THE LIEUTENANT'S STORY CONCLUDED. 283 
children and go to the play. But they're none of 'em 
over-strong, and 'twon't do to take 'em out in this snow. 
Besides, like 's not, 'twill storm all day." 
" Children? " exclaimed Mr. Broadstreet, seeing a way 
out of his difficulty ; how many ? " 
" Two girls and a boy, all under seven." 
" Got any Christmas presents for them ? — don't mind 
my asking." 
" Well, I'd just 's lief show you what I have got. 
'Tain't much, you know, but then it's somethin ^ 
He stepped inside the door, laid aside his snowy mit- 
tens, and, taking from the corner of the seat a small, 
brown parcel, carefully removed the string and wrap- 
pings. 
" There ! " he said, with a sort of pleading pride in his 
eyes. " I guess these'll please 'em some. 'Tain't much, 
you know," he added again, glancing at his passenger's 
fur cap, as he displayed the presents on the car-seat. 
A very red-cheeked and blue-eyed doll, with a placid 
countenance quite out of keeping with her arms ; these 
members being so constructed as to occupy only two 
positions, one of which expressed unbounded astonish- 
ment, and the other gloomy resignation ; — a transparent 
slate, with a dim cow under the glass, and "15 cts." 
plainly marked in lead-pencil on one corner of the frame ; 
— and a rattle for the girl baby. 
As the conductor held up these articles in his stiff, red 
fingers, turning the doll about so as to show her flaxen 
