The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-12-25

! escape the stern OF the due clEeak
was grazed by the PROV of their craft as
IT went around the turn, Good boy!
Tom Bully for you!' they shouted as
they swept on down the hill
But if the crew of the ripper were
thankful what do You suppose were the
feelings of little Harry's father. who was
Just coming out of the door az Tom
| plucked his child out of the jaws of
death. He had heard the cry OF the
ripper crew, and looking out had seen
little Harry sitting there, then rushing
out of the door had also seen the rescue.
You brave boy" he said, with swelling
heart, as Tom put the child into his
arms, "Gou saved his life, God bless
you'll Come in But Mrs. Holmes had
fallen talnting IN the doorway, overcome
| by the sudden peril of her child, and
| Tom simply said, Thank you, sir; not
unesss l can be Of some use. l must go
nome after this trip And he climbed
back to the starting place where the
other boys were still standing breathlcss.
"Thres cheers Tor Tom Noble cried
Charley Green, and the boys gave him
three aud tiger.
There, fellows, that will do - laughed
Tom, I'm not running for office, and IL
is not worth while TO make yourselves
hoarse about SO small matter
But it isn't small natter said
| George Lincoln. Look here, old fell
low! You know l called YOU coward
two weeks ago, because you wouldn't 20
skating on Browns pond when the Ice
was thin
And you know" broke in VIII Steb.
bins, THAT | saii that you was mammals
boy, and that l wouldn't be tied Up %
any womdn's apron stiugs a. you were
to hers
well said Tom, "what of it, L
didn't lay up anything against you ON
that account
''No matter if YOU didn't" said George,
Il take it al back. That's the best /
can do. And if anybody calls Tom No
BILE a coward after why--it won't be
true, that's all"
And il anybody calls him mammo'7
boy in my hearing, said VIII, Il shall
only say that | wish my mamma had MS
plucLy a boy, that's air
All right, fellows said Tom y cure
all very generous. I'm glad of your good
will, and hope to merit the continuance
of the same, as the papers say. But now
l must 60 home
And mounting again his good sled,
Tom was soon at the foot of the hill, aud
speedily reached his home.
| must not take long to tell YOU OF
what happened that evening. After
supper, according to programme, mother
came out into the slttiug-room the
Christmas tree was brought in and dress
ed and it was just as pretty a tree as
merry children ever danced around nuts
were cracked, the games were played
and Just as the first verse of eve Three
Kings" was finished, there was sound
of sleigh bells outside, and somebody
stopped at the gate.
'Mr. Holmes and Mrs. Holmes, and
Harry" said Tom, as he looked out into
the moonlight.
''What can have sent them over here
this evening"" queried Mrs Noble.
Tom blushed, but said nothing. When
he let them into the sittingroom his
!. mother noticed that the lady caught hold
of him aud kissed him, looking very
!, much as if she were going to cry. All
: this was riddle to Mrs. Noble, but she
remembered in a moment that Mrs.
, Holmes boy Phil had died only two years
before, and she thought that Tom had
probably brought him freshly TO her
: mind.
After a few words, Mr.. Holmes said to
Mrs. Noble: Il suppose You know
madam, how much we owe 20 your SOM
" No, " said Toms mother, with a puz-
zled look. "What do you mean %
$50 he hasn't told you said Mr..
!. Holmes ''No, on the whole, / didn't
suppose that he would. 1t wouldn't be
like him" And then Mr. Holmes went
over by the side of Mrs. Noble aud told
her about it, while Tom and the other
children took little Harry aside and rec
called him with walnut meats and pop
corn. When he happened 10 glance over
toward his mother he noticed that her
cheeks were flushed, and her eyes moi-
tened at hearing Mr. Homes's story.
Pretty soon the gentleman came over 10
him, and taking from his pocket good
sized package, said: Tom, / have
brought with me something that / hope
you will accept as slight token of my
gratitude to you. They belonged TO my
dead boy, and / haven't cared 10 part
with them; but if it hadn't been for you,
our only other boy might not have been
ours to night"
So saying he put the package into
Toms hands, aud wishing all "a merry
Christmas, the visitors took their leave.
"What is it, Tom2' cried Sue, before
they were out of the gate.
Tom opened the package and both of
his eyes very wide at the same moment.
1t was a splendid pair Of siIvermouutei
! club skates, beautiful as q picture and
Just Toms size.
"And here" said his mother, 'is
box of building blocks for Dick, and box
of Kindergarten gifts-weaviug- Sue,
that Mrs Holmes has brought; So tuat
all nv children will have something,
after all to remember this Christmas bly,
The presents were hung on the tree
just to see how they would look, you
know; and then they all danced round
it once more, and then they all sang the
other verses of I'VE Three Kings, and
then the little folks went to bed.
I'm glad, Tom" said his mother
when grandma had gone out with the
little children. 1t was all she could
say.
dear" said Tom, tenderly, a. he crept mp
to her side aud laid his head in her lap.
tom ?" after ltde silence.
seWell, mother2'
''Has this been happy Christmas r
Eyes, mother
1T would have been, wouldn't 10, If
these gifts hadn't come to night|
"Oh yes, indeed"
"It would have been, Wouldn't, even
if you hadn't had the chance TO do that
what you did this afternoon I'm
glad that you were able to do it; but
then, that was not the reason of all your
happiness to-day, was it ~