The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-12-25

IN FZN31zZA ~N-&za5l.
sr months OF aw1ul spanish cooked din
ners on shore!
And now the sound Of their hearty
voices seemed to give the earthquake
rent, dingy walls of the old office build
ing pleasanter aspect. "You see, Mr.:
b." said the captain, 1--WE kinder
thought we'd drop in and give ye the
good wishes Of -1''le season fore goin
round to do our Christmasin- Fact is,"
he added, smiling, ''the old lady can't
get on without celebratin Christmas,
no matter where she is, and she's al
ways bound to give some presents to
folks. If we're at sea, she gives 'em to
my crew, and if we're in port like this
she hunts up poor folks and gives 'ena
to 'em, heathens and all Amt that so,
mother?'' j.
Mrs Hale nodded. "That's fact,
father" she said "Why, 'twouldn't
seem the least mite like Christmas if I
couldn't give presents, whether I be
home in Boothbay or not. AS for hea-
thens, that don't make bit Of differ
ence It's Christmas jest the same,
whether they know it or not, and it
tickles 'em jest as much to get presents,
and me to give 'em. And you're jest
the same, John. You know you be. "
"Well, I don't know but what be,
Maria,' acknowledged the captain, and
they went on to tell Of their queer ex-
periences while Christmasin" in out Of
the way Chinese and African ports with
chuckles and peals Of laughter that set
Pedro grinning By force Of example,
though he couldn It understand word
'And speakin Of that, Mr.: B." said
Mrs Hale, IT thought maybe I could
make it a iiiitule II more like Chris S,aaS 70:
you and them other young men here
away from their own folks, so made
you this. - And with that she extracted
from her basket the very grandfather Of
all Christmas plum puddings- the first
one had seen for three years. Maybe
faint jest what you'd get at home" "
she said, holding it out with both hands
while the captain lowered beside her,
six feet Of genuine delight at my sur
prise, "'cause I didn't have just the
light fxin's, but 1 guess it'll go down
pretty we'll. There, take it and don't
bother to say one word. - And knew
the kind old soul saw that for the mo-
ment I could as easily have flown as
uttered the thanks I felt.
"Trust the old lady to know what
boys like, said the captain. 'We had
u boy once ourselves He'd be jest about
your age now," he added in a lower
tone, glancing Ut his wife.
"We've got him now, John, as I've
always said and always will" said
Mrs. Hale quietly, rearranging her bas-
ket
The captain went on in answer to my
wondering look: "You see, our boy run
off when he want more'n Is. He'd
been kind of wild, as boys be-, and I'm
afraid was little harsh to him Any.
way he went off without a word, and
we amt never heard Of him since. I
feel pretty sure he's dead, but mother
here sticks to it he amt"
"And I'm goin to stick to it, John,
till I know for sure" And then with
CHEEKY smile at me: "It kind Of does me
good to keep lookin forward to seein
Rufe again some day. Now, come along,
John; it's getdn late.''
l slipped ON my jacket, whereupon
Pedro vanished, and accompanied the
worthy couple down to the door Of the
building. On the stairs Mrs. Hale turn
ed and whispered to me: "John talks
as if he didn't care much about Rufe's
goin off, but now he really does, Mr.:
B. If he could find our boy, 'twould
take ten years off his age and mine too.
/ did not doubt it, and refrained
from saying that I thought it would
probably add ten years to Rufe's if he
could realize the sort Of mother and fa-
ther he had left so many years ago.
So I babe them good night, promising
to see them in the morning and with
hearty thanks for their thoughtful kind
ness, and watched them as they trudged
away toward the native quarters, their
sturdy figures towering above the mot
ley crowd Of natives and Cinnamon
who thronged the narrow street and
I sent my groom home with the pre-
cious pudding, and, mounting my pony,
threaded my way around to the English
club. There found McGregor, the old
Scotch doctor, standing in the doorway
and amusing himself by tossing coppers
one at time to a crowd Of lame, halt
and blind beggars, who as each coin fell
instantly became an appalling tangle OF
skinny arms and legs
"Hellop' said he as drew up. 81
was just coming round after you. "Su-
lu!" (get away to the beggars, who
were plucking at various portions Of his
raiment, and, like metamorphosed Oil
yer Twists, asking for more. Aren't
you acting American consul just now?"
he inquired :