The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-12-25

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, l 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't understand a word.
"And speakin of that, Mr. B." said
Mrs, Hale, II thought maybe / could
make it little more like Christmas to
you and them other young men here
away from their own folks, so l made
you this And with that she extracted
from her basket the very grandfather of
all Christmas plum puddings-the first
one l 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 / didn't have just the
right fixin's, but l guess it'll go down
pretty well. 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 felt.
Trust the old lady to know what
boys like" said the captain "We had
a boy once ourselves. He'd be jest about
your age now," he added in lower
Tone glancing at 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 10. He'd
been kind of wild, as boys be, and I'm
afraid Twas little harsh to him Any.
way he went off without word, and
we amt never heard of him since. l
feel pretty sure he's dead, but mother
here sticks to it he amt
"And I'm goin to stick to it, John,
till l know for sure" And then with a
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 gettin late.
I 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 Rufes
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 l thought it would
probably add ten years to Rufe's If he
could realize the sort of mother and ia
ther he had left so many years ago 81
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, tf1eil
sturdy figures towering above the mot
ley crowd of natives and Chinamer
who thronged the narrow street aut
filled the air with their uncouth gable
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 ole
Scotch doctor, standing in the doorway
and amusing himself by tossing copper'
one at time to crowd of lame, hal
and blind beggars who as each coin fel
instantly became an appalling tangle O.
skinny arms and legs.
"Hello!' said he as drew up. &c.
was just coming round after you. "Su
lu!" (get away to the beggars wh'
were plucking at various portions of hi
raiment, and, like metamorphosed Oil
yer Twists, asking for more "Aren'
you acting American consul just now?'
he inquired.
During the temporary absence of tn
consul l had undertaken his not yer,
arduous duties, being the only othe
American resident in the place.
"Well," continued the "medico,
IT have a fellow countryman of your
very bad with fever down in Malacanal
(native quarter), sailorman, only jus
out of the Spanish Jail for humping
guardia policeman last year. l hav
my doubts Of his lasting long, and you''
better come down if you will.
Of course l would come, consul o
not In these hidden corners of tn
world any one in trouble, vagabon,
sailor, "beach comber" or unlucky clerl
out of employment, is as sure of he'll
from more fortunate fellow countrymel
as if he were in his native land-sure
perhaps, unless he happen to be Chi
naman, in which case his friends lie
him die unmolested and then pay tn
expenses of burying him in China,
backhanded sort of philanthropy, yer.
characteristic in John Chinaman.
So the doctor jumped into publ
carriage and ratified away toward Ma
: lacanan, while followed ON my pony
leaving the beggars to philosophical
squat down around the club doorwa
and resume their everlasting wall G
Charity, for love of heaven, charity 7
Poor old McGregor's story was sa
one. Long years before, as young man
he had come to the Philippines on
pleasure trip with his wife, and her
she died suddenly of cholera, that tel
rible scourge of the east, which then wa
claiming its victims by thousands, an
, for 20 years the doctor had never LEI
the island where she lay, among tn
tall palms in the little English cemeter