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Speaker 1: The Boy with the Box by Mary Griggs van Voorhee's.

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It was an ideal Christmas day. The sun shone brightly,

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but the air was crisp and cold, and snow and

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ice lay sparkling everywhere. A light wind the night before

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had swept the blue ice bound river clean of scattering snow,

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and by two o'clock in the afternoon the broad bend

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near Creighton's Mill was fairly alive with skaters, the girls

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in gay caps and scarves, the boys in sweaters and

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mackinaws of every conceivable hue, with here and there a plump,

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matronly figure in a plush coat or a tiny fellow

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in scarlet, made a picture of life and brilliancy worthy

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of an artist's finest skill. Tom Reynolds moved in and

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out among the happy throng with swift, easy strokes, his

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cap on the back of his curly head, and his

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brown eyes shining with excitement. Now and again he glanced

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down with pardonable pride at the brand new skates that

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twinkled beneath his feet. Jolly ramblers, sure enough, Jolly ramblers

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they were. Ever since Ralph Evans had remarked with a

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tantalizing toss of his handsome head that no game fellow

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would try to skate on anything but jolly ramblers. Tom

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had yearned with an inexpressible longing for a pair of

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these wonderful skates, and now they were his, and the

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ice was fine, and the Christmas sun was shining. Tom

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was rounding the Big Bend for the fiftieth time when

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he saw, skimming gracefully toward him through the merry crowd,

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a tall boy in a fur trimmed coat, his handsome

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head proudly erect. That's Ralph Evans, now, said Tom to himself.

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Just wait till you see these gates, old boy, and

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maybe you won't feel so smart. And with slow, cautious strokes,

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he made his way through laughing boys and girls to

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a place just in front of the tall skater coming

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toward him down the broad white Way. When Ralph was

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almost upon him, Tom paused, and, in conspicuous silence, looked

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down at his shining skates. Hello, said Ralph, good naturedly,

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seizing Tom's arm and swinging around. Then taking in the

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situation with a careless glance, he added, get a new

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pair of skates for Christmas. Jolly Ramblers, said Tom, impressively,

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the best Jolly ramblers on the market. Ralph was a

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full half head the taller, but as Tom delivered himself

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of this speech, with his head held high, he felt

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every inch as tall as the boy before him. If

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Ralph was deeply impressed, he failed to show it, as

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he answered carelessly, Huh, that's so pretty good little skates.

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They are the Jolly Ramblers. You said, no game fellow

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would use any other make, said Tom hotly. Oh bet

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that was nearly a year ago, said Ralph. I got

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a new pair of skates for Christmas too, he added,

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as if it had just occurred to him, club House

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skates something new in the market just this season. Just

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look at the curve of that skate, will you, he added,

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lifting a foot for inspection, and that clamp that you

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couldn't shake off if you had to. They're guaranteed for

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a year two and if anything gives out, you get

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a new pair for nothing three and a half they

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cost at mister Harrison's hardware store. I gave my Jolly

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Ramblers to a kid about your size. A mighty good

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little skate they are, and with a long, graceful stroke

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Ralph Evans skated away, and it seemed to Tom Reynolds

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that all his Christmas joy went skimming away behind him.

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The sun still shone, the ice still gleamed, the skaters

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laughed and sang, but Tom moved slowly on with listless,

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heavy strokes. The jolly ramblers still twinkled beneath his feet,

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but he looked down at them no more. What was

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the use of jolly ramblers when Ralph Evans had a

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pair of club house skates that cost a dollar more,

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had a graceful curve than a faultless clamp, and were

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guaranteed for a year. It was only four o'clock when

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Tom slipped his new skates carelessly over his shoulder and

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started up the bank for home. He was slouching down

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the the main street, head down, hands thrust deep into

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his pockets, when, on turning a corner, he ran plump

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into a full moon. Now I know it is rather

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unusual for full moons to be walking about the streets

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by daylight, but that is the only adequate description of

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the round, freckled face that beamed at Tom from behind

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a great box held by two sturdy arms that came

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pretty near being a collision, said the owner of the

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Full Moon, still beaming as he set down the box

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and leaned against a building to rest a moment nobody heard.

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I guess, said Tom. Been down to the ice, asked

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the boy eagerly. I could see the skaters from Patten's store. Oh,

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I see you got some new skates for Christmas? Ain't

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they beauties? Now? And he beamed on the despised John

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Ramblers with his heart in his little blue eyes. A

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pretty good little pair of skates, said Tom, in Ralph's

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condescending tone. Good well, I should guess, yes, and Christmas

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Ice just made a purpose. In spite of his ill humor,

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Tom could not help responding to the warm interest of

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the shabby boy at his side. He knew him to

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be Harvey mc ginnis, the son of a poor Irish

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widow who worked at Patten's department store out of school hours.

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Looking at the great box with an awakening interest, he

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remarked kindly, what you been doin with yourself on Christmas Day?

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Want to know? Sure enough, said Harvey mysteriously, his round

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face beaming more brightly than ever. Well, I've been doin

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the santy Claus Act. Down at Patten's store about a

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week ago, he went on, leaning back eave against the

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tall building and thrusting his hands down deep into his

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well worn pockets. About a week ago, as I was

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cleaning out the storeroom, I came on three big boxes

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with broken dolls in 'em. Beauties. They were, I can

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tell you, the Lady Jane in a blue silk dress,

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the Lady Clara belle and pink, and the Lady Matilda

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and shimmer and white. Nothing wrong with them either, only

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broken rubbers that put their giants out of whack and

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set their heads a roll in this way. And that

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they could be fixed in no time, I says to myself,

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And what a prize they'd be for the kids, to

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be sure. For Mom and me had racked our brains

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considerable how we'd scrape together the money for Christmas things

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for the girls. So I went to the boss and

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I asked him right out what he'd charge me for

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the three ladies just as they was. And he says, Jimmy,

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he says, I've told him me name a dozen times,

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but he all has caused me. Jimmy, Jimmy, he says,

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if you'll come down on Christmas Day, and help me

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take down the fixin's and fix up the store for

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regular trade. I'll give you the dolls for nothin, he says.

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So I explained to the kids that Sandy'd be late

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to our house this year, with so many to see after,

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it wouldn't be strange. And went down to the store

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early this morning and finished me work and fixed up

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the ladies as good as new. Would you like to

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be seein em now, he added, turning to the great

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box with a look of pride. Sure I'd like to

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see em, said Tom, with careful, almost reverent touch. Harvey

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untied the string and opened the large box, disclosing three

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smaller boxes, one above the other. Opening the first box,

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he revealed a really handsome doll in a blue silk dress,

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with large, dark eyes that opened up and shut, and dark,

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curling locks of real hair. This is the Lady Jane,

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he said, smoothing her gay frock with gentle fingers. We're

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going to give her to Kitty. Kitty's hair is pretty

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and curly, but she hates it cause it's red, and

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she thinks black hair is the prettiest kind in the world.

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Ain't it funny how all of us will be wantin

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what we don't have ourselves. Tom did not reply to

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this bit of philosophy, but he laid a repentant hand

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on the jolly Ramblers, as if he knew he had

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wronged them in his heart. That's as handsome a doll

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as ever I saw, and no mistake, he said. Pleased

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with this praise, Harvey opened the second box and disclosed

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the Lady Matilda, with fair golden curls and a dress

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of shimmer and white. The lady Matilda goes to Josephine,

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said Harvey. Josephine has black hair straight as a string,

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and won't she laugh though to see them fetchin yellow curls.

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She surely ought to be glad, said Tom. The Lady

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Clara Belle was another fair haired lady in a gown

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of the brightest pink. This here, beauty's for the baby,

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said Harvey, his eyes glowing. She don't care if the

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hair's black or yellow, but won't that stunnin dress make

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her eyes pop out? They'll surely believe in sandy when

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they see those beauties, said Tom. That's just what I

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was sayin to Mom this morning, said Harvey. Kitty's had

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some doubts. She's almost nine, but when she sees those

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fine ladies, she'll be dead. Sure, Mom, and I didn't

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buy em. If I had a Sandy clawsuit, i'd dress

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up an hand em out myself. Tom's face lighted with

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a bright idea. My brother Bob's got a Santa Claus

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suit that he used in a show last Christmas, he said, Say,

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let me dress up and play Santa for you. The

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girls would never guess who I was, wouldn't they stare, though,

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said Harvey delightedly. But do you think you'd want to

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take time? He asked apologetically, And you with a new

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pair of skates and the ice like this, Of course

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I want to. If you'll let me, said Tom, I'll

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skate down the river and meet you anywhere. You say,

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out in our back yard. Then at seven o'clock, said Harvey,

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all right, I'll be there, and with head up and

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skates clinking, Tom hurried away. It was a flushed, excited

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boy who burst into the Reynolds quiet sitting room a

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few minutes later, with his skates still hanging on his

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shoulder and his cap in his hand. Say, mother, he cried,

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Can I have Bob's Santa Claus suit this evening. Please,

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I'm going to play Santa Claus for Harvey mc ginnis.

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Play Santa Claus for Harvey mc ginnis. What do you mean, child?

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You know missus mc ginnis mother, that poor woman who

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lives in the little house by the river. Her husband

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got killed on the railroad last winter. You know, well,

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Harvey her boy, has fixed up some grand looking dolls

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for his sisters, and he wants me to come out

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and play Santa tonight. And Tom launched out into a

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long story about Harvey and his good fortune. He must

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be a splendid boy, said Missus Reynolds heartily. And I

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am sure I shall be glad to have you go.

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And another thing, mother, said Tom, hesitating a little. Do

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you think Grandma would care if I spent part of

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that five dollars she gave me for a pair of

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skates for Harvey. He hasn't any skates at all, and

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I know he just loved to have some. It is

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generous of you to think of it, said his mother,

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much pleased. And you would still have two and a

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half for that little trip down to Grandma's. But I'd

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like to get him some clubhouse skates, said Tom, they're

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a new kind that costs three dollars and a half.

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But I thought you said the Jolly Ramblers were the

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best skates made. Missus Reynolds looked somewhat hurt as she

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glanced from Tom to the skates on his shoulder, and

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back to Tom again. They are, mother, They're just dandies,

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said Tom, blushing with shame that he could ever have

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despised his mother's gift. But these clubhouse skates are just

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the kind for Harvey. You see, Harvey's shoes are old

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and worn, and these clubhouse skates have clamps that you

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can't shake loose if you have to. Then if anything

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happens to them before the year's up, you get a

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new pair free. And Harvey, you know, wouldn't have any

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money to be fixing skates. Well, do as you like,

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said Missus Reynolds, pleased with Tom's eagerness for such a

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spell of generosity was something new in her selfish younger son.

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But remember you will have to wait awhile for your

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visit to Grandma. All right, and thank you, mother, said Tom.

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You can buy the skates down at Harrison's. And I'm

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going over and asked mister Harrison. If he won't open

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up the store and get a pair for me for

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a special time like this, I'm most sure he will.

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And away he flew that evening. At seven, as the

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moon was rising over the eastern hills, a short, portly

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Santa Claus stepped out of the dry reeds by the

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river bank and walked with wonderfully nimble feet right into

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the mc ginnis's little back yard. As he neared the

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small back porch, a dark figure rose to greet him,

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one and held up in warning, the other, holding at

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arm's length a bulky grainsack full to the brim. Here's

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your pack, Santie, he whispered, gleefully. They're all waitin in

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the front room. Yonder. I'll slip in the back way

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whilst you go round and give a good thump at

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the front door, and Mamma let you in. Trembling with eagerness,

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Tom tiptoed round the house, managing to slip an oblong

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package into the capacious depths of the big sack. As

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he did so, thump, thump, how his knock re echoed

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in the frosty air. The door swung wide, and Missus

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mc ginnis's gaunt figure stood before him. Good evening, Santie,

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come right in, she said. Tom had always thought what

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a homely woman Harvey's mother was when he happened to

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meet her at the grocery, with her thin red hair

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drawn severely back from her face and a black shawl

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over her head. But as he looked up into her big,

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kind face, so full of Christmas sunshine, he wondered he

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could ever have thought her anything but lovely. The room

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was small and bare, but wonderfully gay, with pine and

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bits of red and green crepe paper saved from the

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fixens at the store, and on a large bed in

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the corner sat the three little girls, Kitty with her

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bright curls bobbing, Josephine with her black braid sticking straight out,

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and the baby with tiny blue eyes that twinkled and

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shone like Harvey's. The fine speech that Tom had been

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saying over to himself for the past two hours seemed

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to vanish into thin air before this excited little audience,

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But in faltering, stammering tones which everyone was too excited

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to notice, he managed to say something about merry Christmas

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and good children, and then proceeded to open the magic sack,

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Miss Kitty mc ginnis, he called, in deep gruff tones.

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Kitty took the box he offered, with shy embarrassment, slowly

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drew back the lid and gave a cry of amazement

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and delight. A doll O, the loveliest doll that ever was,

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she cried. Then, turning to her brother, she whispered as

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softly as excitement would permit. Oh, Harvey, I'm a feared

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you paid too much. Ah go on, said Harvey, his

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face more like a full moon than ever. Don't you

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know that Sandy can do whatever he wants to the

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other dolls were received with raptures. Josephine stroking the golden

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curls of the Lady Matilda with wondering fingers, and the

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baby dancing round and round, waving the pink robed Lady

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Clara Belle above her head. Mister Harvey mc ginnis came

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the gruff tones of Santa Claus, and Harvey smiled over

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to his mother as he drew out a pair of

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stout cloth gloves. Missus mc ginnis, and that good lady

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smiled back as she shook out a dainty white apron

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with a coarse embroidery ruffle. I reckon, Sandy wanted you

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to wear that of a Sunday afternoon, said Harvey awkwardly.

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And I'll be proud to do it, said his mother.

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Little sacks of candy were next produced, and everyone settled

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down to enjoy it, thinking that the bottom of the

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big sack must be reached when Santa called out in

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tones that trembled beneath the gruffness, another package for mister

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Harvey mc ginnis for me. Wha what, said Harvey, taking

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the heavy, oblong bundle. Then as the sparkling club house

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skates met his view, his face lit up with a

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glory that Tom never forgot. The glory lasted but a moment.

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Then he turned a troubled face toward the bulky Old Saint.

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You never ought to a done it, he said. These

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must have cost a lot. Aw go on was the reply,

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in a distinctly boyish tone. Don't you know that Sandy

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can do whatever he wants to? And with a prodigious bow,

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Old Santa was gone. A few minutes later, a slender

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boy with a bundle under his arm was skating swiftly

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down the shining river in the moonlight as he rounded

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the bend, A tall figure in a fur trimmed coat

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came skimming slowly toward him, and a voice called out,

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in Ralph Evans's condescending tones, well how are the jolly

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ramblers doing tonight? But the answer this time was clear

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and glad and triumphant. The best in the world, said Tom.

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And isn't this the glorious night for skating? End of

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The Boy with the Box by Mary Griggs van Vorhees