Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-12-26
JEANIE'S CHRISTMAS GIFT.

As Jeanne sat on the old meadow stile,
IN the radiant splendor of the Septem-
Der afternoon, she was thinking of q
Sabbath morning when her father sat in
the cottage with the great Bible on his
knees. reading the sacred word 20 his
family. It had been bright summer
morn, and the very scent of the roses
and the lavendar, and the busy hum of
the bees seemed to come back to her.
1t was her fathers custom to require
Jeanie and her little sister Dot to repeat
9 verse, when he had finished reading.
That morning Jeapie's verse was: SIN
asmuch as We have done it unto one of
the least of these, my brethren, We have
done it unto Me-
''What does that mean, papa?" Jeanne
hel asked.
And papa had said:
"Why, my dear, it means this: IF
you were to see a poor beggar sitting by
the roadside and gave him food and
drink, or shelter, the great Lord would
regard your kindness just the same as if
bestowed upon Himself"
This was the memory that came back
TO Jeanne as she sat on the old stile.
She repeated the verse softly to herself,
and then, with tears rising IN her blue
eyes. she glanced over her shoulder in
the direction of the village churchyard,
where her father now slept.
Chldhood's sorrow, however, is short
lived. She soon dried her tears, and
began to jingle the two silver dollars in
her pocket. Two round silver dollars!
Oh, how hard and patiently she had
worked for them, picking berries In the
hot sun for the village market.
When they were earned, and she held
them in her little brown hand, mamma
had said:
''They are yours, Jean; you shall do
with them as you like. Buy new hat
for yourself, Or
Mamma, no, no, please" Jeanne
the nat; let me buy the dolly with the
eyes that go to sleep and the darling
little bed to put her in, for Dot, the dear.
On. mamma, she has wanted them so
long"
''Do just as you please, Jeanne, love;
yen worked hard for that money" man.
ma sud.
And now Jeanie was on her way to
the village to make her purchase. Dot
was weakly and somewhat deformed-
poor little mite-and could not accom-
pany Jeanne. But Jeanie had kissed her
when she set out and said:
Now, sit here, and be patient, and
watch for me, Dot; I'll hurry as fast as
ever I can, and you shall have the big
dolly n your arms the very minute I get
back.
Jeanie thought of Dot, as she iingled
the two silver dollars In her pocket. and
springing from the style hurried across
the meadow. When she came close to
the great elm that stood by the wayside
she stopped short. Sitting beneath 1t
was man with a bandage across his
eyes, aud little dog at his feet. The
dog had forlorn look, and the master
was clad in rags. Jeanie looked on in
silence for some minutes, and then drew
a little nearer.
Good man, are you blind % she
asked.
No, not entirely" answered the
man. g I've had sunstroke, and the
light hurts me-" rs1
Jeanie's tender heart was moved. She
drew still nearer and patted the little
dog.
" What makes you sit here ?" she
asked at last. Why don't you go
home ?" sa-....
lam trying to get there, but walk
ing makes my head hurt.
"How far is your home ?"
s'NearIy hundred miles"
ooh, obi You surely don't mean to
walk that far ?" cried Jeanie.
CT did; but can't make much head.
way now" 81 4.
- Why don't you go on the ears ?"
The man laughed scOrnfuLy; sad,
half desperate sort of laugh.
s. Because l haven't got cent, little
one.
hungry?"
t'Not very; I got bite on the road. p
"But you're tired and sick 2"
Eyes"
There was silence q minute or two.
The elm leaves ratified overhead, and the
little dog watched Jeanie with wistful,
entreatIng eyee.
How much would it take to carry