Amélie Rives

“ While Sue bargained with the cabby, Betty slipped off her glove and stroked the hay's nose. He started, then turned his head and gave her a benevolent, summing-up sort of look from out his blinkers. She petted him some more. The good, horsey smell of him (she noticed how clean he was) made her homesick for Virginia.
Then Sue called her, and they got into the cab and drove off.
“I've told him to stop at one or two places,” said Sue; “to go shopping is cheaper than to take a drive, and you needn't get out. ”

“ I am Mac's friend, you know, I am Betty Nekludoff.”
“I hope you are well now, miss,” said Lucinda, tremulously. She stood holding her black travelling-bag to her with both arms. The train-dust under her eyes and on her soft, faded hair made her look haggard.
“I am very well indeed, thank you,” said Betty, “but you must be very tired. Sit here in this armchair. Nobody is coming in. I've given orders. Shall I make you a cup of nice, strong tea?”
“That sure sounds good,” said Lucinda, and she smiled for the first time.
Betty made the tea and poured it out for her, into one of her pet cups. ”

“ I do ...” insisted Betty. “I was all sad and lonely when you came. And now I feel so happy and cheerful. Why, Mr. ... why, Mac ... you're giving me the most beautiful Christmas present just by coming here to thank me for my thought of you. Yes, you've given me a new friend.... And how is dear old Jonas?” she wound up, feeling her eyes also glistening.
“Jonas, ma'am,” said McGowan, “is on the road to Colic-town with his manger snowed up with sugar.”
“Good!” cried Betty. “Then he's having a merry Christmas, too.” ”

“ The bay continued to regard her, moving his ears questioningly.
“You dear!” said Betty again. “Oh, I do wish I had a lump of sugar.”
The cabby now gave her a shrewd glance. Something in her face seemed to attract him, for after a little while he looked again. Presently he ventured:
“That's a very intelligent animal, ma'am.”
Betty included horse and man in her smile.
“Yes,” said she, “I see that he is. He is just like a dear horse that I had down in my country home in Virginia. Only he was black. I called him 'Jackanapes' because he was such a scamp.... No harm in him. you know. ”

“ McGowan pursued. hesitating a little. “I don't want you to think I'm the sort as would take any liberties....”
“Don't be silly, Mac,” said Betty, smiling.
“Well, it's just this, then. I want give you a Christmas present...”
He looked at her anxiously.
“Why, anything that you like, Mac, said she, beaming on him. “I shall be delighted....”
“Then,” said McGowan, his face relaxing, “I want you should wrap up good and warm, and you and the other lady come and let me and Jonas take you for a Christmas ride. ... Are you game for it? ... I know you ain't so strong as you might be right now. ”

“ You're not going to invite McGowan and Jonas to hang up their stockings with ours, I suppose?”
“No.... But something like it,” said Betty.
All her face ran over with smiles. She scribbled for a few seconds; then handed Sue the sheet of paper.
“It's very little, I know,” said she, “but it's just the thought. People do like to be thought of at Christmas, and horses too...”
Sue was reading the little missive. It ran as follows:
“For my friend from Cuba, from his friend from Russia, to buy himself some tobacco and Jonas some sugar for Christmas.” ”

“ They say, if he'd 'a' knowed I even wanted to 'a' seen him, he'd 'a' altered his will. My share 'd 'a' been ten thousand. The others got it. That's all. But somehow the thought of 'Cinda chippin' in with 'em, and the thought o' Bob never knowin' as how I wanted to see him ... them two thoughts squeezes me nights same's when a man gets squeezed between two buffers. ... That's all, ma'am.”
“Oh, Mac ...” said Betty, when he paused, hands hanging down between his knees, and sombre eyes fixed on the floor, “are you sure ... are you sure that Lucinda 'chipped in'?”
“Sure,” said McGowan, grimly. ”

“ Betty stole out.
“And now,” said McGowan to Betty an hour later, “ef you think any family reunion is goin' to keep me and Jonas from takin' you for your ride— Well, miss, you're mistaken, that's all.”
But Betty shook her head, between tears and laughter.
“No, Mac ...” said she. ... “To-night you are both going to have dinner with me here in the studio. But this time you're to hitch Jonas to a buggy and take Lucinda for a drive in the Park.” ”

“ I ain't never had anything get so close to me in my life, and I've lived some time, and some ways,” he added, with a fleeting twinkle. “What made you up and send a Christmas word and present to a old, tough, hard-set New York cabby is what gets me. I ain't never heard of such a thing. Wouldn't 'a' believed it if I'd bin told—no, not by the angel off a Christmas tree ... But if you think I'm too tough to appreciate it, why then, lady, you're good and mistaken, that's all.”
“Why, Mr. McGowan.” said Betty, blushing and stammering, “it was only a little Christmas thought.... It ... ”

“ Couldn't be ...” said McGowan.
“Well? ..." asked Betty after a while, “won't you tell me some more?”
“Well, miss ... you see this little trouble with my leg put me out of work. It's a hard thing for a man to make a legitimate livin' when the work he's used to is took from him. But I've done it. Been a New York cabby now goin' on fifteen year.”
“Poor Mac ... How did you hurt your leg?” asked Betty.
“Caught my foot in a frog ... switchin'-engine,” said McGowan briefly.
“Oh ... don't ...” said Betty. She was quite white. “Don't tell me any more, Mac ... I ... I ... It's too dreadful....” ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1945, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 78 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”