If he is dead , I am glad to have known so sweet and brave a character , for it does one good to see even as short-lived and obscure a hero as my Polish boy , whose dead December rose embalms for me the memory of Varjo , the last and dearest of my boys . It is hardly necessary to add , for the satisfaction of inquisitive little women , that Laddie was the original of Laurie , as far as a pale pen-and-ink sketch could embody a living , loving boy . TESSA 'S SURPRISES . I. Little Tessa sat alone by the fire , waiting for her father to come home from work . The children were fast asleep , all four in the big bed behind the curtain ; the wind blew hard outside , and the snow beat on the window-panes ; the room was large , and the fire so small and feeble that it did n't half warm the little bare toes peeping out of the old shoes on the hearth . Tessa 's father was an Italian plaster-worker , very poor , but kind and honest . The mother had died not long ago , and left twelve-year old Tessa to take care of the little children . She tried to be very wise and motherly , and worked for them like any little woman ; but it was so hard to keep the small bodies warm and fed , and the small souls good and happy , that poor Tessa was often at her wits ' end . She always waited for her father , no matter how tired she was , so that he might find his supper warm , a bit of fire , and a loving little face to welcome him . Tessa thought over her troubles at these quiet times , and made her plans ; for her father left things to her a good deal , and she had no friends but Tommo , the harp-boy upstairs , and the lively cricket who lived in the chimney . To-night her face was very sober , and her pretty brown eyes very thoughtful as she stared at the fire and knit her brows , as if perplexed . She was not thinking of her old shoes , nor the empty closet , nor the boys ' ragged clothes just then . No ; she had a fine plan in her good little head , and was trying to discover how she could carry it out . You see , Christmas was coming in a week ; and she had set her heart on putting something in the children 's stockings , as the mother used to do , for while she lived things were comfortable . Now Tessa had not a penny in the world , and did n't know how to get one , for all the father 's earnings had to go for food , fire , and rent . ` If there were only fairies , ah ! how heavenly that would be ; for then I should tell them all I wish , and , pop ! behold the fine things in my lap ! ' said Tessa to herself . ' I must earn the money ; there is no one to give it to me , and I can not beg .
But what can I do , so small and stupid and shy as I XXXXX ?
add am beg coming embody get go perplexed thought used