Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-12-23

l. 1nuAy dEo ACTUALLY surviving W ucdtA ~
seems hardly worth while to waste
] sympathy on those who are only fast
ing a little, and yetsSwhat IS more pitt
full than a helpless mother with hur-
cry child? ... a8s D..
Among the crowd of passengers who
had hurried into the station came Reu-
ben Bullwinl1le. AZ The discomfortsf Of
the journey had no. apparent effect.
upon his invincible good humor. "D;n-.
ner is now ready, ladies and gents!" he
shouted. liable de hote, OF la carte,
all the luxuries of the season at prices
within the means of8apy millionaire.
Never mind the cost. "a full stomachis
better than a fullpocket book, and you
| can't have both together in this ranch.
Walk right up to the festal board and
enjoy your Christmas dinner
After this outburst of ndime-museum
eloquence RUDE looked about him for
some evidence Of appreciation, but
every one was too busily occupied in
the scramble for food to heed his
vagaries. But no, not every one, for Us
Reuben's eyes wandered over the room
they observed the forms of the lone
woman and her little boy standing idly
by the stove. t&..:s:: .@s;t.:<
Reuben was an old and experienced
| traveller, and withal shrewd observer,
and it did not take him long to read the
pathetic story of this group of two two.
There was no doubt in his mind that
they were faint with hunger, and with
out sufficient money to pay for food.
The. drummer Rube pushed his travel
ing hat to the, back of his head and
scratched his bald pate as he held a
secret consultation with the angelic
and interior Reuben. "Rube, old fell
low, what are we going to do about this
/ business? We can't enjoy our Christ
man dinner knowing all the time that
hungry eyes are watching every mouth
| full of food we devour; no, that's out
of the question, but what can we do?
That woman is no pauper, and she
would probably scorch US with glance
| if we presumed to offer her money, or
even to blow her off to dinner. But,
great Caesar! they must be fed some
how. Now if we could manage to
scrape up an acquaintance with the boy
think we could make the deal; so let's
see if we can hypnotic him."
| Agreeable to this resolution Reuben
fastened his gaze upon the child until
he caught his eye, then smiling the
same old smile which had won him
friends from Boston to California, he
addressed him: Flows this for a
Christmas, little boy?" But the little
boy only chung closer to his mothers
skirts and scowled at the presumptu-
GUS stranger. ~,
'What's the matter, little friend,
can't you find seat? You just come
with me now. and if we don't find
place I'm much mistaken Co. ~
The boy ceased whimpering and
looked inquiringly at his mother.
Reuben thought he could detect the
conflicting emotions of the woman in
the struggle between womanly pride
and motherly love. He saw her tighten
her hold on the hand of the boy and
turn slightly away.
Slipping forward and politely doff-
ing his hat, he addressed the woman:
=, madam, I beg your pardon. but you
see have taken q notion to that boy
of yours, and as am far away from
my own little ones (this was rank du-
plicity, for. Reuben had neither wife
nor children, near or far), andSas this
is Christmas day, I am feeling little
lonesome. You, being parent your
self, can appreciate my feeling, for
doubtless were you away from your
boy you would naturally be interested
in any child which reminded you of
your own. Now beg you to permit
your little boy to be my guest and eat
his Christmas dinner with me"
The woman lifted her downcast eyes
to the honest face Of the stranger, then
blushing slightly, without either for
bidding or consenting, replied diplomat
ically: Tommy is afraid Of strangers"
However noncommital this answer
was, it was equivalent to full consent
when made to q knight Of the grip, and
either owing to the hypnotic power
Of Reuben Bullwinkle or the cravings
OF appetite, no difficulty was expert
enccd in winning the child's consent
to any arrangement which had for Its
ultimate object the eating Of . din
tner. Il sgsgH assE ss 7tsa d ii h: q 81
Hungry children are not very fastid-
ious, and however unappetising the