South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-12-25
THE DOCTORS GIFT.
A onkI ,rxAs sronY.

Mother, l wi-h We coull have
Chri tmAs and Santa Claus, and lots
Of MICS things like other people
When I was At Deacon 0ooden's to.
day, they had great plies Of pies and
cnkes cooked. and They have got q
big turkey that they are going 10
roast, and the most nice rel apptes.
and. OIL % many good things.
wish We could ever have stings like
that.
The mother laid down her sewing
with . sigh. and tears came :atu her
eyes.
wish 20, 700. Bonnie. she said
and Il IL VAS possible. We would have
!hcm. But We are por folks, end
poor friks cant sf rd nice things.
] sm sorry that csn't give yov more
thaa I do. Y.u knowI work hard
ali day long aud earn all I can. but
people don't pay much for plaio sew
ing. and IL takes all tho m nney I can
get to buy food and clothing. and
hire wood chopped. Poor little Sis
has TO have me 'icine aud the doc or
NUT he paid. and I'm afraid l WOO ,
have money 10 pay Tor it all. Poor
children, feel sorry for you, and
wi.h I could earn more for your sskes,
and poor Mrs. Benton hurled her
face in her hands. and Mss long
time silent.
Don't. mother Bennie said, com
ing and putin. his arms about her
neck, Don't cry. You are the hes.
mother that ever was, and when I am
old enough 10 Wink, Til earn money
for you, ard then we'll have n'cs
things and grond Christmas. and be
az happ5 as can be. tIF
The mo her pressed her boy to her
breast and blessed, him. and for his
sake affected a chcerfulne.s sh. was
far from feeling. White they re.
manned thus. talk ing OF ~h at all BEN
ME was e, ing 30 do when be was
older. the DOCTOR came tn see s 8, the
little lame girl. 81 WAS his custom.
She is much better, he said, ait Z
his examination, and will no able IL
walk again in a little while. Then
he busted on, aud vac gone, for be
wos hept very busy visiting his Pc
TENTS.
Mrs. Benton and Brnnie r. j,ic"i
a. tho doctors announc 'ment, and
they felt that they bal SON e hing 10
bs thankful for, " they were ,oor
for they hal long feared that Sis
would always be cripple.
Is a great consolation TO know
that little Sis will soon DC we'll and
stroHg .ain. The mother saii.
f's better ,han any Christina as
pres'ut, Bonnie sssented.
After Bonnie was ia bel asleep,
Mrs. benton sat till long IN the nigh:
over her seving, and, as she stitched
mp she tedious. tiresome seams, tears
role ! FIR IN. her eves down her cheeks.
II was bi terly cold night, and 4
deep enow lay on the groun 7, aud
as the sorill north Winds swept ruth
iess'Y around the bon AZ, rafting tbt
lose doors an wind We, the poor
"onsn remembered that the wIod-
p ie vas almost goue, and that the
| rider vas nearly empty. and heI
heart sank within her. Al last bet
task was jons, and going 10 The ittle
bsf In the corner, she kissed the two
unconscious sIeepe,s d With a
heavy heart retired To bsr own poor
couch.
Meanzhils Dr.. Custer vent m hi
rounds. He Gas g gruff oid nan. but
the people all knew b m snd loved
him, for be bad q kIni heart. AMI was
always ready 90 sympsth With the
poor snt needy. He visited many
patients iht night. snd he chopped
al many hocses where thsTe w-re no
PIT euts.fOr I've bal an Object in view,
snd the cold night winds could not
deter him from carrying II out.
The next morning Mrs.. B9uton Vas
up eafly. for II vas tie day teforc
Christmas, aud she bad = grsat deal
OF sewing to 10 for people Who we're
going To tue Christina, ball down at
the Cross Rosds. Wien breakfast
vas oyer, she ssid:
Alter YOU feed the horse anil the
c9lvss, Bennie, you must run over TO
Jerry Cobb's and SEE II he win haul
us Ioa OF wood.
Bennie fastened out 10 feed the
,Nloek, ard ia a. short time returned
out Of breath with running ani tx.
element.
o.! mother. mo- her. be cried
bringing iotO the middle Of the room 4,
took out there IN our 40 IDS al The
me1 and iesws, They're going TO
haul wood for US, for heard one II