Published: 26 Dec 2019
Benjamin climbed the creaky stairs to the first floor flat that he and his mother shared with the widow Walpole. He opened the door as quietly as he could because at this time of day the widow was often napping in her chair. Sure enough, she dozed there with her book open in her lap and her mouth open. She snored gently while her half empty cup of tea sat cold on the table beside her chair.
Benjamin softly emptied his jacket pockets of the small lumps of coal and placed them in the coal scuttle. A few of them he placed on the waning embers of the dying fire and stirred it back into life. The heat felt wonderful on his nearly frozen hands and he sighed with relief. He sat on a stool by the hearth and waited for the old lady to wake up.
Staring at the glowing embers lulled him to almost fall asleep himself, but before long he heard her book slide onto the floor and knew that she was stirring.
“Ah, Benjamin, home from school, are you? I see you stirred the fire. Didn’t use too much coal, did you?” she said with a yawn.
“No Ma’am, I found a few lumps on the way home,” he said politely.
“Found them, eh?” She laughed. “Don’t you go getting caught” finding” coal. The constable will get after you. Lad, there’s a bit of bread in the cupboard if you’re hungry. And why don’t you fix us both a cup of tea. Mine’s gone stone cold.”
The crust of bread was hard and tough, but Benjamin dunked it in his tea to soften it. The sweet, hot tea brought warmth back to his stomach and made him feel better. It had been a cold December’s day and the Ragged School had almost no heat at all. It was only the residual heat from the bakery ovens next door that kept the students from freezing during their lessons. Sometimes his fingers were so numb with cold that it was difficult to hold the chalk. He always feared that if he dropped either the chalk or the slate they would shatter like ice.
But now he was warm, and soon his mother would be there. She worked as a maid for a successful store owner and his family, and every morning she got up before dawn and walked more than a mile to her employer’s house where she began cleaning and served their breakfast. She always came home tired but being greeted by her eleven-year-old angel made her feel much better. The greatest achievement of her life was producing this beautiful young creature, so full of fun and warmth. His pale little face was peppered with freckles and his ears were a bit wide, but he had bright green eyes, and a red-lipped smile that he showed off frequently to gladden her heart.
Today she carried in her string bag a half loaf of bread, a bit of cheese, and some broken pieces of cake. These were things that the family had discarded, and the cook was going to throw out. The cook was kind to her, knowing that she was a widowed mother with a growing son, and usually managed to put aside some extra morsels for her to supplement her wages. The family cared little about it and didn’t mind. They were not selfish people. Today, in her apron pocket she had a small bottle of milk for their tea, which was always a treat. While she could buy milk from the vendor down the street, it was often spoiled, but the milk that the family bought was always sweet.
His mother warmed up some of the previous day’s soup for the three of them. Keeping the widow Walpole fed required little effort and in return she and her son had a bedroom in her flat to themselves. After supper the widow read to them from one of her books while the mother mended their clothing and Benjamin practiced his letters on his slate. It was their usual evening.
Tonight, Benjamin had something on his mind. His friend, Aaron, was in trouble. Aaron’s father had been taken off to the debtor’s prison after he became unable to repay a loan from a local moneylender, a rotten old man by the name of Scrooge. Aaron’s mother had pawned her jewelry to buy food for them, but Benjamin could see that their money was running out.
Benjamin really liked his friend and felt sorry for him. Aaron was the same age as Benjamin, but a bit smaller. There was something about Aaron that drew Benjamin to him, not just his personality and sense of humor, but his face as well. Benjamin often found himself staring at his handsome friend, admiring his deep brown eyes framed with such long lashes, and the fullness of his red lips. He felt funny inside when Aaron would lick his lips, his pink tongue making them shine with wetness. Lately he had felt like kissing those lips.
Today Aaron had not been in school, and no one knew why. All sorts of frightening thoughts went through Benjamin’s head. Was Aaron sick? Was he in some sort of trouble? What if he had been injured? It was a restless night as he waited for the next day to arrive. There was no school, so he could go to Aaron’s home and find out what happened.
Aaron lived a few blocks over, and his rooms were in the bottom of the building, halfway below the cobbled street. Aaron opened the door and beamed to see his best friend come to visit. It was dark inside, and the two rooms were rather cold and shabby. Aaron and his sister had a couple of cots over in the corner.
The boys sat at the rickety table to talk. “Why were you not in school yesterday?” Benjamin asked. “I was afraid that you were hurt or sick.”
Aaron looked embarrassed and said, “I didn’t have any shoes. My shoes fell apart and I can’t go outside in the cold until I get some new ones.”
“What happened to your shoes?”
“I got them wet. I was carrying buckets of water for Mr. Broward’s geese and they sloshed over and my feet got soaked. They were old shoes, belonged to my brother, and when I put them in front of the fire to dry, they came apart at the seams. Mother doesn’t have a shilling for another pair of shoes yet. New ones are dear, but there is a pair in the pawn shop window that would nicely. Mother wrote to our cousin and asked for a bit of money, so we are waiting to hear from her. I hope she will take pity and help us out, especially since it is Christmas time.”
Benjamin felt very sorry for his friend. “I wish I had another pair to give you,” he said. “If you miss too many days of school, they will drop you from the rolls. Let me see what I can do to help you. Meanwhile, wrap some rags on your feet and come to my flat. I can show you yesterday’s lessons and we can play some games. I’ll bet there is something in the larder for us.”
He helped his friend to his home, stopping more than once to retie the rags. They were both glad that it was not snowing yet. The friends sat close on Benjamin’s bed and talked and laughed. There was hot soup to warm them up and a strong cup of tea to fortify them. Benjamin felt warmer just being with his sweet classmate, and the time to part came much too quickly.
After Benjamin helped Aaron back home, he started to think carefully about how to get some money. Eleven-year-old boys had few opportunities for work, and he was not the sort to beg strangers for a few pence.
There was one occupation that always needed small boys at this time of year, and that was the chimney sweeps. Benjamin knew that boys were often sent into the chimneys to clear away the soot and tar that the round brooms didn’t reach. It sounded frightening, but it might be worth a try.
The next day he wandered the streets looking for chimney sweep activity and asked a few of the men if they were in need of a boy. Finally, one very skinny and dirty man agreed to give him a try. He took him into a fine home, and under the stern eye of the head housekeeper, they draped a cloth over the large fireplace. Benjamin was instructed to climb up the dark and smelly chimney with a brush and scraping tool. He looked up and could see a small patch of grey sky far above. It was a frightening adventure and he almost changed his mind but thinking of Aaron and his cold feet made him stiffen his spine and begin the assent. He braced his body against the dirty bricks as he slowly shimmied his way up, brushing soot and scraping creosote as he went. The fine powder and chunks of hard tar fell all over him, as it settled to the hearth below. It became hard to breathe and his eyes were stinging after only a few minutes. About twenty feet up the chimney he stopped and could take no more. Slipping more than once frightened him for he had nothing to prevent a fall. His courage failed him, and he retreated back down. The sweep was not happy with him and cuffed him about the ears while cursing him.
“You worthless little bastard. Where do you think you’re going? Get your arse back up that flue and finish the job or I will beat you senseless,” the man roared. Benjamin wrestled loose from the man’s grip and, crying, he fled the house. He trailed soot across the shiny marble floors as he burst through the doors and down the steps. He could hear the housekeeper loudly berating the sweep about the mess.
Benjamin felt miserable for having failed his friend, and now he looked as bad as he felt. He was filthy and he worried about what his mother would say about his clothing. Fortunately, the widow Walpole, after having a good laugh, took pity on him and helped him to clean himself up before Mother could see his darkened condition.
That night the three of them huddled near the fire and listened to carolers in the streets. It was Christmas Eve and it had begun to snow. Benjamin looked down from their one window and thought it was all beautiful. The folks on the street were merry and dressed in colorful outfits. The glow from the gaslights illuminated the falling flakes and seemed to form a golden halo about them. Normally, Benjamin looked forward to the first snow of the season, but tonight he thought about his unshod friend and how much more difficult it would be for him to get about.
“Don’t forget to hang your stocking by the mantle tonight,” his mother reminded him. “Perhaps Father Christmas will bring you a treat for the morning.”
The next morning, when he awoke, he glanced toward the fireplace and saw that there seemed to be something in his mended stocking. Excited, he took it down and turned it up onto the bed. Out fell an orange, some walnuts, a couple of candy sticks, and his favorite, a pink sugar pig. Mother had already gone to work but she had promised to be home earlier than usual so they could celebrate with a nice Christmas dinner.
Benjamin ate his bowl of porridge and got dressed in his nicest clothes. He was going to see Aaron and share with him his orange and candy sticks. It wasn’t as good as a new pair of shoes, but it was all he had to share.
Benjamin sauntered along the snowy street, a little sad to see how quickly the whiteness was being tainted by the coal soot from people’s chimneys. It seemed almost lonely with so few people out and about, but it was quite early. He threw a few snowballs at the bootmaker’s hanging sign just to see if he could hit it. Suddenly, a window opened above him and he heard an old man call out to him.
“What’s today?” he asked, leaning out, wearing his nightshirt and nightcap.
Benjamin couldn’t believe his ears. Everyone knew what day it was. “Eh?” he asked in disbelief.
“What’s today, my fine fellow?”
“Today? Why, Christmas Day.”
Then the old man began to babble, saying, “It’s Christmas Day! I haven’t missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course, they can. Of course, they can. Hallo, my fine fellow.”
Benjamin was a bit frightened by the man’s rambling and wondered if he was mad. Mad people always made him uneasy. He hesitantly answered, “Hallo!”
The man asked, “Do you know the Poulterer’s, in the next street but one, at the corner?”
“I should hope I did,” Benjamin called back.
“An intelligent boy! A remarkable boy!” The man chuckled and did a little jig. “Do you know whether they’ve sold the prize Turkey that was hanging up there? —Not the little prize Turkey: the big one?”
“What, the one as big as me?”
“What a delightful boy!” the man said, almost to himself. “It’s a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck!”
“It’s hanging there now,” Benjamin told him.
“Is it? Go and buy it.”
“Walk-er!” Benjamin scoffed. Now he was being played for a fool.
“No, no,” said the old man, “I am in earnest. Go and buy it, and tell ’em to bring it here, that I may give them the direction where to take it. Come back with the man, and I’ll give you a shilling. Come back with him in less than five minutes and I’ll give you half-a-crown!”
Now Benjamin knew the old man was crazy, but the idea of receiving half-a-crown was so tempting it was worth the effort to deliver the message. He only hoped the poulterer wouldn’t be angry if it was all a joke. Benjamin took off like a shot, skidding as he raced around the corners.
He made it to the shop in little more than a minute and was happy to see the enormous bird still hanging by its feet in the window. Although Benjamin had never tasted turkey, he was certain it must be delicious. It was certainly big enough to feed several families. There were no other customers in the shop yet so the poulterer was tidying up his displays. The man looked up hopefully when the bell over the door rang but seeing only a boy he sighed. He had been hoping for a customer.
“Sir, please Sir,” the breathless boy said with excitement. “The turkey in your window, the big one.”
“Yes, what about it?” the man asked.
“A gentleman wants to buy it, Sir. He told me to come and fetch you and to bring the bird back to him.”
“Who is this gentleman? Are you joking with me, because if you are…”?
“I don’t know his name, but he lives two streets over. He called to me from his window and promised me half-a-crown if I bring you back,” Benjamin answered, half afraid that the man wouldn’t believe him.
The poulterer considered it for several seconds before saying, “Very well, let us go and see this man. He had better be there, Lad.”
The pair of them walked quickly back up the street, the turkey slung over the man’s shoulder. He was truly hopeful that he was finally going to sell the bird before it went bad.
When they arrived at the old man’s house, they found him standing outside waiting. He looked as if he had dressed in a hurry and part of his shirttail was sticking out of his trousers. He seemed delighted to see them and their prize and shouted “Here’s the Turkey! Hallo! Whoop! How are you! Merry Christmas!”
Taking a velvet purse from inside his coat he counted out several coins. Benjamin had never seen so much gold at one time.
“Here is five crowns for your wonderful bird, and I would be pleased if you will deliver it to this address,” the old man said. He gave the man a slip of paper with an address on it that looked as if it had been written in a shaky hand. Benjamin heard the old man whisper, “I’ll send it to Bob Cratchit’s! He sha’n’t know who sends it. It’s twice the size of Tiny Tim. Joe Miller never made such a joke as sending it to Bob’s will be!”
The poulterer wasn’t looking forward to toting his burden all the way to the address on the paper, so he was relieved when the man said, “Why, it’s impossible to carry that to Camden Town. You must have a cab.”
He chuckled as he paid for a cab and sent the gift off. Then he turned to Benjamin, who was waiting to see if he would indeed be paid for his efforts, and said, “Dear boy, I have not forgotten you. I said half-a-crown, but I changed my mind. Here is a whole crown.” The man laughed at the expression on Benjamin’s face. “Merry Christmas, dear boy. Go and have fun.”
Benjamin stared at the coin in his palm. He had never held that much money in his life. He shoved it into his pocket but kept his hand on it to make sure it didn’t fall out or get lost. He knew exactly what to do with it and raced as fast as he could to the pawn broker’s shop. It was not open yet, so Benjamin banged on the door for several minutes until the man came from the back. He was holding a piece of toast and seemed annoyed at having his breakfast interrupted. His mood lightened when he realized that the boy was a customer. Business was business, even if it was Christmas day.
“Please Sir,” he panted with excitement, “The pair of boots in the window, the ones with the straps, I wish to buy them.”
“They are two bob, do you have two bob, Boy?”
Benjamin showed him the crown in his hand and asked to try on the boots. He knew that he and Aaron wore the same size shoes, so he wanted to make sure that these would suit him. They fit perfectly.
With extra coin in his hand, Benjamin quickly looked around at other small articles in the shop and his eye fell on a lovely brooch that he knew his mother would love so he bought it as well. As he headed to Aaron’s house, his heart felt happy. Gone was the worrisome weight that had made him so sad the past couple of days. Gone was the ugly memory of being in that horrible chimney. Now he was bringing happiness to someone he loved.
Aaron couldn’t believe his eyes when Benjamin gave him the boots. They were not new, but they were ten times better than his old shoes. He slid his feet into them and danced a little jig, while his family laughed with joy. Impetuously, he threw his thin arms around Benjamin’s neck and kissed him on the mouth. Both boy’s wept for a moment. That kiss was the most perfect gift that Benjamin could wish for from his friend.
The boots were not the only gift that Benjamin had brought. Along the way he had purchased several pence worth of candy which he presented to Aaron and his sister. Benjamin invited Aaron to come home with him and see what his mother had brought from her employer’s home. The two of them tromped through the heavy piles of snow without care. Aaron kicked his way through with a lighthearted laugh.
Back at Benjamin’s place they were surprised to see a small feast laid out on the table. “My employer was generous to us this year,” his mother said. “They have sent us some roasted goose, potatoes, onions and even a Christmas pudding. Oh, and Aaron, Benjamin told me about your shoes, so I mentioned it to the housekeeper. She felt sad that you had no shoes, so she went to the attic and brought down two pair of shoes that the master’s son had outgrown. Look, here is a pair for each of you.” She gave them shoes that looked almost new. They were fancier than any others in the entire school. The boys laughed for two whole minutes.
All of London was talking about the miracle that had reformed old Ebenezer Scrooge. Benjamin soon learned that it was Scrooge who sent him for that turkey on Christmas morning, and Scrooge who was the benefactor of the merriest Christmas that Benjamin had known. Scrooge tore up the debts that were owed to him, releasing many people from the debtor’s prison and the workhouse. Aaron’s father came home to him. With money now flowing again, people began to purchase more of everything, and that created jobs, which brought more money for everyone. Christmas was always happier after that.
A small Christmas tale, a gift from Parker. Let Parker know your thoughts: ParkerSheaffer at CastleRoland dot Net.
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