The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-12-26

DunuIe uuueT Ills arm.
-'4ow are you, Robert, and how is
Willie getting along?n said the doctor,
after pausing q moment.
''Oh, he's most as well as ever, and
we're going to have a nice Christmas
for him. I've got some things in this
bundle to put on the tree. y
"A merry Christmas to you all, Z said
the doctor, passing on.
"Umph'f the doctor soliloquized.
''It's Just the same with the poorest Of
them; that friendless widow who seWs
for her living viii deny herself and
her family necessary articles, Ipresume,
to get up a Christmas tree; and as for
her doctors bill-oh well, that is the
least of the mischief I've been too
much of fool myself, in giving way to
this modern extravaganza, to say any
thing about others. =
While the family were busy that after
noon over Christmas preparations, and
the doctor as busy as any one, the serY-
ant announced boy in the Office who
wanted to pay bill.
lis it possible!" exclaimed the doc
tor "No one has offered to pay a bill
before these two weeks.
Upon entering the Office he found the
boy whom he had seen that morning on
the steps of the toy-shop. Here is the
bill and the money, DOCTOR he said,
land mother wishes me to say we thank
you very much, too, and shall always be
grateful, for we think you saved Wiilie's
| life. !"
Upon counting the money, the doctor
found it was precisely the sum charged
in the bill.
elbow could your mother afford to
send me all this at Christmas time, my
boy?" he asked.
christmas didn't make any differ
ence, or else twas the very best time;
| cause it put it into our heads that
Willie's being well again was the best
Christmas present we could have. We
call him our Christmas present. But
he's so little, he wouldn't understand,
SO we've fixed up tree for him. cut
it in the woods. Belle and / have
trimmed it up quite gay. [ wish you
could see it. Willie'll be tickled
| enough"
"I'll be around to look at it, early
this evening, Rob- said the doctor,
grayely. Il want to see your mother
a moment.
"Well light the candle when you get
there"
.The candlep"
eyes; we've got one candle that
mother happened to have, and we've
tied it to the middle Of the tree. We've
made some little balloons and things of
gilt and silver paper and colored tissue
paper that they gave me at the box
shop. | guess when the candle is lit,
it'll show EN- off real pretty"
The doctor made no reply. Rob
thought he was not paying much atten-
ton to what he said; but he was too
happy, and too anxious to get home to
Belle and Willie and the Christmas tree
to mind the doctors lack of interest.
In fact, the doctor was paying close
attention to what the boy said. II
shall be sure to happen around, Rob-"
he repeated, passing him the reeeipted
bill
The doctor made his appearance early
in the evening, before Willie-who, in
spite of the great secresy which had
been exercised, was not without his
suspicious - had seen the wonderful
tree. He was sitting by his mothers
side in a little rocking chair, still pale
and thin from the effects of dangerous
illness, but with bright, animated
countenance and sparkling eyes. Belle
sat at the table with her mother, assist
ing in some sewing. Rob was reading
aloud from city library book The
doctor could see them before he enter
ed, between the edge Of the curtain and
the window, as he came up to the door.
Before he rang the bell, he Slipped
covered basket, which he had in his
hand, down besides the steps.
eve were waiting for you, said Rob.
eve were afraid the candle would burn
out before you came, if we lighted it."
You We're very kind to come, doctor,
and tonight, too, when you have SO
much merry making athome," said the
widow. "We have nothing to show ex-
cept how little it takes to make our
young folks happy and not so little,
either; for | am sure their greatest hap
piness as well as mine is in seeing
Willie SO well again"
Eyes, yes" said the doctor. "Why-
his cheeks are rounding out consider
ably, let's see if they are getting hard,
too, and he pinched Willie's cheeks.
'.But don t keep him waiting any longer,
children, light the candle and done
with it.
So Rob went into the other room and
brought out kind of box, upon which
eyergreens were tackled in mysterious
manner. There was round hole in
the top Of the box. Willie evidently
thought this was the great mystery. He
ran to the box and looked into the hole.
While he was looking, with his back
turned, Rob brought out the tree. It
was fragrant juniper fresh from the
woods 1t lowered above Rob's head
and shone and glittered and rustled.
The one candle was lighted and gave
forth a mysterious radiance from the
center of the tree.
Look, Willle!" said the doctor.
Willie looked, clapped his hands and
gave little shout. Rob fitted the tree
into the box. cit is your tree, Willie, =
said Belle. at is all for just YOU
Sure enough, it had upon it nothing
but the bright ornaments, strings Of
popcorn, some oranges, red apples,
sticks OF candy, gayly painted wooden
and tin toys, and some white and red
rye candies. For. all that, it was
beautiful tree. The doctor thought it
was the most beautiful tree he had ever
seen, and he said so, but he was think
ing of more than material beauty.
lit did not cost single penny,n
said the widow, "and that is the most
beautiful part of it.
Indeed it is" said the doctor. ssBut
how is thatp The candy, fruit and toys;
did they not cost something?n
-'No, indeed" said Belle. s'Rob
worked for the man who keeps the cor
ner store, to get them. The wooden toys
were all broken ones; but Rob mended
them nicely.
"All but the soldier" said Rob. ut
was SO much more natural for sol
der to have lost one arm, that LET him
go So"
"How is it that you have been SO
| economical with yp11r 4raa ond yat WOW