Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-12-13

to himself; and more astounding yet
| was the fact that he did want to buy
some candy for Christmas. and that he
really stood there pocketbook in hand
waiting for it.
Rattle-te-rat, te-rat-te-ratl
A smile broke over the salesgirl's face
as she handed him the package of candy,
and away went the lawyer after the
boots, which seemed determined to give
him lively chase before the evening
was over. Again he was in the biting
air. but the warm blood coursed through
every vein in his body as he hurried
along. Again and again they stopped,
until the lawyers purse was nearly
empty and his arms more than full. The
old boots seemed fairly wild with de-
light, and Lawyer Flint could not, to
save his life, help laughing at them as
they skipped and slipped and danced
along the sidewalk. Away they led him,
out of the avenue, down the dark side
streets, until he heard the sound of
children singing. In this direction the
old boots fastened and stopped before
the house from whence the singing came.
Up the steps they went; the door opened,
and somehow the lawyer, too much fius-
tered and confused to know how it was
exactly, found himself in room filled
with children, and a lovely lady was
saying to him: "Ah, you're in time, sir.
Thank you so much. We haven't dis
tributed the presents yet You will
make good many little hearts glad to-
night, SIR" And all around him was
warmth and light and music and a clat-
tering of happy tongues, and altogether
such joyous atmosphere as he would
not have believed could exist anywhere.
Goodnight! Merry Christmas! The
sound rang in his ears as he followed
the lively old boots out of the door and
back through the dark streets into the
avenue.
81 wonder where they'll take me
now?" he said, chuckling and laughing
softly. "Gad!' he continued, 81 had
more than forty dollars in that pocket
book, and there isn't enough left to
hello-there they go into cigar store.
HIM, cigars are too great a luxury for
Harders Flint-not tonight, though"
he laughed. "I'll smoke tonight"
and he came out of the store moment
later with box of choice cigars in his
hand.
And then the old boots led him back
at moderate pace to his bachelor quar-
tiers. He whistled softly as he removed
his coat and got into his dressing-gown
and slippers; then he lit cigar, threw
himself into the big chair before the
| fire and sat contentedly putting the
fragrant smoke and watching it curl up
ward toward the ceiling, and he laughed
when from the closet he heard the old
boots dancing again.
| Rattle-te, rattie-te, rattle-te-rat, rat
t-tat-tat-tat-tat-
'"They must be tired" thought the
| lawyer, as the lively rattle dwindled
into regular, monotonous tapping.
Then he started, sat up straight and
opened his eyes. The tapping did not
come from the closet, but from the hall
door. 1t was Joe, come to replenish the
fire. "I've been dreaming" said Lawyer
Flint to himself He turned his back
to the fire, looked over toward the closet
and smiled. Then he walked to the
window and looked out into the street.
He took out his watch and looked at it,
while light shone in his eyes and his
mouth worked curious1y.
There's time enough yet" he said,
and Joe was surprised to see him hurry
on mis- coat and hat; but not half so sur
prised as he was when he stood alone in
the room a moment later with big sill
yer dollar in his hand.-Morris Waite,
in Detroit Free Press.