St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-12-18
Gbe Californian
[written Tor the Caledonian. ]
I'm HIS NAME"
A Story for Kings Daughters.


have to count and see Ii any of ouI
number are missing. Here are four
seats; we can turn them and our par
ty will be together with only the
aisle between. Come Beth, Alice
Ruth, Grace, Nettie. Belle and-but
where is Christine? she surely was
the station"
ErHestine Dunlap, the speaker. was
a bright. sparkling young lady.
Every feature of her expressive face
was agIow with life and she was a
leader among her friends, who were
more than glad to follow her wishes.
lust now she had entered a car on
the b. & A. railroad and with her were
her cIassma ties in college, all bound for
their homes to spend the holidays.
At Ernestine's question of where is
Christine ;" the young lady called
Beth replied. "She is in the station
presume. | saw her go back to the
entrance and take some of the pack
ages from a lady. who, besides hav-
ing her arms full of bundles. was try
ing to care for little boy about six
years old"
lust like Christine, replied Ernes-
tine Now | suppose all the rest of
us might have let the lady pass and
never thought of helping. but Chris
tine is always doing helpful things.
| wonder If the silver cross she wears
makes any difference. | am going to
ask her, and here she comes, perfect
Mother Helpful and girls, just see the
contrast between those two people"
Striking indeed was the contrast.
Christine Reynolds was a petite per-
son. with blue eyes and brown hair,
a mouth that when quiet was quite
plain, but when speaking sent the
, dimples chasing each other all about.
Today the cold air and penetrating
winds of Boston sent the blood
bounding through her checks whose
color was made more brilliant by the
rich dark fur of her long cloak and
the nodding plumes ON the dark hat
which was poised jauntily upon her
head. The Young woman with her
was scarcely n day older but the tired
look upon her face had added
wears Her flannel sack was worn
nearly threadbare and the straw hat
and worn gloves showed equal signs
of wear As she followed Christine
up the aisle, more than one pair of
ewes watched them Nodding quick
w to her friends Christine soon found
seat for the lady and little boy,
then going to the seat reserved for
her on the opposite side of the aisle,
she commenced merry conversation
with her friends as though nothing
unusual had occurred. Very natur
ally their conversation was directed
toward the coming pleasures of the
holiday season and many were the
plans laid for the merry Christmas
time In the interest thus caused the
lady and her little charge were for
gotten, except by Christine who
would often send a laughing look
across to the little fellow. Suddenly
their attention was arrested by hear
ing him say, SISTER Lizzie, what
does Christmas mean, and shall we
have some? | want some of the
Christmas. say, can't |, sister,"
The girls uncOnsciOuSly paused in
tneir talk, and heard the low reply
of the sister as she said, You know,
Howard, mamma told you that
Christmas day was the birthday of
Jesus. y great many years ago the
mas now is His birthday"
We'll, but can't have some of it,
cant | have Christmas, sister?
You can have happy day, darf-
ing, if YOU are sunny and bright and
kind to papa and mamma and every
ONE
Il know" persisted the little fell
low, but can't / have what. those
pretty ladies are talking about,
Christmas presents, and cant you
and mamma have cloak like the
one that lady wears, who took me
up the car steps? | want a Christ
mas present, sister
Tears filled the eyes of the sister as
she bent down to the earnest little
face and said, Howard must remem-
Der we are very poor, and sister can
not give him what he wants. Re
member also, darling, that mamma
is sick and papa must care for her,
but we will be sunshiny and not let
them think our Christmas is not all
we could wish, and remember, How
ard, that the Jesus whose birthday
is so near, loves the poor just as well
as the rich"
A thoughtful look had stolen over
the faces of our girls as they listened,
while an old gentleman, whose
grumbIing, before the young ladies
entered, could only be equalled by
his size, began to puff and exclaim.
How terribly hot these COMPOUNDED
cars are and with suspicious
snuff began to wipe his face with his
large silk handkerchief, in the mean
time holding a debate with himself,
in which only such words as II new
er did such thing before" and 81
know I'll get fooled" could be heard.
Finally as the cars steamed into a
large station the old gentlemen pick
ed up his bundles and stalked down
the aisle, paused long enough to
drop a shiny piece into the little
boys hand. saying. Here you,
youngster. get yourself Christmas
present." and passed quickly from
the car and was lost in the crowd.
Look. sister," exclaimed the child,
see a shiny penny and all my very
own
On the lady's face came look of
CONSERVATION as she examined the
piece of money and said, "Oh, How
ard he must have made mistake,
this is a FIVE dollar gold piece What
shall we do? we must find him and
return 1t.
Christine, seeing the troubled look
and the haSty preparations to leave
the car, went to the girl and said. Il
do not think there is any mistake
for have been watching the old gen
fIeynar1 and he very On rffIIllv looked