ and he laid two shillings and a six-
pence upon her knee.
She burst into tears.
“Fritz, Fritz, you to go out as a common
shop-boy.; you, with your talents and refined
ideas.â€â€™ -
“Oh!†suddenly cried Nan, ‘“‘come and
kiss me quickly, Fritz. How I love you, and
oh, how Jesus must be loving you this minute.
16 Fritz and His Work.
You are so good, that you will do this horrid
work for us. I wish I could be brave like you.
We are so proud of you.†Her face was one
bright glow of love and pride.
The weeping woman held up her head.
“Dear Nan, why, you are teaching me a
lesson now. You are right, I should be proud,
not grieved; and yet, my son, forgive me if
I cannot be glad at this moment;†and her
“trembling fingers refused to cut the satin
straight. “These bitter mornings,†she
faltered ; “and you with your scanty clothing
to walk so far in all weathers.â€
His eyes glistened at the anxious words of
love, but he tried to laugh her fears away.
“Tam not made of sugar, little mother, or
wax, like this dainty doll; and did you not
say we would be merry this evening? Fie,
fie!†Then Fritz knelt beside her, and lay
his cheek against her own. ‘Dear, do I seem
wilful and careless of your pain. Don’t think
it; but we need the money so sorely, and even
this,†touching the silver coins, “means much
to us, does it not? and if the work is honest
Fritz brings Home some News. 17
and right, don’t you think the good Lord will
bless it, however humble itis? If my father
.could speak to me now, I can’t help thinking
he would say, ‘ Work away, Fritz, for your
mother and crippled sister, and don’t be
ashamed of any honest work.’ Don’t you
fancy you can hear him say it, mother?â€
Fritz was smiling so brightly, that the little
woman couldn’t refuse to smile back, and wee
Nan clapped her hands.
“ Mother’s good again! Aren’t we a tiresome |
pair with our tears? Fritz is the brave one
of our family, Miss Mimmie, as you are
thinking, I am sure.â€
Fritz and his mother both laughed at the
child, and the boy picked me up to have a
look at me. - o 2
. “So this is Mimmie? Well, young lady!â€
he said to me, ‘ you will see me in your shop
every morning, so we must be friends.â€â€™ .
Friends indeed ! I can tell you he had quite
won my doll heart, and I thought him the
nicest, handsomest lad that anyone could see.
I have heard people say since then, that
C
18 Fritz and His Work.
Fritz was not a really good-looking boy, and
it was only his pleasant expression and sunny
smile that made him appear so. Now, could a
boy have better looks than amiable loving
ones? Certainly not; and though I may be
but a doll, I can tell you that if old or young
people want to be handsome, there is nothing
like goodness, pure and simple, for making a
face apleasant sight. Fritz was good; and I
will declave that Fritz was handsome, in spite
of his old worn coat, and trousers that seemed
to have shrunk above his ankles.
“Be careful with her, Fritz,†cried Nan;
“is she not the sweetest, loveliest-doll?â€
Ti really was very nice to see how tenderly
that child already loved me. I began to wishâ€
and wish that this queer shabby room was to
be my home; but there was no good fairy to
wave her hand and sing,
“Thy wish, oh Doll, shall come to pass,
I give thee to this little lass!â€
No, these are not the days for wishing caps
and fairy deeds ; so Fritz gave me to be dressed,
and his mother wenton snipping, and snipping,
Fritz brings Home some News. 19
at laces and ribbons, and Fritz sat down
beside Nan; and after agreeing that such a
wonderful doll as Mimmie had never been
made, he told funny stories, one after the other,
until the little invalid’s cheeks were rosy with
laughter, and gradually she fell into a peace-
ful sleep, and mother and brother gazed at
her tiny face with tender glances, and
whispered together, “God bless our wee
Nan.â€
Then Fritz crept to the table, and drew
such strange figures upon bits of paper, with
just a few crayons, that I wondered to see him.
Every now and then, the little woman
would look up from her work, to see what he
had drawn, and then she would sigh, and
murmur, ‘It is a gift, surely, to draw like
that, yet I cannot have you taught, and so the
gift is lying useless ;â€â€™ but Fritz softly laughed.
‘“No, no, for it serves to amuse me, and
better still, the dear little one. Do you see,
to-night I shall have drawn what will please
and console her when she loses Mistress
Mimmie ?â€
20 Fritz and His Work.
He held up a sheet of paper, and there upon:
it was a picture of a doll’s head. It must
have been a very good one, for the mother
dropped her work, and eagerly seized it,
erying beneath her breath,
“Tt is the doll herself! Ah, Fritz, what a
happy thought to draw this Mimmie’s portrait.
What should we do without your love to cheer
us, my son? You are never downcast; why
is it, Fritz?â€
He hesitated a moment, then in a very low
sweet voice repeated two -lines of a favourite
hymn,
“ Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round,
On Jesu’s bosom nought but calm is found.â€
She was silent, and he went on,
“ Peace, perfect peace, cur future all unknown,
Jesu we know, and He is on the Throne.â€
’ “Somehow, mother, I can’t be very unhappy
when I think of those lines. He is so good,
that He will take care of us; and we—we need
only do our best, mother, and leave all else to
Him. Migs Cray, at Sunday class, has often
told us so, ‘1 will never leave thee, or forsake
Fritz brings Home some News. OL
thee,†God has said, and if is such a good
promise. Shouldn’t we be ungrateful, little
mother, if we were not glad to know it?â€
While he was talking, I was being laid away
in my cardboard box, so of course my eyes
were shut. It wasa great pity, for | was so
anxious to see just then, and now she began to
put folds of tissue paper over me, and, oh dear
me, that of course would prevent my even
hearing that dear boy’s words. However, I
heard her say,
“Yes, darling; and you shall teach me to
feel some of your ‘ perfect peace,’ for these are
dark days for all of us.â€
Then down came the lid of the box, and
there was no help for me, but to wait patiently
for another day, when I should be taken from
this dark little prison.
99, Frite and His Work.
CHAPTER II.
AT THE SHOP.
2 SEES qurRrau! I was being
B
| lifted out of my close
Se quarters, and my eyes
a were wide open. Here
was the doll’s dress-
maker, here was Fritz,
looking as happy as
possible, and there in
her crib Nan was lying,
just as she lay the day
before, and just as I fear she
always had to lie.
It was early in the morning, and a very cold
morning too. Through the tiny panes of the
window I could see flakes of snow gently
falling, and the few embers of fire in the grate
‘At the Shop. 23
were not.enough to prevent the air -in the room
being chilly and raw. A:
Fritz was talking away ever s0 fast. ss “Now,
Mistress Mimmie, you are to show yourself
in all your finery to wee Nan, whose eyes are
as round as saucers to see such loveliness; and
you are to bid her good-bye, because such a
grand lady as you cannot stay in our small
home. It is not to be expected.â€
I felt a little hurt, for it sounded as though
I was too proud to stay, and all the while I
was longing to do so. But there! I knew he
was only talking like that to amuse Nan, who
looked very ill to-day, but was evidently
trying to keep cheerful.
_“Ah, my Mimmie, will you quite forget
your Nan?†she said, with rather a faint
smile; ‘‘will you belong, I wonder, to some
rich little lady, who will nurse you, and play
with you every day? Never mind, no one can
love you more than I do, and I shall never,
never forget you.â€
“Of course not,†put in Fritz, cheerfully ;
“why, Mimmie has a parting present to give
24 Fritz and His Work.
you, that will quite prevent you forgetting her,â€
and he placed a paper, neatly pasted upon a
‘card, in Nan’s hand. :
“Oh! oh! A portrait, a lovely picture of
my dear Mimmie.†She hugged it to her
breast, then held it away to stare at it in
quite frantic delight. Fritz was surely repaid
for his trouble, and I could see he thought so.
_ “Mimmie must be packed up, dear,†said
the mother; ‘‘ will you say good-bye to her,
for Fritz is to take her with him to the
shop?â€
Yes, Nan would say good-bye; and she said
it very bravely, giving me another butterfly
kiss on the forehead. ‘“‘ Not a bit as I should
like to kiss you,†she assured me, while I was
left in her arms a moment, for the little
mother was tying a comforter round Fritz’s
neck, and begging him to drink the hot coffee
with which she had refilled his cup, for they
had all been having their breakfast to-
gether.
He shook his head, and kissed her cheek.
‘*T have already had my share,†he said.
At the Shop. 25
Did you think to hide your trick from me?
Fie, mother, your cup has not been filled at
all, and I will see you drink that before [leave
this room.â€
He put on a very fierce air, and the colour
came into the unselfish woman’s cheeks; but
though she was unwilling, he lifted the cup
to her lips, and forced her with a loving force
to drink up every drop.
Then he kissed her again, and I was put
into the box, which was tucked under his arm ;
and we started out, I, even I, wrapped up as
I was, feeling the bleak wind that rattled along
‘the streets, and also feeling sad to think I had
left poor crippled Nan. We seemed to have
been in that wind for some time, before once
more I was being unpacked.
“Fumph, humph!†muttered a gruff voice,
“the doll looks well enough, and ought to
fetch a goodly price; what do you say,
wife ?â€
“Give it to me, Jonathan,†answered a
woman’s sharp tone; let me see, yes, she is
a fine doll, to be sure,†and I was raised, and
?
26 Fritz and His Work.
able to see the old couple. Not a very
pleasant pair, I thought, as they peered at
me, and twisted me round and round. ‘“ This
doll must be placed in the window, boy, when
you have taken down the shutters. Come
now, set to work; no loitering here, if you.
please!â€
_*No indeed, I will not loiter,†Fritz
answered brightly ; and was soon busy setting
things to rights, that the old man and his wife
looked at one another, and chuckled, ‘‘He’ll do,
he’ll do;†but I felt angry to hear how gruffly
they ordered him about; only Fritz did not
once answer sharply, but obeyed their wishes
most carefully.
- Iwas stuck up in the shop window, with. a
funny thing holding me ina sort of clip round
my waist, and there I dangled for children to
come and gaze longingly at me and my
finery.
Sometimes hay would come and ask my
price, then go away without me, sol concluded
I was a very expensive doll, as indeed my
beauty ought to be.
At the Shop. 27
It was very lively watching the people
‘hurrying by; for, as it was getting near
Christmas time, there was a great many folks
coming to this street of pretty shops, and a
great number stopped at this one to buy toys,
no doubt, for presents. I wished that the
family I knew could have some good gifts, but
feared they would not do so.
Fritz came every day; and as I was put
away each night, he used to unpack me in the
morning, and place me dangling in the window ~
again.
T used to hear the old people often grumbling
at the lad, not that I believe they meant to be
unkind, but it seemed their way to be always
onthelook out for a grievance; and I wondered
how Fritz could be so patient and gentle in
his replies, when he seemed to be doing his
very best to please them.
Once I heard him singing,
“Art Thou my Father? let me be,
A meek, obedient child to Thee,
And try in word, and deed, and thought,
To serve and please Thee as I ought.â€
28 Fritz and His Work.
Fritz was not to be discouraged by these .
cross folks.
“What's that?’ asked old Jonathan.
“ A hymn, sir,†Fritz replied; “do you mind
my singing it?†:
“Mind! no, I don’t know as I do, you’ve a
fairish voice, the wife says; and there ain’t no
one to object, if we don’t, to you singing a bit
before there’s likely to be a customer. I guess
the toys can put up with a little noise.â€
A little noise, when Fritz had ‘a voice that
‘was like sweet music!
“Thank you,†he said, quietly ; “I’m so used
to singing, that I do it almost without thinking,
and it helps me with my work.â€
“Ho, ho!†chuckled old Jonathan, “ sing
away then. I thought from the look of you at
- first, you'd be rather too fine a lad for us; but
you can buckle to, I see. D’ye like the work,
lad ?â€
Fritz was arranging some toys in the
window, and he flushed up, “ No, sir, it would
be a falsehood to say I like sweeping and
cleaning; but I don’t mind it, at least, not
‘At the Shop. 29
much, and I try to do it well, sir, for I want
to please you.â€
‘“‘Humph! Well, I don’t see as I can com-
plain, as long as you do please us. Tabitha
said you were above your work, as the saying
goes.â€
“Oh, sir, I didn’t mean to be that,†Fritz
cried, earnestly ; “if I take your money, I must
not be above your work. Only tell me every
day what you want done, and indeed I will
do it.â€
“Tut, tut! I ain’t finding fault with your
work; but look here,’’ curiously, ‘‘I’d rather
like to know what makes you so mighty
particular that you do it so thoroughly.
*Tain’t like some boys as I’ve had.â€
“Why, sir, it’s only right, . ‘ whatsoever
things are honest,’ the Bible tells us to do.
It would not be honest to take wages for work
I did not do well.â€
- “Of course not; of course not,†muttered
Jonathan, quickly; but added under his
breath, “’Tain’t all as think of that, though
I mustn’t say so to him again, He might
30 Frite and His Work.
change his ways; and he’s the best lad we've
ever had, fine gentleman or not.â€
As the days went by, it seemed to me that
Fritz looked rather less bright, although he
spoke as cheerfully, and did his duties as
briskly as ever. The old folks noticed it, and
I heard them remark upon it.
“ What's the matter with that boy of ours?â€
asked Tabitha of Jonathan, when they were
alone in the shop, “he’s got a kind o’ look
as though tears ain’t very far behind his
smiles.â€
“Lor, wife, now that's a funny ita: you
thinking that, for it has just been running
through my mind lately, only I didn’t quite
know if it wasn’t my fancy.â€
“Bah!†said Tabitha, sharply, ‘it don’t
need much eyesight to see as he’s fretting his
heart out over something, for all his brave.
smiles and cheerful words.â€
It was astonishing how her voice softened
over the last words. Ah, Master Fritz, you
_ have found a soft corner in Tabitha’s poor old
heart.
At the Shop. . 81
“Aye, aye!†agreed Jonathan; “but we
can't help it, Tabitha.â€
“You’re a nice old man,â€â€™ she said, very
much as if she meant “‘a nasty oneâ€â€™ instead.
Jonathan was rather afraid es 7abehs when
she took that tone. ;
“Well, can we, Tabby, my dear?†he
asked. ‘‘I don’t mind letting him go a bit
earlier for once, if you think it would please '
him. He seems mighty eager always to get
off home; but it won’t do, Tabitha, to give
way too much to that sort o’ thing, it’ll
be inconvenient, you know. Business is
business ! †_
“Yes, an’ hearts is hearts,†she retorted,
much to his surprise, and so sternly, that he
said hurriedly,
“Certainly, my dear, of course you know
best; you speak to him yourself. I ain’t
going to interfere with you,’ and he shuffled
away, justi as I saw Fritz coming in from an
errand of taking some toys home. ;
“Come here, young man,†she said, ‘‘ you
needn’t look scared. Bless the boy, am I such
at
82 Fritz and His Work.
an ogre’? (she meant ogress, but she said
ogre) ?
“Oh no, ma’am, you are not, only you
startled me, I thought 2
‘‘Maybe as I was going to give you notice
to be off, eh? and you'd think that bad
news, eh?
‘Indeed, I should,†he replied, truthfully. .
‘*T hope you are not, ma’am, for I need the.
wages so badly, every penny. You see, Nan’s
illness costs so much, though we can’t give
her all the strengthening things she ought to
have, and she’s worse just now,†his voice
grew husky. Here was his trouble plainly
enough.
. ** Worse, is she? And pray, who’s Nan?â€
‘*She’s my little sister, ma’am—she is. a.
cripple—a weak spine, ma’am, and—and——â€â€™
Fritz had jerked out the words in broken.
sentences, and now he failed to finish, for the
grief that would choke his speech. ‘‘ You will
excuse me,†he said, in a few moments,†I
know she is in good hands, but—but some-
times it is so hard not to feel worried,â€
At the Shop. 33
‘Good hands, well, well, an’ whose hands ?â€
‘Why, the Lord’s, ma’am; and I know we
ought to trust Him, even with our dear wee
Nan; but it’s breaking mother’s heart to see
her pain and weakness, and [ am not as
brave as I ought to be. I didn’t think that
anything could be so hard to bear.â€
There was silence, and Fritz began moving
about the shop, putting some packages away,
I suppose, for—
“Come here,†she said again, “and leave
those cases alone. I guess you wouldn’t be
sorry to get home now, eh? I thought so!
Well, Jonathan, he won’t mind, so on with
your cap, and—— wait a moment.â€
Off she marched out of the shop, and I saw
her queer old figure (in the serge skirt and
woollen cap and cape she always wore in the
shop) cross the road, and disappear into the
large grocer’s opposite. Out she came again,
and marched into a confectioner’s, then came
trundling back again with some parcels, her
wrinkled face as stern as ever.
“Took here,†she said, abruptly, “I ain’t
D
34. Fritz and His Work.
had much to do with sick folks, but I guess a
little meat jelly, and arrowroot gruel can’t do
no harm, and children think a deal of sweet
cake; so take these things, and be off home.â€
“Ah! it was not for this I told you our
troubles,†Fritz cried, with a ring of pain in
his voice, ‘‘I was not begging.â€
* An’ who said you were, young man? If
Iam a disagreeable old dame, ain’t Ia right
to spend my money as I choose, an’ can’t I
buy a sick child a bit o’ something without all
this to-do? What’s the odds to anyone ?â€
Fritz made a sound that seemed like a
grateful sob, and her sharp tone altered.
“There, lad, there, I don’t want no thanks.
*Tain’t worth it; but here comes my old man,
an’ he’s a rare queer one about such things,
so run along!†and in another minute, Fritz
was hurrying towards home as fast as his
eager legs could carry him.
Didn’t I wish he was carrying me there! I
fancied how pleased Nan would be, and it
might bring those faint spots of colour back
to her wan little face.
At the Shop. 35
Ah me, I am afraid there are plenty of
children who do not understand how precious
one of the many toys they throw aside would
be to poor little creatures who have not the
money to buy playthings, although they may
long and long for them.
86 Fritz and His Work.
CHAPTER III.
“PEACE PERFECT PEACE.’
{r you please, what is the price
i you are asking for Mimmie ?â€
Fritz was as usual taking
me from my nightly wrap-
fe pings, and only old Tabitha
was standing by.
“‘Mimmie, Mimmie, ah,
yes, of course, you told me
your strange little sister
had given the doll that ~
outlandish name. Well, Jonathan said it
was to be ten shillings.â€â€™
Ten shillings! Fritz gazed sadly at me
and sighed.
“But we don’t seem able to get sueh a.
price, though she’s well worth even more, I
reckon we must ask Jess, though in these
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†37
hard times it’s a shame! Time was when
the likes of that doll would have fetched
fifteen shillings.â€
“And what will you get now, do you
think?†gaid Fritz, anxiously.
“Tikely not more than seven and six-
pence,†grumbled Tabitha; ‘‘ for her fresh-
ness is going off, that it is, worse luck.â€
Fritz made no reply, but as he fixed me in
the window I noticed that he knitted his
brows as if in deep thought, and then smiled
at me, whispering, ‘“ Wait a while, Mistress
Mimmie, and perhaps, who knows——†He
nodded hopefully at me, but did not finish,
and I felt very curious to know what I was to
wait for. It was becoming rather tiresome,
this dangling in that little toy-shop window,
especially now I heard that my beauty was
getting less. I wondered if Nannie could see
me now if she would love me just as much.
Well, well, it was no use wondering; there
I was, and there I must stay until some one,
with a long purse, would take pity upon me.
Things seemed going all awry that day.
38 Fritz and His Work.
Jonathan was in a very crabby mood, and
-growled dreadfully at poor Fritz.
“ What’s the sense o’ your singing, ‘ Peace,
perfect peace ?’’’ he muttered ; ‘‘ there ain’t
no peace for folks as is losing money over
these toys. Look at that thing, dressed up
in her satin and laces! Will people pay her
proper price? No; a mean seven and six-
_ pence will be as much as we'll get. What’s
the world coming to, at Christmas time.
an’ all ?â€
Fritz did not answer; perhaps he didn’t
know what the world was coming to !
** Now then, what are you so mum over all
at once ; haven't I told you that Mrs. Tabitha
likes to hear you chirping about the shop.
Sing away at your “ Peace,†do, or she'll be
coming out o’ the parlour to know what’s
made you stop.â€
“ Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties prest,
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest!â€
sang Fritz.
“ Peace, perfect peace, Death shadowing us and
ours,
Jesus has vanquished Death, and all its powers.â€
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†39
- There -was a tremble in the last words.
“Tut, tut! and do you feel all that,
boy ?â€
“Yes, indeed I do, sir. I don’t think I
could bear some troubles if I didn’t believe
that Jesus’ will is always right.â€
‘** An’ don’t you be plaguing the lad,’ ex-
claimed Tabitha’s voice. ‘It ’d be a good
thing if every one were half as patient as he
is, Mr. Jonathan Grim. A sinful old couple
like us might do worse than listen to Fritz
Hermann.â€
“Certainly, Tabby,†said Jonathan, as he
always did when she spoke up in that sharp
way of hers; ‘‘ but,’’ he added, boldly, “you
didn’t use to care for such like things.â€
“An’ if I didn’t, time enough I should
begin,†Tabitha returned answer.
“Well, you know, Tabby, my dear,†he
said, timidly, ‘‘ Fritz would tell you it ain’t
just the thing to snap a man’s head off, as
the saying goes.â€
“Maybe you’re right, Jonathan. I ain’t
going to say I ain’t a snacky old woman; but
40 Fritz and His Work.
who can tell? Why, if I set my mind to it,
who's going to say I shan’t alter?â€
*‘Of course, of course,†he replied, as she
put this question to him; “ but ’tain’t an easy
matter, eh, eh, Master Fritz, what do you
say?â€
‘“With God all things are possible, sir,â€
Fritz said, respectfully, though firmly.
“There!†exclaimed Tabitha, “you hear
that, Jonathan; and if I give up snacking
you can give up some o’ your faults. We've
only to ask the Lord, that boy says; and he
wouldn’t tell a lie for a kingdom, not Fritz.â€
“Humph, humph! Well, here comes a
customer. Now then, miss, what can I do
for you?â€
“ How much is that doll in the pink satin ?â€â€™
eagerly asked a voice.
The long deep breath of anxiety that came
from Fritz was easy enough to hear.
“Well, miss, you shall have her for a
bargain, that you shall, as we’re wanting to
sell off our Christmas toys. What do you
think of eight shillings for a real wax doll,
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†41
what opens and shuts its eyes, says ‘Mamma’
as beautiful as possible, an’ is dressed in a
rich satin frock? No! Seven and sixpence
then, miss. Now, I can’t say no lower than
that ; you must take it or leave it, miss.â€
And the young lady left it, murmuring,
“ She is a beauty, but I couldn’t afford that!â€
“Well, ain’t it enough to make a saint
wild ?� burst out the old man, when she had
gone.
“But you aren’t a saint,†chuckled Tabitha.
‘Lor, there you go!’ he growled.
“So I do!†she said, remorsefully; “a bad
habit’s a nasty thing to get rid of, ain’t it?â€
She spoke in such a humble way for her,
that old Jonathan must have felt very sur-
prised, though he was too cross and put out
just then to say anything pleasant.
Presently Jonathan went out, and Tabitha
called Fritz to clean the counter. .
“‘How’s the child?†she said, with some
interest.
“Much about the same, ma’am, thank
you.†Fritz and Tabitha had got very
42, ' Fritz and His Work.
friendly lately, and he used to talk to her
about his little home and Nan’s quaint say-
ings. He must have done that old woman a
great deal of good, she was so different in
many ways.
“No stronger, eh ?â€
“Why no, alas! sometimes, I fear me, alle
never will be; and, poor little wee mite, she
has such lonely times without anything to
make the hours pass quickly. Mother must
leave her, now and then, to fetch and take
back work.; but ah!†with a sigh, ‘‘ there
hasn’t been much to fetch lately. Oh,ma’am,
how glad I am that you gave me a trial as
your shop boy. I think the Lord Himself
must haye whispered in my ear to come and
offer to work for you, just when you. did
require a lad! What should we have done
this winter without my shillings; I was
feeling so uESepe not to be able to help
poor little mother.’
At that moment in shuffled old J anathan,
“Now then, you Fritz Hermann; what's
this I hear about you? You call yourself a
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†43
good, respectable lad, do you, an’ when you
leave this shop, it isn’t to hurry home to your
mother. No, no. You don’t do that, as we
thought, and for which we let you off early.
Oh, you artful—you artful—with your meek
face and pretty words !â€â€™
“Stop that, Jonathan!†cried Tabby.
“You've been listening to some parcel o’
rubbish, [ll be bound. Not go home! don’t
tell me such nonsense. Of course he goes
home these cold dark nights.â€
*No, ma’am, I don’t,†said Fritz; ‘and
please, I never said I did (though I went home
each time I left early, because you said it
was for that). But why is Mr. Jonathan so
angry? I have not done harm.â€
“Don’t talk to me,’ growled the old man.
“What do you loiter about the streets for,
begging ; yes, Tabitha, he begs, just as though
we didn’t pay his wages. See his red face.â€
“Tt is because you do not say what is
true,†cried Fritz. “I never begged in my
life; I would not beg while I have strength
to work.â€
44 Fritz and His Work.
“Why do you stop people as they go by?
You were seen, I tell you, lad, and seen by
my friend, the man opposite, who knows you
well, and he saw them give you money.â€
“It is true,’ answered Fritz, with calm
dignity now; ‘“‘true that they handed me
money; but it was not given,†proudly, “it
was payment,â€
“For what?’ said Tabitha, who had been
standing by, quietly listening.
“T will tell you in two days!†he said,
quietly. ‘1 have not done harm.â€
‘** Then tell now, ’ cried the angry Jonathan.
“Two days! Tut, tut! it isa put off. You
are ashamed of begging.!—or,†he added,
“ something worse, maybe.â€
“You wrong me, as you will say soon,â€
was all the boy’s answer, in a sad reproachful
tone.
“Say! Does your mother know what you
do?â€
** No, sir ;†he hesitated, then repeated once
again, “‘I have not done harm.â€
I believe Jonathan would have turned the
“ Peace, perfect Peace.†45
boy away at once, so angry was he, had it not
been for the value of Fritz and his work.
Well he knew such another hardworking lad
would be difficult to find.
- €Ma’am, will you believe me?†I heard
Fritz ask, in a pitiful voice. ‘If you will
not, I must tell you about it now; but if you
will but trust me this little while I would so
like to wait two days.â€
How earnest and truthful was his voice !
“Aye, aye. Wait your time, an’ if you
wish,†old Tabby said; “TI can’t bring it to
my mind that you have done very wrong. All
the same, I don’t like it, lad, I don’t like it.
Hanging about streets of a night can bring
trouble; there are queer folks about, and a
boy’s place at night should be in his home.â€
“T have not stayed out long,’ murmured
Fritz,†and it seemed to me but harmless. I
hope I was not wrong. Oh! I hope not.â€
** Av’ so do I,†she whispered, quite softly ;
“it would grieve me sore. I couldn't bear to
find you only like most o’ the lads we’ve had,
after all,â€
46 Frits and His Work.
Poor old soul, she loved him by now. As
for Jonathan, perhaps it was because he
thought he had cause for disappointment in
Fritz that he was so upset and violent. We
must not be too vexed with his unkind words,
for they were spoken hastily, and maybe he
was sorry the next minute; for he marched,
or rather shuffled about, as if he did not feel
too happy.
When Fritz took me down that sai he
shook his head sorrowfully at me.
“Tt is a pity that you are quite so fine,
Mistress Mimmie,â€â€™ he said ; ‘“‘ even seven-and
sixpence is a large, a very large sum, but wait
a little longer.â€
- Oh, Fritz, how curious you made me, with
your mysterious ‘‘ wait.â€
-The next day came, and Fritz withit. Again
he put me in the window, and whispered,— -
“T wish you could turn your face away,
Mistress Mimmie, that the people might not
see how pretty you are ; but it would be hard,
after all this time, if now you should be
fancied.â€
“* Peace, perfect Peace.†47
What did this mean ?
It was the day before Christmas Eve, and
in spite of Jonathan’s grumbles yesterday, it
seemed to me that plenty of customers were
in and out of the toy-shop.
“We shall not shut up till late to-night,â€
said old Jonathan Grim, as he rubbed his
hands so smartly together that I could hear
his bony fingers cracking in the operation.
“ Things are looking up at last. We shall
be able to have a little Christmas fare, Tabby
my dear, without feeling we are going to the
work’us; but we mustn’t be extravagant, no,
no, Tabby !
What an old miser he was! As though
there were any fear of their going to the
workhouse, with all these toys being sold so
fast. I began to be nervous; would my turn
come soon, and what sort of a person would
claim me ?
I was rather surprised to see how very
cheerful Fritz seemed all that day. Certainly
he could not be afraid of any disgrace; but
then I never thought that he could do wrong.
48 Fritz and His Work.
I did hope I should hear his tale that would
clear away the old folks’ anger.
He was humming his “ Peace, perfect
peace,†a good many times that day; and
though Jonathan often grunted in an unplea-
sant way, he did not say anything to stop him.
He seemed anxious, did Fritz, when he
heard they would be late; I heard him ask,
“ How much later ?â€â€™
Tabitha answered: ‘“’Twon’t affect you;
you can get along at the usual hour.â€
Jonathan growled out something, but
Tabitha said, “I say he shall!†in her old
snappish voice, but the next moment added
gently, ‘You won’t contradict it, Jonathan,
when I ask it as a favour to me, now will you,
my dear?â€
“That lad’s bewitched you, Tabby, ’m
bothered if he ain’t; but o’ course, if you put
it in that way—why, why, oh, let him go as
soon ag you like. ’Tain’t often as you speak
like that, Tabby. Lor! it puts me in mind
o’ when we was first married, that it do!â€
and he sighed,
“ Peace, perfect Peace,†49
She chuckled pleasantly, ‘An’ why shouldn’t
we talk as we did then ? It ’d be a deal nicer,
after all, eh, Jonathan? We was always
‘Tabby’ and ‘ Jonny’ then.â€
“ So we was, so we was. Ah, what a woman
you was in those days!â€
“ Aw what a kind-spoken man my Jonathan
was!â€
I don’t know what tender memories would
not have cropped up, if the old folks had not
been disturbed by some customers; and very
soon Fritz was sent off home, and though a
good many people came in and stared at me,
no one offered to buy me that day.
Tabitha put me away in my box that night,
and she was muttering as she did so, “‘ Peace,
perfect peace!’ Ah, it must be a lovely
thing! We ain’t had much of it, poor old
Jonathan and me; but it seems almost as
though the Lord had shown us this evening
that we could, with Him to help us. For
’*twasn’t only cross old Tabitha who spoke
in that gentle way to-night. No, no; she
couldn’t a’ done it. It was the Lord who put
a ts
50 Fritz and His Work.
the gentle feeling in her heart, just as that
boy says He can.â€
Then, to my astonishment, her cracked old
voice struck up in a.quaver—
* Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin ;
The blood of Jesu whispers peace within.â€
CHAPTER IV.
Curistmas Eve.
tT was a glorious frosty morn-
ing, and my first thought, as
I came out into the light
again, was how bright a world
this is, for the shop seemed a
flood of sunshine, and the
icicles hanging from the
feomework of the window sparkled and shone
like diamonds in the light.
And Fritz, dear me! Had ever boy so glad
a face before? And he hugged me, yes, ac-
tually hugged me, just as some little girl
might have done.
‘“You dear Mistress Mimmie,’’ he aaid, as
though he could not help telling some one of
his delighted thoughts, “you shall do such
wonderful things this Christmas time. You
52 Fritz and His Work.
shall make two eyes grow bright and merry,
you shall make a tiny sad mouth, so merry,
so merry, and perhaps your medicine will do
such good to one wee creature, that another
bigger one will cheer up to see such wonders,
and oh! we will be so happy all through
you!â€
It was very nice to hear how much I had
power to do, but I didn’t quite understand
it all. .
Just as I was puzzling my head very
much indeed, ding, ding went the shop bell,
and in came a lady and a child. They
matched the bright morning, so cheerful and
‘happy a pair they looked.
_ donathan and Tabitha, hearing the bell,
‘came hurrying forward. Such early cus-
‘tomers were seldom seen, and these must be
good ones surely; their clothes were rich,
and their air one of prosperous happiness.
* The lady put up her vel, and showed a very
: pleasant face.
“Good morning,†she commenced; in a
clear brisk voice, ‘‘ my little daughter has
Christmas Eve. —- , 53°
brought me out. very early to see some -
wonderful doll she fell in love with yester- .
day, while walking by this shop with her
governess, and nothing would. do but I must
come before breakfast, so afraid was she of
it being sold. Is that not right, my Amy?
And now we fear that evil has happened, for
it has been taken from the window!â€
“Only for the night, ma’am,†cried Jona-
than, quickly, his face beaming.
I was in Fritz’s hands, just the other side
of the shop, and could see all that was hap-
pening.
It was written on the old man’s face, .
“‘Here’s my chance to make a pretty penny.
This lady is rich, and will give a good sum to,
please her spoilt child!â€
At that moment little Amy turned, and~
saw me.
‘‘There, there!†she exclaimed, ‘‘ mamma,
look! That is the doll I want for my Christ-_
mas gift. Do buy her, oh, do buy her!’
She ran towards me, holding out her arms;
but Fritz hugged me tighter, and his heart
54 Frite and His Work.
- beat, and beat against me, until I was quite
alarmed.
“Give the little lady the doll,†growled
Jonathan Grim.
“Ten shillings and sixpence, ma’am; ten
shillings and sixpence is all I asks for that
lovely doll; what opens and shuts its eyes,
says ‘Mamma’ quite beautiful, and is dressed
in a rich satin frock.†;
“Very well,†said the lady; ‘* but what’s
the matter with the little boy?’ Tears were
pouring down Fritz’s cheeks, and I feared my
“rich satin frock� would be quite spoilt, not
that Icared, oh dearno! but Jonathan would.
‘Eh, eh? What’s the matter, indeed, he’s
crazy, I do believe, a-ruining my property like
that. Give me that doll, sir, I say.â€
“No, no, no!†sobbed Fritz, ‘‘ you must hot
sell Nan’s Mimmie, she is mine. See, see!â€
and he pulled out a handkerchief, in which
some money was tied up, “‘ I have the money
that you said you would sell her for. Seven
and sixpence! Ah! I have not a penny more;
don’t take her away, don’t take her away.â€
Christmas Eve. 55
Old Jonathan grew as red as fire. “You
impudent young rascal, what do you mean by
such conduct?â€
“‘ Oh hush,†begged the lady; ‘‘ poor boy, he
is in such distress, don’t be angry with him.
Amy will have another doll, will you not, my
darling ?â€
‘‘We ain’t got another doll anything the
likes of that,†said Jonathan, who of course
was thinking of his ten and sixpence.
“Don’t take her away,†sobbed Fritz, “ it
will break Nannie’s heart, for I have promised
she shall have her ‘Mimmie’ to-day, and I
_have tried so hard to get the money before.â€
“Tut, tut, tut!’ suddenly cried Mrs. Tabi-
tha, wiping her glasses fiercely, “‘ an’ have the
doll you shall, Fritz, let Jonathan say what
he will. Ten and sixpence, eh? Well, well,
he shall have his ten and sixpence too.â€
She tugged at her pocket, dragged out an
old leather purse, and counted three shillings
upon the counter, before old Jonathan’s blink-
ing eyes.
All this while Amy stood round-eyed and
56 Frite and His Work.
dismayed, and her mamma looked from one
to the other, with a good’ deal of feeling ex-
pressed on her face. ot
“Wait a bit, wait a bit! » said Jonathan,
“how do we know that:he came by that
money quite honestly? What about this
night work o’ his after he leaves our shop.
Let him tell us that afore ‘he takes your
money, Tabitha, and my property!â€
“*Tain’t your property now, Jonathan,†she
said, more quietly, ‘‘it belongs to only Fritz,
and it’s paid for, and settled, ’fore he says a
word. If we can’t trust such a boy as that.
good gentle lad, why we’re a more suspicious,
wicked old couple- than I thought, that’s all.â€
“God bless you, ma’am,†Fritz said, in a
trembling tone, “I’m going to tell you all;
but I will never forget you trusted me before
I said a word.
’ “Tt was all for Mimmie, as Nan calls this
doll. When mother had it home to dress it
out in all this satin and lace, our wee Nan,
who takes such odd ideas into her poor aching
head, grew to love this wax thing as much as
Christmas Eve. 57
if it were a real live baby; and when she was
worse, and light-headed, her cry was so sad
to hear. ‘Bring me Mimmie, I want Mimmie,
and Mimmie wants me.’ It fretted mother
dreadfully, but we had no money to spare,
and even mother’s needlework was getting
less.
‘“‘« Fritz,’ said Nannie, one night, ‘bring
me Mimmie, and I will get well.’
“She did not know, my little Nan, in her
fever, that I had not the shillings; but I
thought, and thought, until I had a plan, and
I hoped it was the dear Lord Jesus who sent
it to me.
‘“*T draw so cleverly, my little mother says
(just as my dear father used to do), and I
could make Nan and her laugh so much at
my pictures. Very well, I thought, I will
make others laugh, and they shall pay one,
two, and three pence for my funny pictures.
I will sell them in the busy streets at night,
on my way home, and I will get up so early
to draw fresh pictures every day with my
pretty coloured crayons. I will not tell any-
58 Fritz and His Work.
one, I said, lest I should fail, and Nannie fret
the more. But last night I made up the seven
shillings and sixpence, as I reckoned that I
might, and I whispered to my crippled Nan,
. Cheer up, to-morrow Mimmie shall be your
own.’ :
“That is all, dear ma ‘aain,†Fritz finished,
with his eyes on Tabitha. “But ah! how I
have dreaded that she would be sold, and all
my work in vain!â€
The richly-dressed lady was brushing a tear
from her cheek; old Jonathan was muttering
‘“Humph, humph, an’ who was to guess all
this?†But Tabitha, sharp good-hearted
old Tabitha, went to the lad, and stroked his
burning cheek with her wrinkled hand.
“You might ’a’ trusted me, laddie, I would
have helped you if you had.â€
“But I wanted to surprise you, and Mr.
Jonathan, dear ma’am, with a drawing for a
Christmas greeting,†and still clasping me in
one arm, he went to the side shelf, and took
down a large sheet of cardboard, hidden be-
hind some toys. I caught a glimpse of it as
Christmas Eve. 59
silently he passed it to her, and really, if a
doll could start, I should have done so then.
It was so wonderful. There was the inside
of the toy shop, with its shelves filled with
carts, and drums, and bats and balls, while
standing behind the little counter was Jona-
than, just fixing his glasses on his big red
nose, and smiling more amiably than he often
did, and Tabitha sat close by, knitting away,
as she always did in the afternoons. It was
wonderful, truly wonderful, how Fritz could
have done all this.
-“Tor, lor!’? mumbled Jonathan, forgetting
everything in his delight. ‘If that ain’t a
stunner, my name ain’t Jonathan Grim!â€
Tabitha said not a word, but something in her
eye must have shamed her husband, for he
said uncomfortably :
“You needn’t look like that, Tabby, my
dear. O’ course I see I was wrong, and Fritz
is—is as good as we thought he was. I ain’t
too proud to say, afore this lady too, that I
was rough on Fritz, who has done his duty
by us, fine gentleman as we feared he’d be.â€
60 Fritz and His Work.
‘“‘He’s better than a fine gentleman, I am .
thinking,’ smiled the lady, who had been.
whispering to Amy ‘‘ not to mind the doll, she
should have a better,†which really was
rather rude to me; but there! people don’t.
care for what dolls feel.
“‘T should much like to see this little Nan,
my boy; will you tell me where you live?â€
Fritz gave the address of their lodgings
and then brought forth a bit of paper, shyly, .
yet rather proudly. :
“Will you see this, ma’am, it is my mother
and Nan too?†‘The lady looked, started,
and looked again.
“Is it possible? My dear child, take me
to your mother at once, I cannot wait one
hour.†Her eyes were overflowing, and her
lips trembling. ‘To think I should find my
pretty Gretchen after all these years, through
this lad and his doll.â€
“You know my iiother,†faltered Fritz.
“Know her, child, indeed I do. We were
friends as children together, girls together,
and loved one another as dearly as sisters.
Christmas Eve. 61
“But at last my father took me to Australia
‘for some years, and during that time I heard
‘your mother had lost her parents, and
married a young artist. She wrote to me
‘from Germany (our native home) for some
time, but gradually our correspondence ceased,
or rather I should say hers, for I wrote many
times, and longed in vain for an answer.
“‘T was married too, by then, and we went
back to Germany for a while: but I was told
your mother and father had left for England,
‘where it was feared they were tasting poverty ;
but none knew her address, for alas, my poor
Gretchen was so proud, she would, I knew,
avoid her old friends, lest they should try to
help her. It was her great fault, that mis-
taken pride. -
“We are living in London now, and,
strange to say, my husband is an artist too.
You shall be made to have his help, my dear
little lad, whatever proud little Gretchen may
‘gay. Come, take me to her.â€
She held out her hand to the shop-boy.
In truth, she was not proud, and as Tabitha
62, Fnvtiz. and His Work.
said gently, ‘‘ Aye, go, and may the Lord you
have trusted, Fritz, reward you with some-
thing better than shop work, though it is a
dark day that will take you from us.†.
We were soon on our way to that queer
shabby room I had so often longed to visit.
Now, can you picture the scene that took
place? The excited cry of joy that tiny Nan
gave as she snatched me in her arms, no
longer with butterfly kisses, but warm, eager
ones.. .
Can you imagine how Fritz’s tale had to be
told all over again, before the pale, golden-
haired little mother could understand any-
thing?
And, oh dear! can you picture the kisses,
the tears, the rich lady declaring it was the
happiest Christmas she had ever known, and
Gretchen Hermann promising to put away
such wrong pride with a friend who loved her
like a sister. 7 ; ;
Then nothing would do but Fritz must go
and buy dainty rolls, pies, and all sorts of
good things for them all to have a late break-
Christmas Eve. 63
fast together, which breakfast .caused . Miss
Amy much amusement, and she and Nan
grew so friendly, I was almost jealous.
In the midst of it all, Fritz started up.
“Tam wrong; to-day, this busy day, I must
not leave the shop like this. It is cruel, and
Mrs. Tabitha will be wanting help.â€
The women looked at each other, and then
the rich lady said: ‘‘ Then you shall go, dear
child, for this once more. You shall finish
your work honestly on Christmas Eve; but it
is for the last time, the very: last time.â€
. We will find-work more suitable for you,
_ though I agree with you that it was well to
do the humble work that lay at hand, sooner
than be idle. But the necessity is over. God
has sent me now to help you all, and with His
blessing, so I will. I knew a child as ill with
her spine as ever Nan, but she was cured;
and please the Lord, dear Nan shall be, if
doctoring and nursing in some purer air can
do it.â€
Gretchen, do not fear, you shall not be
quite dependent, proud little woman. There
64 Lritzg and His Work.
are plenty of things we will find for you to do,
that shall be nicer than dolls’ dressmaking ;
but at present you must trust to me—nay
not to me—to God, dear friend.’â€
Now I can’t tell you what the old éoupts at
the shop said to Fritz, but I do know that he
goes to see them to this day, although he will
be a famous painter, folks say, earning a
fortune of gold. While I, oh, J am still Nan’s
‘lovely Mimmie.†But she is getting a big
girl, and so rosy, and so fat, that no one .
would know her for the thin litile lass who
caused her mother so much grief and anxiety
in the days of long ago, when Fritz first
found work, and did it well and cheerfully
because, they say, ‘“‘ He worked with trust in
the Lord!â€
LONDON; KNIGHT, PRINTER, MIDDLE STREET, AILDERSGATE, E.C.
Setina, the Turkish Captive,
Show Your Colowrs.
Always too Late.
The Patched Frock.
The Story he was Told.
Stephen Grattan’s Baith.
David the Scholar.
DVired of Home,
Setting Out for Heaven.
The Stolen Money.
Helen's Stewardship,
Pat Riley's Friends.
Olive Crowhurst.
The White Feather.
Steenie Alloway's Adventures.
Angel's Christmas.
Cottage Life; its Lights and
Shadows,
The Raven's Teather,
Aunt Milly's Dianonds, and
Our Cousin from India.
How the Golden Bagle was
Caught. < .
Bmily’s Trouble and what é
_ taught her. J =
Lhe Adopted Son,
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