The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-12


self rowed out to visit the great white flag
ship: There was never any very extended
ofhclal report of what he said to the navy
captain, nor OF what that gallant gentle
man replied.
but before those runaway San Francis
cans had had time to eat half as MANY
bananas as they really wanted a steam
launch from the man-o'-war came along
side the jolly Susan and those rascaIiv
boys We're carried over to the shelter of
those stars and stripes quite as if they were
young princes recalled to their father
most royal and majestic presence. The
nnah-o war had steam up already, and
almost before Walter could gasp out a
question as to that mysterious streamer up
aloIt the ship was under way.
lts the homeward- bound pennant, {"
was the welcome and most unexpected
answer to Master Walters inquiry And
the glorious man-of-war steamed out of
Inc harbor while the sailors on the jolly
susan cheered and the flagship's band
played, "Oh, Amt I Glad to Get Out of
the Wllderness?" Home, Sweet Home. !"
and plenty of other airs familiar and dear.
THE END.
The Strange Birthday Present.
"Oh, tomorrow is my birthday l shall
be 10 years old, and l want ever so MANY
things! How 1 hope l shall get them all %
go cried little Patsie one night as he
danced around the nursery in his white
nightgown.
Finally his mamma Quoted him, and
after tucking him in his little bed and lis
tening to his Now lay me-" soon left
him fast asleep.
When he awakened in the morning, he
was dressed in iiffy, then downstairs he
flew two steps at time!
Oh, yes everything was there; from the
shining, glittering safety, to the pile of
story-books
breakfast-room they found their little son
very happy and very much excited over
his beautiful gifts, and ii was quite hard
work TO get him to eat his breakfast Dur
ing the meal his father told him that
very, mysterious package, tied very Sc
curely, had arrived for him, with the fol-
lowing words printed on the wrapper:
Nor TO BE OPENED UNTIL DINNER TIME.
isn't that mean?" said Patsie, dinner
time is long ways off" Never mind.
Patsle, said mammals gentle voice, lust
don't think of it, but have a good time
riding your safety and playing football
with your little brother"
But Patsie could not forget that pack
age, and every few minutes he would come
what 1t was. So all the beautiful sunshiny
mornlng hours passed and Patsie had
not felt either happy or contented
In the afternoon his mamma tried to read
to him out of his lovely new story books,
but the restless child Kept looking toward
the unrevealed gift, so she had to stop,
because you know it is very hard to read
to little boy when he does not pay at
tention.
Then some friends came to play with
him and they brought HIM some more
pretty gifts; but he spent almost all of
the time they remained in asking if they
had sent the mysterious present or in try
ing to make them guess who was in it.
His companions did not enjoy this way
OF being entertained, and went home quite
early, declaring that "Patsie' was very
disagreeable boy on his tenth birthday.
AT last dinner time came Gas it always
does). Mamma had prepared a lovely
dinner for her young son, but the excited
curious child scarcely glanced at the beau
tifully decorated table, he was so eager to
open the package.
''Ah, no, you must eat your dinner first"
said papa. And the little fellow proceeded
to obey as fast as he could
Then came the eventful moment
Thoughts of all sorts of beautiful things
that he had wished for flashed through his
BRAIN
OHe sIrlng was unteu, one paper wrap
per was removed; another string was I'M
tied and another paper covering taken off.
my it must be something fine to need
so much wrapping upl" thought he
Well, that little boy united great many
strings. and had quite lot of paper beside
his plate before he came to the hidden
treasure. and when he did, what do you
think be found ? Nothing but a little pile
of dry crusts of bread
know you all feel like saying, oh, how
meant and that you feel very sorry for
little Patsie. So did his papa and mamma
regret having to disappoint their little boy,
but they had tried so hard for two or three
years to teach him to eat all of his slice of
and leaving three or four rings of crust
around his plate that they just had to
impress it on his mind so he would never