The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-03-08

and no one to interfere but me.
Think? Why, that we must 60 to
the nearest police station and arrest
him, dead or alive
1--WE will go, Ben, you and l. No.
George"-she put him back gently as
he rose TO go with her-''it isn't alto
gether my fancy, but | want to finish
this work myself with Ben and our
friends. / want you to remain where
you are, unknown and unsuspected
till the time comes"
''The time. the time. Oh, Helen,
can not believe the time will ever
comet
1T has come, George it is here al
ready. Have patience for a single
day--only a single day-and you will
find that it has really come for you,
and for Ruth, and for me. Ny heart
is very full, dear friend but the work
is nearly done, and this night, please
God, will finish it. DO not wait for
me. am safe with Ben and Rupert
Ii was nine o'clock. As Helen
opened the door van drove up, and
man, jumping down, began to hand
out parcels.
Here you are, miss" lie said.
Name, Lemire."
Il will call Madame Lemire. Please
bring in the things"
The professor came, Madame being
out on little Christmas marketing.
Turkey for Mr.. Lemire-sausage
for MIR. Lemire-barrel of oysters, Mr..
Lemire. That all right? Case of
wine, Mr.. Iemire-box of French
plums, Mr.. Lemire--ditto ditto, boxes
of preserved ruit-bonbons-one, two,
three, five; that's right. Very sorry,
sir, TO be so late"
But these can't be for me!N cried
the bewildered professor.
Quite right, sir-quite right; or
dercd two hours ago; nothing to pay.
Stop Il minute. Pheasant for Mr..
Lemire = wild-duck, Mr.. Lemire-
Gods head and shoulder, Mr.. Lemire."
But, my friend, have ordered
none of these things
Didn't say you had, sir. Friend,
suppose, ordered 'em all. Christmas
time, you know. Hamper besides;
don't know what's in the hamper.
Where's that box, Jim9 We was told
to take very particular care of that
box. Here you are, sir-box for Mr..
Lemirc. Think that's all, sir. You'll
have to sign here-so-and here's
letter.
BY this time Ruth Warneford, An
toine.te, and the children were gath
cred in the little hall gazing at the
treasures which lay piled one above
the other, cumbering the way The
professor, balancing himself on his
toes, gesticuated, laughed, and re-
monstrated. But before they knew
what had happened, the man with
the van had driven off, and they were
left with their boxes.
''But what does it mean? Is it st.
Nicholas? Is it the good Christmas
fairies? Is it "a gift of Heaven ~ and
the professor was helpless. MY dear
young lady" he addressed Helen, II
assure you, on the word of an artist,
that the resources of the establishment
at this moment go no farther than the
prospect of Il leg of mutton, without
plum-pudding, for Christmas-day.
You will hardly believe me, but that
is the fact; and my wife has new gone
out with Gaspard in the hope of pur-
chasing that leg at Il reasonable cost;
and here are turkey, sausages, oysters,
pheasant, wild-duck, wine-apparent-
ly Champagne, vim de Champagne!-
French plums, fruits, Goldfish, bon
bons. Children, children, you are
about to taste heard-of-luxuries. 1t
is a return into Egypt"
"And the box, father. What is in
the box ?"
iSh plouuSSu tllsiI hHllc vi Ills,
which, when not in active service in
cutting tobacco, was useful as a screw
driver,s or a crow-bar, or a marlin-
spike, or hammer, or rs any imple-
ment likely to be required on board
sailing ship. With the help of this he
opened the box. The contents were
covered with paper.
Stop, stop" said Nettie. This is
too delicious. Let us carry every
thing into the class room"
All the things made gallant show
on the bare tioor-such n picture as
might have been painted and hung
upon the walls of some great banquet
ing hall. 1t would have been called
Christmas Plenty in the Olden Time.
The game lay in an inner circle, sur
rounded by the boxes of fruit and the
eases of wine. The barrel of oysters
formed sort of tower i'm the centre,
and the children were gathered round
the mysterious box, over which Helen
stood as guard.
All was silence while she opened
the first parcel.
Ii was wrapped in .tissue-paper, AS
costly things should be, and on it was
4 card, For Nettie." Opened, 1t
proved to contain a winter jacket of
the very finest and best. The next
was marked, "For Charlotte" That
contained brand-new dress, warm
and soft; and SO with all the rest.
For the girls, dresses; and for each Of
the boys-the parcels being labeled,