Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-12-21

nlnd me SO much of my little boy who
aied-my little Willie" the white
"p.oheo old man sobbingly explained
NY names Billy too" SAID the boy
6, Wouldn't you like to dine with the
anliiy can't a-bear to see the image
~, ny VINE q settin' an eatin' his
'nristmas dinner all alone"
:. Ihank yer, but amt got no clothes
Mt Got money enough to buy 'em but
'nE stores is all closed to-day
me old man explained that Wilie's
ot?thes would just fit him, and in a few
minutes Billy was in comfortable suit
OF gray, with patent-leather shoes. 4
olue necktie and lovely soft underwear.
Then he was led into the dining
room. There was the restaurant-keep-
er Wiie, a motherly old lady, WHO
Kissed him and called him her ''dear,"
TWO pretty little girls in pink dresses and
yellow curls, and II boy a wear or two
Younger than Bill.
lhev sat down to dinner. How
Bllly's mouth watcred Willie Father
Mason carved the bird and Mother
Mason put heaping spoonful of
mashed potatoes alongside the dress
to him. ~ f''' ~
What grand turkey! So brown on
the outside and white in, and juicy
every bit. How luscious the gravy.
with little bits of liver, and heart,
and gzzard floating about in it's rich
provinces.
Mother Mason was not bit stngy
either. The saucer of cranberries
gloWed like plump Strawberries. The
celery little Molly passed with an ador-
able smile was SO crisp and sweet. The
| butter which he has encouraged to
spread thick, thick" on his bread was
real country butter, tasting of cowslips
and cream. There were oysters float
ing about with slices of lemon, and II
| potato salad adorned with little bits of
beet-lke budding roses.
How good the coffee was Jennie
put in four Jumps of sugar and Il lot of
sweet cream. The mince pie showed
| its lusciousness between faky crusts
and the pudding was so good that
Billy couldn't refrain from the second
helping, while Molly poured the wine
sauce over it carefully.
After dinner Father Mason told Billy
they would have u Christmas tree.
Billy knew what that was because he
had seen them through the windows on
the boulevards, but would as soon have
dreamed of flying to the moon as hav-
ing anything to do with one himself.
This was beauty, sparkling all over
With tapers, red, blue, green and yellow.
Best of all, everybody got II present
from it. To Blly's great sur
prise an elegant fur cap was handed
off the topmost bough, and it
bore his name. What change from
the moth-eaten thing he had worn in
the morning. Looking back he Won
dered with Il shudder how he ever could
have prowled around the streets bare
headed, ahd Struggled in doorways with
strange men with flaming eyes and I'M
washed faces. The ideal 1t seemed as
though every bough held something for,
Billy. Now it was u box of crackers;
which he pulled with pretty Jennier
now parcel of nuts he sat in corner
and cracked with Molly; now pair
of silver-plated skates, upon which
young Tom offered to teach him to skim
C,ve.' the ice; now Il box of figs or Il bag
Of candy he shared with Father and
Mother MasUn;,
What 4 Wohterful time, to be sure,
and al! that money and diamondsin the
pockets of his natty suit, ready to begin
the world with tomorrow. The poor
man in the doorway-he wished he had
not SO completely overlooked him When
he found his fortune. He would like TO
see these RIazinu evAs LIGHT up over a
goed square Christmas dinner,
Still they were such burning eyes-so
deep-so queer. Yes, there they We're
now, right before us his
"Why do you wave your hands about
500" said Billy, and suddenly his voice
sounded harsh and crosky again,
"Ah !" said the queer man, "dld you
have Il good time, good dinner,
eh?"
''Splen---" began the boy, then
stopped suddenly, as his hand went in
stinctively to his pocket. Where was
his natty suit? Where his new cap?
He wore the rags of Christmas morn,
ing, this was the same doorstep. and
over the chimney pots was creeping Il
flush. which showed that Christmas
was indeed over and another day
begun. .u 49,,
yer | could give Yer sometmn l
couldn't take myself. You've been
mesmerized. Glad yer enjoyed it,
poor little devil"
Before Billy could answer the door
behind them was hastily opened, ana
q halt-dresscd man stumbled against
them.
"Wots yer hurry, one hSn''i"S SA-
press -" said Billy, or aspng the man by
| the leg.
"Lemme go--quick-young Master
Harry is took awful sick~-eat too H4uci,
! Christmas dinner. They's 'traid he'll
die. Pm a-rushin for the doctor;
Billy relinquis he'd his hold and drew
his leather belt notch closer over las
| thin little body.
seems to me nay Christmas dinner
WIS the best after all, he said