Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-27

answered mrs questions as
best he could, hut he kept close watch
on the streets and alleys. Finally the
buildings began to look familiar, and
he at last broke out with { Il
"Here it is! Here it is! Please stop |
him and I'll run home" "A
The gentleman stopped the carriage; {
got out and helped the boy down the /
alley to his cherries room. The
fire in the cook stove had burned low
and the room was dark. The man
the lamp which his little com.
panions gave him and was evidently
pleased to witness the tidy though bar
rem aspect of the place. John Henry's
mother had not returned, which fact
pleased him, but not the visitor. 1
"You may tell your mother that some
of my folks will be here in a day or
two, my boy. I will not wait any
nov You and your mother eat
the turkey and have a feast. There are
Others where that came from"
/. When his companion had gone the
child turned down ths lamp and blew
it out and resumed .1 place ut the
window. Once OF twice he thought he
heard his mothers footsteps, but they
died away on the pavement. He was
hungry and cold and impatient A
dozen times be moved his chair up to
the little clock and felt of the hands. 1t
was getting late-later than usual for
his mother to be out, and he began to
feel a choking sensation. What if she
should not Gomez OF what use would
be a big uncooked turkey to a small
boy shivering with the exposure he had
undergone and weak from hungerP
just as he had about made up his
mind that she had been lost and would
never come back the door opened, and
q dark figure entered.
"Oh. mamma! mother! I'm glad
you've come. I'm hungry and cold"
Eyes; my child. we are both hungry
and cold, but 1 am helpless. waited
for my money to-day along time, but
didn't get it and then l had to walk
two miles to borrow a little. We will
have something to eat pretty soon."
When the lamp was lighted the
mother stirred the fire and sat down to
warm herself, holding the, child in her
lap with an embrace so tight that he
struggled once or twice to free himself,
while hot tears rolled down her sunken
cheeks. In after years if he 'remem-
bers that hour he will know what that
long, lingering pressure meant, the ST.
lence that was more eloquent than
words.
Not,a word had been said about his
adventure or the turkey. The great
bird had been carefully slowed away in
the closet and the boy looked toward
the closed door frequently asIif expect
ing to see the fowl walk out and say
something. How would he explain?
Presently he said: I'VE have got a
turkey"
mo, we cannot have a turkey, John
n.y." was the reply. ''but we will have
something else right away. will go
out now and get it."
"But l say we've got one now," said
John Henry, jumping down from her
lap. Its here in the closet" and he
threw the door open, standing at one
side, his eyes sparkling with pride and
pleasure. =.
"Why, where did this come fromP
How did you get itp Who brought it
herep"
Her questions came with such rapid
ity and seriousness that the boy began
to be afraid.
II just asked for it, mother, as you
ask for things when you kneel with mo;
only I went to the stores where they
kept them and asked and asked and
asked ever S o many times, until finally
I found a man who gave it to me and
brought it here. I was awful cold and
1 wa afraid I'd get lost, but the man
brought me home and said his folks
would be here tomorrow or next day.
What are you crying aboutp Oh, I'm
sorry I did it. l won't any more"
The mother learned from him little
by little the whole story of his adven-
ture, the rough words, the gruff refus-
ais, the bitter suspicious, and the long
walk in the freezing night air, and al
ternately kissed and Rugged him,
laughed and cried.
'FWhat could have put it into your
head to be a beggarp My child, it was
begging to do that, and we have never
begged BEFORE
He said nothing for a minute and
then answered: "You taught me to
pray and have said that if we would
ask we would receive. I did ask and
God kept his word.'
At night when the child was asleep
the mother stood by his side and strok-
ing his hair tendcrly said in a voice
scarcely audible: If, then, God so
clothe the grass which is to-day in the
field, and tomorrow is cast into the
oven, how much more will he clothe
you, o We of little faith!'
The kind man was as good as his
word. His wife and daughters called
the next morning bringing with them
warm clothing and some wines and
other dainties, besides toys for John
Henry, who could scarcely believe his
eyes as he joyously saw them unwrap-
ped and placed before him. The New
Year for him vas full of joy and hap
pincss, and his mothers heart was
gladdened by the promise of remuner-
alive work for the future. Thus hap
PLY ended John Henry's New Years.
adventure.
santa OiauS.
Santa Claus was one of the oldest