{"id":5479,"date":"2023-12-22T10:47:25","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T14:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/the-boy-with-the-box\/"},"modified":"2023-12-22T10:47:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T14:47:25","slug":"the-boy-with-the-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/the-boy-with-the-box\/","title":{"rendered":"The Boy with the Box"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

\n

This short story was first published in 1916 by Mary Griggs Van Voorhis. It is a heartwarming story about love, empathy, and doing the right thing. I hope you enjoy it this Christmas season.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

It was an ideal Christmas day. The sun shone brightly but the air was crisp and cold, and snow and ice lay sparkling everywhere. A light wind, the night before, had swept the blue, icebound river clean of scattering snow; and, by two o\u2019clock in the afternoon, the broad bend near Creighton\u2019s mill was fairly alive with skaters. <\/p>\n

The girls in gay caps and scarfs, the boys in sweaters and mackinaws of every conceivable hue, with here and there a plump, matronly figure in a plush coat or a tiny fellow in scarlet, made a picture of life and brilliancy worthy of an artist\u2019s finest skill.<\/p>\n

Tom Reynolds moved in and out among the happy throng, with swift, easy strokes, his cap on the back of his curly head, and his brown eyes shining with excitement. Now and again, he glanced down with pardonable pride, at the brand new skates that twinkled beneath his feet. \u201cJolly Ramblers,\u201d sure enough \u201cJolly Ramblers\u201d they were! <\/p>\n

Ever since Ralph Evans had remarked, with a tantalizing toss of his handsome head, that \u201cno game fellow would try to skate on anything but \u2018Jolly Ramblers,’\u201d Tom had yearned, with an inexpressible longing, for a pair of these wonderful skates. And now they were his and the ice was fine and the Christmas sun was shining!<\/p>\n

Tom was rounding the big bend for the fiftieth time, when he saw, skimming gracefully toward him through the merry crowd, a tall boy in a fur-trimmed coat, his handsome head proudly erect.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Ralph Evans now,\u201d said Tom to himself. \u201cJust wait till you see these skates, old boy, and maybe you won\u2019t feel so smart!\u201d <\/p>\n

And with slow, cautious strokes, he made his way through laughing boys and girls to a place just in front of the tall skater, coming toward him down the broad white way. When Ralph was almost upon him, Tom paused and in conspicuous silence, looked down at his shining skates.<\/p>\n

\u201cHullo,\u201d said Ralph good naturedly, seizing Tom\u2019s arm and swinging around. Then, taking in the situation with a careless glance, he added, \u201cGet a new pair of skates for Christmas?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Jolly Ramblers,’\u201d said Tom impressively, \u201cthe best \u2018Jolly Ramblers\u2019 in the market!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ralph was a full half head the taller, but, as Tom delivered himself of this speech with his head held high, he felt every inch as tall as the boy before him.<\/p>\n

If Ralph was deeply impressed he failed to show it, as he answered carelessly, \u201cHuh, that so? Pretty good little skates they are, the \u2018Jolly Ramblers!’\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said no game fellow would use any other make,\u201d said Tom hotly.<\/p>\n

\u201cO but that was nearly a year ago,\u201d said Ralph. \u201cI got a new pair of skates for Christmas, too,\u201d he added, as if it had just occurred to him, \u201c\u2018Club House\u2019 skates, something new in the market just this season. Just look at the curve of that skate, will you?\u201d he added, lifting a foot for inspection, \u201cand that clamp that you couldn\u2019t shake off if you had to! They\u2019re guaranteed for a year, too, and if anything gives out, you get a new pair for nothing. Three and a half, they cost, at Mr. Harrison\u2019s hardware store. I gave my \u2018Jolly Ramblers\u2019 to a kid about your size. A mighty good little skate they are!\u201d And, with a long, graceful stroke, Ralph Evans skated away.<\/p>\n

And it seemed to Tom Reynolds that all his Christmas joy went skimming away behind him. <\/p>\n

The sun still shone, the ice still gleamed, the skaters laughed and sang, but Tom moved slowly on, with listless, heavy strokes. The \u201cJolly Ramblers\u201d still twinkled beneath his feet, but he looked down at them no more. What was the use of \u201cJolly Ramblers\u201d when Ralph Evans had a pair of \u201cClub House\u201d skates that cost a dollar more, had a graceful curve, and a faultless clamp, and were guaranteed for a year?<\/p>\n

It was only four o\u2019clock when Tom slipped his new skates carelessly over his shoulder and started up the bank for home. He was slouching down the main street, head down, hands thrust deep into his pockets, when, on turning a corner, he ran plump into\u2013a full moon! Now I know it is rather unusual for full moons to be walking about the streets by daylight; but that is the only adequate description of the round, freckled face that beamed at Tom from behind a great box, held by two sturdy arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat came pretty near being a collision,\u201d said the owner of the full moon, still beaming, as he set down the box and leaned against a building to rest a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody hurt, I guess,\u201d said Tom.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeen down to the ice?\u201d asked the boy, eagerly. \u201cI could see the skaters from Patton\u2019s store. O, I see, you got some new skates for Christmas! Ain\u2019t they beauties, now?\u201d And he beamed on the despised \u201cJolly Ramblers\u201d with his heart in his little blue eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cA pretty good little pair of skates,\u201d said Tom, in Ralph\u2019s condescending tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood! Well I should guess yes! And Christmas ice just made o\u2019 purpose!\u201d In spite of his ill humor, Tom could not help responding to the warm interest of the shabby boy at his side. He knew him to be Harvey McGinnis, the son of a poor Irish widow, who worked at Patton\u2019s department store out of school hours. Looking at the great box with an awakening interest, he remarked, kindly, \u201cWhat you been doin\u2019 with yourself on Christmas day?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant to know, sure enough?\u201d said Harvey, mysteriously, his round face beaming more brightly than ever, \u201cWell, I\u2019ve been doin\u2019 the Santy Claus act down at Patton\u2019s store.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout a week ago,\u201d he went on, leaning back easily against the tall building and thrusting his hands down deep into his well worn pockets, \u201cabout a week ago, as I was cleaning out the storeroom, I came on three big boxes with broken dolls in \u2019em. Beauties they were, I kin tell you, the Lady Jane in a blue silk dress, the Lady Clarabel in pink, and the Lady Matilda in shimmerin\u2019 white. Nothin\u2019 wrong with \u2019em either only broken rubbers that put their jints out o\u2019 whack and set their heads arollin\u2019 this way and that. \u2018They could be fixed in no time, I ses to myself, \u2018and what a prize they\u2019d be fer the kids to be sure!\u2019 For mom and me had racked our brains considerable how we\u2019d scrape together the money for Christmas things for the girls.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I went to the boss and I asked him right out what he\u2019d charge me for the three ladies just as they wus, and he ses, \u2018Jimmie,\u2019 he ses (I\u2019ve told him me name a dozen times, but he allus calls me \u2018Jimmie\u2019), \u2018Jimmie,\u2019 he ses, \u2018if you\u2019ll come down on Christmas day and help me take down the fixin\u2019s and fix up the store for regular trade, I\u2019ll give you the dolls fer nothin\u2019,\u2019 he ses.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I explained to the kids that Santy\u2019d be late to our house this year (with so many to see after it wouldn\u2019t be strange) and went down to the store early this morning and finished me work and fixed up the ladies es good es new. Would you like to be seein\u2019 \u2019em, now?\u201d he added, turning to the great box with a look of pride.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, I\u2019d like to see \u2019em,\u201d said Tom.<\/p>\n

With careful, almost reverent touch, Harvey untied the string and opened the large box, disclosing three smaller boxes, one above the other. Opening the first box, he revealed a really handsome doll in a blue silk dress, with large dark eyes that opened and shut and dark, curling locks of \u201creal hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the Lady Jane,\u201d he said, smoothing her gay frock with gentle fingers. \u201cWe\u2019re goin\u2019 to give her to Kitty. Kitty\u2019s hair is pretty and curly, but she hates it, \u2019cause it\u2019s red; and she thinks black hair is the prettiest kind in the world. Ain\u2019t it funny how all of us will be wantin\u2019 what we don\u2019t have ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom did not reply to this bit of philosophy; but he laid a repentant hand on the \u201cJolly Ramblers\u201d as if he knew he had wronged them in his heart. \u201cThat\u2019s as handsome a doll as ever I saw and no mistake,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pleased with this praise, Harvey opened the second box and disclosed the Lady Matilda with fair golden curls and a dress of \u201cshimmerin\u2019 white.\u201d \u201cThe Lady Matilda goes to Josephine,\u201d said Harvey. \u201cJosephine has black hair, straight as a string, and won\u2019t she laugh, though, to see them fetchin\u2019 yellow curls?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe surely ought to be glad,\u201d said Tom.<\/p>\n

The Lady Clarabel was another fair-haired lady in a gown of the brightest pink. \u201cThis here beauty\u2019s for the baby,\u201d said Harvey, his eyes glowing. \u201cShe don\u2019t care if the hair\u2019s black or yellow, but won\u2019t that stunnin\u2019 dress make her eyes pop out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll surely believe in Santy when they see those beauties,\u201d said Tom.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just what I was sayin\u2019 to mom this morning,\u201d said Harvey. \u201cKitty\u2019s had some doubts, (she\u2019s almost nine), but when she sees those fine ladies she\u2019ll be dead sure mom and I didn\u2019t buy \u2019em. If I had a Santy Claus suit, I\u2019d dress up and hand \u2019em out myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom\u2019s face lighted with a bright idea. \u201cMy brother Bob\u2019s got a Santa Claus suit that he used in a show last Christmas,\u201d he said. \u201cSay, let me dress up and play Santa for you. The girls would never guess who I was!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t they stare, though!\u201d said Harvey, delightedly. \u201cBut do you think you\u2019d want to take time,\u201d he asked apologetically, \u201cand you with a new pair of skates and the ice like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I want to if you\u2019ll let me,\u201d said Tom. \u201cI\u2019ll skate down the river and meet you anywhere you say.\u201d \u201cOut in our back yard, then, at seven o\u2019clock,\u201d said Harvey. \u201cAll right, I\u2019ll be there!\u201d and with head up, and skates clinking, Tom hurried away.<\/p>\n

It was a flushed, excited boy who burst into the Reynolds\u2019 quiet sitting room a few minutes later, with his skates still hanging on his shoulder and his cap in his hand. \u201cSay, mother,\u201d he cried, \u201ccan I have Bob\u2019s Santa Claus suit this evening, please? I\u2019m going to play Santa Claus for Harvey McGinnis!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlay Santa Claus for Harvey McGinnis. What do you mean, child?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know Mrs. McGinnis, mother, that poor woman who lives in the little house by the river. Her husband got killed on the railroad last winter, you know. Well, Harvey, her boy, has fixed up some grand looking dolls for his sisters and he wants me to come out and play Santa tonight,\u201d and Tom launched out into a long story about Harvey and his good fortune.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must be a splendid boy,\u201d said Mrs. Reynolds, heartily, \u201cand I am sure I shall be glad to have you go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd another thing, mother,\u201d said Tom, hesitating a little, \u201cdo you think grandma would care if I spent part of that five dollars she gave me for a pair of skates for Harvey? He hasn\u2019t any skates at all, and I know he\u2019d just love to have some!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is generous of you to think of it,\u201d said his mother, much pleased, \u201cand you would still have two and a half for that little trip down to grandma\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019d like to get him some \u2018Club House\u2019 skates,\u201d said Tom. \u201cThey\u2019re a new kind that cost three dollars and a half.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I thought you said the \u2018Jolly Ramblers\u2019 were the best skates made?\u201d Mrs. Reynolds looked somewhat hurt as she glanced from Tom to the skates on his shoulder and back to Tom again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are, mother, they\u2019re just dandies!\u201d said Tom blushing with shame that he could ever have despised his mother\u2019s gift. \u201cBut these \u2018Club House\u2019 skates are just the kind for Harvey. You see, Harvey\u2019s shoes are old and worn, and these \u2018Club House\u2019 skates have clamps that you can\u2019t shake loose if you have to. Then, if anything happens to them before the year\u2019s up, you get a new pair free; and Harvey, you know, wouldn\u2019t have any money to be fixing skates.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, do as you like,\u201d said Mrs. Reynolds, pleased with Tom\u2019s eagerness, for such a spell of generosity was something new in her selfish younger son. \u201cBut remember, you will have to wait a while for your visit to grandma.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, and thank you, mother,\u201d said Tom. \u201cYou can buy the skates down at Harrison\u2019s and I\u2019m going over and ask Mr. Harrison if he won\u2019t open up the store and get a pair for me for a special time like this. I\u2019m most sure he will!\u201d and away he flew.<\/p>\n

That evening, at seven, as the moon was rising over the eastern hills, a short, portly Santa Claus stepped out of the dry reeds by the river bank and walked with wonderfully nimble feet, right into the McGinnis\u2019 little back yard. As he neared the small back porch, a dark figure rose to greet him, one hand held up in warning, the other holding at arm\u2019s length, a bulky grain sack, full to the brim.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s yer pack, Santy,\u201d he whispered, gleefully. \u201cThey\u2019re all waitin\u2019 in the front room yonder. I\u2019ll slip in the back way, whilst you go round and give a good thump at the front door and mom\u2019ll let you in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trembling with eagerness, Tom tiptoed round the house, managing to slip an oblong package into the capacious depths of the big sack as he did so. Thump, thump! how his knock re\u00ebchoed in the frosty air! The door swung wide, and Mrs. McGinnis\u2019 gaunt figure stood before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood evenin\u2019, Santy, come right in,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Tom had always thought what a homely woman Harvey\u2019s mother was when he happened to meet her at the grocery, with her thin red hair drawn severely back from her gaunt face, and a black shawl over her head. But as he looked up into her big, kind face, so full of Christmas sunshine, he wondered he could ever have thought her anything but lovely. <\/p>\n

The room was small and bare, but wonderfully gay with pine and bits of red and green crepe paper, saved from the \u2018fixins\u2019 at the store. And on a large bed in the corner sat the three little girls, Kitty with her bright curls bobbing, Josephine with her black braids sticking straight out, and the baby with tiny blue eyes that twinkled and shone like Harvey\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The fine speech that Tom had been saying over to himself for the past two hours seemed to vanish into thin air before this excited little audience. But in faltering, stammering tones, which everyone was too excited to notice, he managed to say something about \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d and \u201cgood children\u201d and then proceeded to open the magic sack. <\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Kitty McGinnis!\u201d he called, in deep, gruff tones. Kitty took the box he offered with shy embarrassment, slowly drew back the lid and gave a cry of amazement and delight. \u201cA doll, O the loveliest doll that ever was!\u201d she cried. Then turning to her brother, she whispered as softly as excitement would permit, \u201cO Harvey, I\u2019m afeard ye paid too much!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, go on!\u201d said Harvey, his face more like a full moon than ever. \u201cDon\u2019t ye know that Santy kin do whatever he wants to?\u201d<\/p>\n

The other dolls were received with raptures, Josephine stroking the golden curls of the Lady Matilda with wondering fingers, and the baby dancing round and round, waving the pink-robed Lady Clarabel above her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Harvey McGinnis!\u201d came the gruff tones of Santa Claus; and Harvey smiled over to his mother as he drew out a pair of stout cloth gloves. \u201cMrs. McGinnis!\u201d And that good lady smiled back, as she shook out a dainty white apron with a coarse embroidery ruffle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon Santy wanted you to wear that of a Sunday afternoon,\u201d said Harvey, awkwardly. \u201cAnd I\u2019ll be proud to do it!\u201d said his mother.<\/p>\n

Little sacks of candy were next produced and everyone settled down to enjoy it, thinking that the bottom of the big sack must be reached, when Santa called out in tones that trembled beneath the gruffness, \u201cAnother package for Mr. Harvey McGinnis!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFer me\u2013why\u2013what\u2013\u201d said Harvey, taking the heavy oblong bundle; then, as the sparkling \u201cClub House\u201d skates met his view, his face lit up with a glory that Tom never forgot. The glory lasted but a moment, then he turned a troubled face toward the bulky old saint.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never ought to a done it,\u201d he said. \u201cThese must have cost a lot!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, go on,\u201d was the reply in a distinctly boyish tone, \u201cdon\u2019t you know that Santy can do whatever he wants to?\u201d and, with a prodigious bow, old Santa was gone.<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, a slender boy with a bundle under his arm, was skating swiftly down the shining river in the moonlight. As he rounded the bend, a tall figure in a fur-trimmed coat came skimming slowly toward him, and a voice called out in Ralph Evans\u2019 condescending tones, \u201cWell, how are the \u2018Jolly Ramblers\u2019 doing tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

But the answer, this time, was clear and glad and triumphant. \u201cThe best in the world,\u201d said Tom, \u201cand isn\u2019t this a glorious night for skating?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Profit<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This short story was first published in 1916 by Mary Griggs Van Voorhis. It is a heartwarming story about love, empathy, and doing the right […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}