The Christmas Doll

The Christmas Doll

"Bessie Anne!  Bessie Anne! Come over, girl! I could use your help."
The little girl stopped in her tracks, turned and headed over to the small broken down cabin. "Yes'm, whatcha' want me to do?"  she asked.
"Grab that there pail an' go git me some water".  The woman answered her.
Bessie picked up the bucket and set off to the nearby well.  She grabbed hold of the turner and pulling with all her might, she turned it until the bucket from the well came to the top.  Then crawling on the edge, she took a branch which had a little crook in it and hooked the rope the bucket was attached to.  She pulled it over to her and poured the cool water into the waiting pail.  Bessie dropped the bucket back over into the well and watched it fall back into the deep pit until she heard it splash.  She took hold of the pail and with a grunt lifted it enough so she could walk and staggered back to the woman at the cabin.

"Here ya ar', Mrs. Brown,  I got it fer you".
"Thank ya, girl.  Ar ya lookin' fer some work to do"? Mrs. Brown asked.
"I could use some" the little girl answered.
"Alright.  Come on in an' git to work sweepin' the floor to begin with".  Mrs. Brown shook the rug she had in her hand and then paused to place a hand on her belly.
"Ya'll right, Mrs. Brown?  The baby ain't comin' yet, is it"? Bessie asked as she watched the woman.
Mrs. Brown glanced at Bessie and gave her a small smile."I'm fine, girl. The babe ain't due for anot'r few days".
Bessie went in and began sweeping the dirt floor.  She thought it was kinda dumb to sweep a dirt floor, but some folk were particular about their home.  Her own mama wouldn't let her brothers or sisters wear shoes on their floor, but at least it was wood.  The broom went back and forth swishing the dirt around as Bessie worked.  She didn't mind the work, after all a seven year old had to do things too, especially if she was going to raise enough money to buy a bunch of lottery tickets and win that beautiful doll at the general store.  The minute Bessie had seen that doll, she knew she was going to win it.  After all, it was Christmas and she really wanted something beautiful and special.  Bessie had been working all over the mill town to earn money for the lottery.  So far she had earned nothing so far, but hopefully that would all change.

Quite a few of the women she had done work for hadn't paid her, yet. But "Come back when my husband gits paid", they told her.  When she would go back, they would tell her to come back again or just ignore her.  "Too many folks with no money", her mama would tell her and then Bessie would be told, "it's a good thing ya done, helpin' out the women folk.  It's good fer ya to help others an' since ya won't go to school, ya can do more good".
So, here Bessie was, helping another woman who didn't have much of anything and was going to have a baby.  Bessie figured she wouldn't get any money from her.  She sighed, "So much fer goin' over to the school teacher's cabin and tryin' to do some work there", she thought.  "I got it done, Mrs. Brown.  Anythin' more?
"Yeah, Bessie.  Can ya help me clean the dishes and put'em away?"  Mrs. Brown asked.
"Yes'm', she replied and started cleaning them.

Soon the dishes were done and put away.  Then Bessie made the bed and helped put together a lunch for Mr. Brown.  Mrs. Brown looked at her and said, "Bessie, would ya go find me some pine cones and some pine tree branches?  Not big branches, but little ones.
Bessie nodded and ran out the door.  There were a bunch of pine trees by the school teacher's house!  Maybe, just maybe she would luck out and see the teacher about doing some work.  Sure enough, the teacher was just stepping out her door, heading back to the school house.  "Miz Drake!  Miz Drake!" Bessie called.
Miss Drake stopped and smiled, "Hello Bessie, are you coming to school today"?
Bessie slid to a stop and scowled, "No ma'am.  I was a wondrin' ifen ya had any work I could do fer ya?"
Miss Drake looked at the girl and wished with all her heart she could get this wild young girl to come to school, but she knew it was a losing battle.  Then a thought came to her, "Why yes, Bessie, I could use some help today.  I need some firewood brought in and some cleaning done.  I've been to busy working on school projects.  Can you do that?"
Bessie almost squealed for joy, "Yes'm!  I can do it!"
"Fine, I'll see you after school then". Miss Drake nodded and headed to the school.

Bessie jumped up and down for joy,  remembering what Mrs. Brown had wanted, she went to the pine trees and gathered pine cones and small branches.  She filled the potato sack, Mrs. Brown had given her and ran back to the little cabin.  Once there, Mrs. Brown showed her how to decorate the one room cabin with the pine cones and branches. Suddenly, the little house didn't look drab and poor.  Instead, it was filled with the scents and sights of Christmas.  Bessie looked around the house in awe, and Mrs. Brown smiled at her shyly, "Here ya go, Bessie.  Ya worked hard and ya earned it.  Thank ya for helpin' me today".
Bessie looked down and saw the shiny quarter the woman had placed in her hand.  Bessie stuttered, "I..I...I can't take this!  Ya'll are goin' to need it!"
Mrs. Brown smiled, "Don't ya worry bout it.  We'll be fine.  Ya've done a good job helpin' and I aim to pay ya fer that help. Now scoot and go help someone else!"
Bessie gave her hug, "Thank ya, Mrs. Brown!  I'll be back to help ya tomorra fer free!" and before Mrs. Brown could say anything back, Bessie had run out of the house and down the road to the school teacher's house.

While Bessie waited for Miz Drake to return, she thought about how pretty the cabin had become.  She skipped back over to the pine trees and began gathering more cones and branches which she brought over and placed in a pile by the teacher's house door.  Then she went to the wood pile behind the house and began hauling wood to the door.  It was hard work and she was tired and sweaty from hauling the wood, sitting down on the doorstep, she waited for the teacher to come home.  Slowly, her head dropped down as she fell asleep.

Miss Drake looked at the small figure lolling on her doorstep, "Hello Bessie! I see you've been busy."
Bessie woke with a start.  Seeing the teacher, she stood up, "Yes'm.  I wanted to git a good start on the work you have".
"What's that you have?  Pine cones and branches?" Asked Miss Drake.
"Yes'm.  I helped Mrs. Brown pretty up her cabin an' I figured ya might like it too"!  Bessie grinned back.
"Well, I can't wait until we fix them up. Come on in, Bessie".  Miss Drake smiled.
Bessie set right to work, bringing in the wood first and placing it by the wood stove.  Then she helped sweep the floor, tidied up the kitchen/living room, and helped pick out a potato and other vegetables for Miiss Drake's dinner.  While she was doing this, Miss Drake had her count how many logs she brought in.  The teacher showed Bessie how to add and subtract.  As Bessie swept the floor, Miss Drake told her story about Paul Revere and the Redcoats.  Bessie was enthralled with the story and in her imagination, she rode the horse to warn all the people about the Redcoats coming.  When Miss Drake finished the story, Bessie wanted to know where she heard had heard it from.
"Well, Bessie, I read it fro this book."  Miss Drake answered.
"A book", Ya mean ya read it?"
"Why, yes.  There are a lot of stories like that one and they can all be found in books".  Miss Drake said.
"Would you like to read more of the stories, Bessie?
Bessie wiggled a bit, "Yes'm, but I don't wanta go to no school.  I don't like it there."
Miss Drake smiled, "I guess you will have to come and help me every day after school then, so I can show you.  How would that be?"
Bessie thought it over, "Deal."
Miss Drake laughed, "Alright, now you go home.  Oh, and here's some money for all the work you did."
Bessie looked at the teacher and said, "Thank ya!  I'll be back tomorra!"

When she got outside, she looked at the coins the teacher had given her.  "Two more quarters! I think I'll go by the general store first".  Off she went to the general store which the mill provided for it's workers.  Inside, was the beautiful doll, and she stared at it for quite awhile.  "Well, Bessie, what do ya need?" Asked the shopkeeper.
"Oh, nothin'.  I was just lookin' at the doll." Bessie answered.
"If ya want to try to win it, ya better buy a ticket now, I'm drawing for it tomorra" The man told her.
"What? But....but...."Bessie looked like she wanted to cry. All that work and all she had was enough for three tickets.  "Here, sir.  I've got three quarters, that I worked fer".
"Okay, and here are you're three tickets!  Make sure you're back here tomorra fer the drawin'.", He gave her the tickets and turned to the next customer.

When Bessie got back home, she helped her mama and sisters fix the family's dinner.  Her one sister and husband were living with them and Bessie had to take care of the their baby when they went to visit friends.  Finally, they came home and Bessie dropped into bed exhausted.  She slept soundly and her dreams were filled dancing pine cones and pine branches; Redcoats and minutemen; and a beautiful doll she read stories to from piles of books.

The next morning, Bessie rose, ate her breakfast, and headed out the door.  There wasn't any need to look for work.  The doll would be given away later, and she had a job with the teacher.  She was just about to turn toward the crick and go froggin' when she saw Mrs. Brown.  Next thing she knew she was sweeping the cabin's floor and chatting away with lonely pregnant woman.  The day flew by and she found herself with Miss Drake and without even realizing it, she was learning to read, write, and do math.  Finally, she said good bye to the teacher and ran over to the store.  It was packed with other people waiting to see who would win.  She pushed and slid her way to the front and waited breathlessly for the shopkeeper to pull the ticket.  Now, the shopkeeper kept everyone in suspense with all the different things he did.  First he had a woman from the church come up and sing a Christmas song.  Then he had the mill foreman come forward and hand out other winnings.  At last, the moment arrived.  He had the churchwoman come back to him and she was the one to pull the winning ticket for the doll.  She put her hand in the glass bowl and swished the tickets around;, finally, she pulled out one ticket and handed it to the shopkeeper.  He put on his glasses, looked at the ticket, and said in a loud voice:  "The winner of the china doll is...........Bessie Anne Peak!"
There was some grumbling from folks who had lost, and Bessie looked around trying to see the winner.  "Bessie Anne Peak!  Are ya here?" He called again.
Suddenly, Bessie realized he had called her name and with a squeaky voice she yelled:  "Yes, Sir!  I'm here!"
The whole store erupted into laughter as she ran up and got the doll.  The shopkeeper handed it to her and she hugged it close, all the while whispering:  "Thank ya! Thank ya, so much!"

She walked out of the door carrying the doll carefully.  First, she went to Miss Drake to show her the doll.  Miss Drake ooed and ahed about the beautiful doll with her.  Then she headed for home and stopped at Mrs. Brown's to let her see the doll.  Mrs. Brown stroked it's hair and declared:  "This is the most beautiful doll I have ever seen!"
Finally, she walked into her own home.  She couldn't wait to show her family what she had won.  It was the proudest moment of her young life.  "Hey everybody!"  She called.  They all turned toward her.  Her whole family was looking at her.  "Look what I won!  I won her with the money I been workin' fer! Isn't she beautiful!"
There was stunned quiet, then the whole family erupted with questions and whoops.  When it quieted down, Bessie's mama said:  "I'm real proud of ya, Bessie!  Just think, you worked hard, earned all that money, and won that doll so your niece could have a good Christmas!"
Bessie stared at Mama with disbelief:  "Jolene will have a good Christmas?  What do ya mean?"
"Why Bessie, ya don't think you're goin' to keep the doll?  You're much to old to have doll.  Now ya go give that there doll to you're niece and let her have a good Christmas."
The whole family sat quietly and watched her as she stood holding the doll close.  She closed her eyes, thought about all the work she had done, all the hard work,  and now, Mama had told her to give the doll to her niece.  Bessie stood still, she opened her eyes, looked at the doll and hugged it.  Mama said she was to old for a doll.  She was only seven years old.  She looked at Mama again who was beginning to get an angry look.  Bessie walked to her sister, who was holding her little niece, Jolene.  "Here, Jolene.  Have a good Christmas".
"Now that was nice.  Real nice, Bessie."  Her mama said.
Bessie nodded and the rest of the family relaxed and started laughing and joking around.  Bessie looked at them all, then sneaked out of the house.  She sat down under the oak tree and started crying.  She had always wanted a doll like that and now that she had won it, she had had to give it away.  Everyone said it was the right and good thing to do, but she didn't think so.  No, she didn't think so at all.  She sat up, wiped her nose on her sleeve, and brushed away the tears.  "No, it wasn't the right thing to do at all", she whispered to herself.  "But there's one thing they can't take away from me.  I'm goin' to work fer the school teacher and she is goin' to teach me to read!"


By
Yvonne C Parizo

.  Enjoy....
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