Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-14
GaIes arro Skttfbts.
A"s. AND An "R.'
Christmas Story.
BIZ MARGARET EYTINGE.
CONTINUED from Yesterday


wsru talking about him. shouted the
Bobson children, Isn't this bully ~
And thew burst into q chorus of laughter
and danced wildly about the room.
..But he gave me a wOrk-box instead OF
= gold ring" said Ella when they stopped
to take breath. Sensible old fellow
The work baskets great deal the best.
"And he's sent me ball and fur hat
instead of felt and watch" said Bob
"Jiminy! what ga-lo-ri-ous sleigh-bells''
said John; but what the other children
said no one could make out, as they all
screamed al the top OF their voices at once,
and Mamie used the letter II more than
ever. :,
children! children! be quiet. do, ;"
cried their mamma. "These are not our
things" There is some mistake"
"Yes. there must be, )" added the father;
.thouph I'm sure Bobson was on the box. y
"Where is the box o'' asked Mrs. Bob
son.
1.-THE box, my dear" replied her hus-
hand. is in the wood-shed The cover
on which the address was painted was
split up to start your cake a-baking a few
moments ago"
And there was Just as much surprise at
the stone house when Tom brought in the
contents of the box that had been lett
there, and spread them out upon the long
dining-table.
"Hiph old presents !" said Frank /;
.guess Santa Claus is poor this year, or
else he's got awful stingy."
who is this china doll for. mamma
asked Alice "Effie and Eda have dozen
prettier ones"
.And this Scotch cap?" said Frank,
throwing it up in the air and catching it
again Its too small for me-"
ME want piano." said Mabel.
'.And where's our basket OF good things
to eat P" cried they all together.
"For mercy's sake. be quiet moment!'
said Mr.. Robson; "yOu make such hub
hub that can't hear myself think. There's
some mistake here. These things dent
Tom p''
MIR. J. II. Robson. in big, black let
ters."
Have you the Govern"
Eyes, SIR"
Bring it to me, so that | can see for
myself"
Eyes. SIR" and Tom left the room to
return in moment or two with three ir-
regular pieces of board, which Mr.. Rob-
son fitted together. and from which he
read after they were fitted together. MIR.
j. II. Bobson." "It's a b instead of an
r. Tom," he said-"B Bobson-
Is there family of that name in this
place ?"
"Yes, sir-not exactly in this place, sir.
They live few miles out of town by the
Maple Grove, sir. There's eight OF EN-
father and mother and six children, and
they laugh all the time, sir. You saw
them once at the fair. when they nearly
went into fits over the man that was trying
to catch the pig with creased tail"
"Yes. | remember: went almost into
. fit myself watching them. So they were
the BobsOns. Well. Tom. they must have
got our Christmas presentsinstead of their
own. Get out the sleigh and drive me
down there"
Take us, too. do-that's dear papa, "
coaxed the children. Ats most lovely
morning for sleigh-ride, and we want
awiully to see the folks that laugh so
much"
Bring round the big sleigh then, Tom,"
said their father, who never could refuse
them anything. land pack these things
carefully into the box again. and stow the
box away under the front seat"
1t was excellent sleighing on the road
to the log cabin-the snow being piled so
high that the sleigh seemed to be gliding
over the tops of the trees. and the young
RobsOns were in such high glee that when
they passed the hut leaning against the
rock, where lived Postum White and his
daughter Araminta. and her four funny
. looking boys and girls-the whole family
rushed out in the deep snow to call "Mer-
~ Christmas! merry Christmas after
them.
At last the Bobson gate was reached.
and tumbling out the buffalo robes, the
Robsons struggled up the pathway to the
door which opened into the big room that
served for three rooms. There was such
. noise inside. what with horn-blowing,
bell-ringing. piano-playing. singing.
shouting and laughing. that they found it
of no use to knock. and so Mr., Robson
opened the door little way and peeped
in. Alice and Frank peeping under his
arms, and never merrier sight met their
eyes. John was prancing gavly about.
the sleigh-bells hanging around his neck
Ella was reading aloud from one of the
books Mamie was dancing before the
wax doll. which stood on the baby's high
chair; Robert, with seal-skin cap on
his head. was bouncing ball: Lulu was
playing some strange tune, apparently
'.made out of her own head" ON the toy
piano. and the baby was trying to blow a
whistle which it held tightly clasped in
its dimpled hands.
On the wooden table stood the basket of
goodies" and MIR. Bobson was walking
about in a bewildered way, saying, well
it beats met beats me"'
Just then Mrs. Bobson, coming down
the ladder that led to the loft. caught
sight of the visitors standing in the door
way. "Hush children" she cried. put
down those things-John take off those
bells-Mamie. stop playing that piano
/ told you that there must be some mis-
take. Here's the gentleman the box
belongs to. Thank Heaven we've taken
nothing from the basket"
Papa, DEAR" whispered Alice and
Frank. Juggling at his coat tail. ''don't
say anything about it. that's darling.
Let the laughing children have the whole
boxful and the basket too. We have se
many nice things we can do without
them"
..Do come in out of the cold. sir. and
h~sosr tho lsttlo opos IN fnc - sold Nrs