Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-11

indeed tomorrow Is Christmas, you
may count on some kind of doll"
"All right Please kiss me. May
tell mother ?"
"Yes-now clear OUT John Aus
tin passed his hands through his short
gray hair, and was dazzled for a mo-
ment, then looked at the paper which
enveloped the doll. 1t bore an ad
dress somewhere up one of the ave-
nues. "It's a longish walk for man
who has only breakfasted-But think
OF the disappointment in store for that
gentleman's daughter;' and with this
he hurried out, bent on the inter
change Of course it was fine house
in. the vestibule of which John Austin
stood In about an hour and half af.
terward.
"All right" said the man servant
'leave your bundle"
''But it amt all right. Your master
took my package and left his in It's
place. do not want to trouble him,
but only ask him to give me back my
own. He will understand all about
it."
John Austin may not have been
said to have been forced to cool his
heels very long in the vestibule. for
tired out with his long walk he sank
into hall chair and the surroundings
were so warm and comfortable that
he awoke from a doze, when voice
said: "Quite curious, indeed. My
fault entirely. See here, my good
man, | must positively have made
away with your package, but exactly
how and under what circumstances,
l am completely in the dark about.
Would you kindly inform me? Yes,
| think this is my doll ain quite de-
cided on this point, and this ought to
be yours My wife laughed in quite
an astounding way when | displayed
what, if may be allowed to designate
it, not being familiar with the subject,
is rather a substantial and solid piece
of work in the doll way-quite lasting
in fact. But Notwithstanding its COM
parative excellence, am rather in
clined to think my little girl might
not have cherished your doll as it de-
served" Here the master of the
house put on a pair of Eyeglasses and
eyed both dolls critically, and then at
John Austin. 81 am exceedingly
obliged to you for your kindness and
the trouble you must have taken about
this trife, for we were in the very act
of sending out for another doll-more
dolls, in fact. But as | was saying,
might | request some clue as to how
this quite ludicrous, may | say ridicu-
lous, Interchange was accomplished t?
My curiosity is quite aroused"
John Austin was on the point of
telling him the prettiest of Perranlt's
stories, and would have embroidered
into. the theme the Arabian Nights,
for he felt he might have an audiance !;
but he checked himself and only said,
Il was disappointed shipping clerk
to-day: | was one of the unlucky,
not wanted. You must have put your
doll on the table, and, as you left first
you took mine"
"Bless me! 1t must be exactly as
you state it. You will excuse the abb
surd blunder on my part. l have not
the faintest recollection of ever hav-
ing seen you before. All I! indeed !
we wanted shipping clerk, did we?'
81 suppose So" said John bIuntly.
"You look tired will you not take q
glass of wine? Would you allow me
to offer you some slight pecuniary
re" John covered his face with his
hands-perhaps an empty stomach
had made him weak-for there was a
tear there. He had never been SO
poor and wretched before but yet,
he could not take penny he had not
bravely earned. 81 am sorry my good
man, | meant no 'offense. Was the
doll for your own child ?"
mo, sir; have no children"
"You do not seem very well off in
the way the world goes. Was the sit
uation you sought for necessity p
John Austin had he had a grain OF
sense, would have stated for him il
was place at once or starvation.
But he did no such thing He sim
ply took the proffered glass of wine,
bowed to the master of the house and
kept his peace. He was about going
when the gentleman said, "You are
sure you have the right doll -"
Certain of it. Mydoll is done up
in coarse straw paper-yours in best
mauilla," replied John, rather gruffly
"Pray, write your address, then on
something-here on the paper of my
doll. Thanks" and the servant show.
ed John Austin the door. En- route
homeward the hungry man bought his
bread and ate it with thankfulness
1t was after nine o'clock when the girl
got Der doll.
IL give it to you now," said John
Austin "hold it fast to your bosom all
night, or it might be changed before
morning."
Though there are no postmen of a
Christmas day in New York, John
Austin received note on that day, re-
questlng his presence on Monday NOR
ming, the 9th of December, at a Ger.
tain office where shipping clerk
was wanted.
at seems you are the lucky man
after ALL" said the young clerk in the
office. looking still quite defiantly al
John Austin.
"God bless me you don't say SO :"
exclaimed John.
eyes the head of the house, who
never does interfere. has taken it on
himself to mix things up dreadfally.
Now I beg you to think that have
had no hand in it. / even fancy you
do not imagine you are indebted to
me for the position.
"What rude little jackanapes you
must be-" replied John. still though
you annoyed me on the oath, | can't
bear you much of a grudge now, after
Christmas, for, if you had not been
impertinent, why your chief would
not have interfered, and SO made away
with my doll"
ssDont Co. ho.o nv old Marty 4