The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1885-12-24

round the room. "Well. l s'pose he's
gone off to the country agin. He's a
quare one intirely. Phwat's this?" she
added, seeing the note on his desk. ga
letther to Miss Angelina. Mebbe that II
tell where he's gone" And, to Mr..
| Thompson's ~vexation, she deliberately
opened and read it. '.No,n she contin-
ued, as she held it musingly in her hand.
"He only says he'll give her the ould
case of stuffed birds; and that's a funny
present. Well, I'll be after taking her
the present." And she left the room,
returning shortly with the waitress. The
two lifted the case carefully enough,
and, after some consultation, bore it be-
tween them to Miss Angelina's room.
Here's a Christmas Mr.. Thompson
bid me bring to We, mum, and here's a
bitnote that goes with it," said the
girl.
''Oh, how ~lovely!" murmured Miss
Angelina, who was talking to two lady
boarders when the case was brought in.
"Where is Mr.. Thompsonp"
"Faith, I'm thinking he's gone to the
country; he's not in his room, num-"
replied the girl, going out.
s.Isn't it nice!!' exclaimed Miss Angel
ina to her friends, examining the case
of birds.
The two ladies exchanged glances.
''The case seems to be very cheap
black-walnut," said one.
"And you'll find it an awful bother to
keep those things c%lean," added the
second.
"And they don't seem to be very well
stuffed" said the first.
"And that stork is positively hideous,"
said the second, pointing to Mr.. Thomp-
son. His blood, or perhaps we should
say his stuffiing, fairly seemed to boil.
But Miss Angelina set it all right by say
ing, brightly, 81 think them very nice,
and the stork is perfectly lovely"
The two ladies exchanged glances
again, and left the room.
All through that long Christmas-day
the boarders came into Miss Angelina's
oom to display their presents and talk
them over, making quite a Christmas
party, as Miss Angelina said. Many
were the criticisms upon the case OF
birds, and much sly fun was poked at
the stork.
Mr.. Thompson noticed, however, that
it was only the grown-up folks who
found fault. The children were all
pleased, and they seemed to like the
poor stork. One bright little girl was
the only one who seemed disappointed,
and she gazed longingly at a beautiful
doll held tightly by n of her compan-
ions; and then coming over to the case
of birds, which Miss Angelina had open.
ed that they might see them the better,
she stroked the head of the stork softly,
and as she pressed her cheek against his
soft feathers, she murmured, 81 wish ]
had a dolly like that"
Mr.. ~Thompson's heart-for despite the
stuffing he still felt his heart-jumped
in his breast, for he remembered that he
had just such a doll, which he had
bought for her, snugly packed away in
his closet downstairs. He felt that he
could stand it no longer. He must get
a desperate effort, and found himself sit
ting in his easy-chair in front of his fire,
which had long since gone out. Achild-
ish voice rung in his ear and a chubby
hand was on his arm.
"Merry Christmas, MIR. Thompson"
He turned, and there was the little giri
at his side.
s'You shall have your DOLL" he ex.
claimed, rising and going toward his
closet. She looked at HIM in bewilder-
ment, which was soo changed to JOY in
the'possession of ''Just the loveliest dol
ly in the world" as she called it, hug
ging it tightly to her bosom. Mr.. Thomp-
son did not give the case of birds to Miss
Angelina, but, as the young man who
told me the story remarked:
"He told her the story, and she COM
promised by taking the stork, which she
still thinks perfectly lovely So some
times good results may come of eating
mince-pie," the young man adds, with
a mysterious smile.
Mr.. Thompson, contrary to his usual
custom in such cases, admits that he
may have dreamed, but he too claims
that it is sometimes a good thing to be
stuffed before you 60 to Christmas
marty.