The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-12-26

able to play the match game on New
Years Day. rcan't get the UNI form.
Cant get the uniformp Why, you
told me you had nearly enough saved
up already, It's only two dollars nd
a-half. Can't you stand the racket "a
that amount?"
81 did think so, but, you see, Daisy
is so sick, VIII, and the doctor says
she can't--be well for long time"
(here Ben's voice grew very thick, and
he declared that that flying snow was
enough to choke anybody,") land l
am going to get something for her that
she wants for Christmas.
$50 count me out of the nine this
time, old fellow, and don't tell the
boys about Daisy. l haven't really
got enough money. Let it go at that"
"Well, if you say so, Ben; but I'm
awful sorry about the match game, and
Daisy, too, said Win, feeling as if he
were putting the wrong thing first.
"You know you're our best pitcher,
and we expect just to wipe out that up
town nine on New Years Day"
Coming home from school, Ben
came by way of High street. The
stores were gay with Christmas things,
toys, books, skates and tops, dolls, pict-
ures, and balls. How pretty it all
looked.
AS Ben passed through the store be
saw displayed on one counter the base
ball suits, caps and all.
1t seemed to him that they had never
looked so stunning as to-day, many as
were the times that he had stood and
looked at them again and again, while
gathering together his small hoard,
hoping to possess one as his own.
1t surely was too bad to give up that
match game. 1t might throw the
boys out, too, so long as he was their
best pitcher. But just then there came
before him the little fingers drumming
"Wait for the wagon" under the sheet
at home, and he heard her say again:
II want real live dolly, Ben, with
curly hair and pretty eyes, so can hug
her and go to sleep, and somehow
the baseball suits lost their beauty in
Ben's eyes, or else something dimmed
those eyes so that he couldn't see how
pretty they were, for he walked
straight up to the doll counter.
"How much for this big doll, sirP"
1.-TWO dollars for that one already
dressed" and he seemed little sur
prised when the boy pulled out his
purse and paid for it.
1t was every cent of his savings, but
Ben tried not to feel the fattened purse
as he stuffed it in his pocket
Mother, hide this till tomorrow, for
Blossom, please" said Ben, as he stole
into the house with his big package.
'Why, Ben," said his mother, but
Ben was gone and couldn't hear.
The boys had planned good snow
ball for this night, Christmas Eve, and
it was bedtime before Ben came home.
His mother had made the house as
neat as wax, and tucked bit of green
here and there to make it gay.
sit isn't much like the old times,
Ben, but we must hang up our stock
ings just the same. Daisy has been
talking about it all the afternoon.
And who knows" she added, "but
that Santa Claus will find oar chimney
after all"
Ben smiled as his mother began her
preparations, and kissing her tenderly,
went off to- bed, wondering what he
would do if he were aiwOman, mother
and widowP
I'D give up! You bet l would"
was his last waking thought
Come, Ben, a Merry Christmas to
you," were the first words he heard in
the morning, and he was soon down.
stairs by Daisy's bedside.
"Oh, Ben! see what Santa Claus
brought! My own beautiful, good,
darling dolly said the child.
"But what is that on your stockingp"
Ben turned, there on his stocking lay
bundle-"From the Red Stocking
nine to their boss pitcher-Merry
Christmas"
Ben tore it open. 1t was whole
suit of baseball uniform, Just what he
wanted.
"Hurrah!" cried Ben, and then he
added: Mother, doesn't Will Bolton
beat anything2 To think of our being
together all last evening, and he never
breathed a word of this. Those boys
are trumpsl"
Little Blossom" said Ben, going
over to the bed, 81 think this is q
mighty happy Christmas.
And Blossom Rugged the big dolly
and said: THAT'S so."-MyOrie Elem.
yng, IN School and Home.