Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-12-20

mind me so much of my little boy who
died-my little Willie" the white
aproned old man sobbingly explained.
My names Billy too" SAID the boy
sympathetically.
"Wouldn't you like to dine with the
family? | can't a-bear to see the image
of my Willie a settin' an eatin' his
Christmas dinner all alone"
Thank yer, but amt got no clothes
fit. Got money enough to buy 'em but
the stores is all closed to-day"
The old man explained that Willie s
clothes would just fit him, and in few
minutes Billy was in a comfortable suit
of gray, with patent-leather shoes, a
blue necktie and lovely soft underwear.
Then he was led into the dining
room. There was the restaurant-keep-
er's wife, motherly old lady, who
kissed him and called him her "dear, -
two pretty little girls in pink dresses and
yellow curls, and boy year or two
| younger than Bill.
They sat down to dinner. How
Billy's mouth watered while Father
Mason carved the bird and Mother
| Mason put heaping spoonful of
mashed potatoes alongside the dress
ing, poured gravy over it, and passed it
| to him.
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 gizzard floating about in its rich
! provinces.
Mother Mason was not a bit stingy
either. The saucer of cranberrles
| celery little Molly passed with an ador-
| u nd
| butter which he has encouraged to
spread thick, thick" on his bread was
real country butter, tasting of CowsHps
and cream. There were oysters float
| ing about with slices of lemon, and a
potato salad adorned with little bits of
beef-hke budding roses.
How good the coffee was Jennie
put in four Jumps of sugar and lot of
sweet cream. The mince pie showed
its lusciousness between fiaky 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 a 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 hay
ing anything to do with one himself
This was a beauty, sparkling all over
with tapers, red, blue, green and yellow
Best Of all, everybody got a present
from it. To Billy's great sur
prise an elegant fur cap was handed
off the topmost Dough, and it
bore his name. What change from
the moth-eaten thing he had worn in
the morning. Looking back he Won
i cI, IA l.oc Il
have prowled around the streets bare
headed, ahd snuggled in doorways with
strange men with flaming eyes and I'M
washed faces. The idea 1t seemed as
though every bough held something for,
Billy. Now it was box of crackers;
which he pulled with pretty Jennier
now a parcel of nuts he sat in q corner
and cracked with Molly; now pair
of silver-plated skates, upon which
young Tom offered to teach him to skim
over the ice; now a box of figs or a bag
Of candy he shared with Father and
Mother Mason.
What wonderful time, to be sure,
and all that money and diamonds in 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 those blazing eyes light up over a
good square Christmas dinner
Still they were such burning eyes-so
deep-so queer. Yes, there they were
now, right before us his
''Why do you wave your hands about
So" said Billy, and suddenly his voice
sounded harsh and croaky again.
"Ah ~ said the queer man, "did you
have, good time, good dinner,
"Splen--" began the boy, then
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 a
flush, which showed that Christm as
was indeed over and another day
begun.
"Ah ~ laughed the old man, II told
yer [ could give yer somethin' [
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, and
half-dressed man stumbled against
them.
"Wot's yer hurry, ole lightning ex-
press % said Billy, or aspng the man by
the leg.
'Lemme go-quick-young Master
Harry is took awful sick-eat too much
Christmas dinner. They's 'fraid he'll
die. I'm a-rushin' for the doctor.
Billy relinquis he'd his hold and drew
his leather belt notch closer over his
thin little body.
"Seems to me my Christmas dinner
WIS the best after ALL he said.
Sc