The times., 1898-07-17

Rest He had forgotten almost all
about them and he could not go back
! now. And yet 1t was Christmas day.
| They had always had tree and pres
ents then and on Christmas eve just
three years ago they had buried their
/ oldest child-a boy-a boy with long
] golden curls and bright frank blue eyes.
/ Were they celebrating now? And then he
! came back to the scared little face be-
| fore him and another oath died in his
| bosom Come here" he said gruffiy,
and for the first time in his life he was
/ conscious of a shame for the pungent
4 odor on his breath and turned his head
/ away as the child obeyed. There was
! softer tone in his voice when he an
I swered her, .'Yes, this is Christmas, +"
and took her in his arms almost as ten
derby as her mother had done.
rs it 'Tismas?" she asked again. There
was a doubt to the question that could
not be hidden. "Of course he replied.
| why not?"
Then why don't Santa Claus come and
why is there no presents. and why is I
hungry But the man stopped her.
There was a bit of moisture in his eye,
and his voice was not at all like that of
Hyde, Hungry are your" ne said
brusquely. We'll come" And he started
away with her Then he stopped again.
Bless nae this will never do at all. Why,
it's cold outside. You'll catch your
death" And from his own shoulders he
stripped an overcoat and moment later
was carefully wrapping her IN it. Not a
bit like Hyde.
And so they slipped outside the mother
peering after them with big wondering
eyes. Through the snow they went. and
in the very heart of the cold but Hyde,
felt 1t least of all The few others who
We're braving the weather saw the man
/ and the child and wondered at it. Had
they known that the man was Hyde they
would have narveled still more.
There was only one eating house in
( town and that was "H0gan'ss Rest ,"
which combined it's two trades well
/ Thther the two went. An oath was sti-
fed when they entered and one big fell
low, with cow skin boots and a pair of
wleked-looking reyolvers slung to his
hips, drew a chair for them next to the
stove Then he turned back TO the bar
Its Hyde and kid" he said to the
boys, and by thunder while they're in
hyar you keep questions and answers to
yourselves. fer the furst man cusses I'll
shoot" And there was no more swearing
until the pair left. One of the motley
crew began TO tell "A story and bit of
IL drifted TO the table where Hyde sat
I've got kid 10 hum was the SEN
tence
Meanwhile the rude scrawi that served
as menu was brought and Hyde read
IL aloud TO the child, allowing her to Sc
lect what she pleased He did not eat
himself for fear that his money would not
mold out. but he watched the meal disap-
pear down her throat with pleased won
der After time the heat and food be-
gan to take effect and she asked cues
mons Why don't you eat?'' was the
first.
Il amt hungry" Hyde replied. II ate
StUT hAffr % T+ IL,
taen lying is an art of which Hyde might
be supposed to be master. And when he
launched into a fairy story about n
laughing pig and q prince and all the
wonders of such tales the child was
Pleased and happy-happier than she had
ever been before In her small life. From
that he went into a tale more true n
less interesting, and the text was that Of
the man at the bar, I've got 4 kid TO
hum -~r'- a-erv -TS,s
But being that.'I- had te ,gs, away and
make a Hvin' for Them" he said. II
hadn't any one TO take care of them or
OF me, an soar So But tha ha b,.
was asleep in the warmth of the fire and
the fullness of her little heart. HYDE
DeAt down and smoothed the tangled curls
from her brow and, noticing thar her
lace was glowing from the heat of the
stove, moved her a trifie There was
smile on her face and he bent down and
kissed her. Then he went to the bar
How much?' he asked
Not damn cent. returned the man
behind the bar, emphaticaIIy. and the
nap Win the revolvers whispered, Sch,
uoh cuss!'-=-sr- vt"su-
Let her be till come said HYDE
sure returned the bartender, I've
got Kid TO hum. 49, Evsryone seemed n
have kid. 10. .huus'' jllsu then. 0utsjde
was sui showing but Hyde did not
mind. Down the street he walked untiI
ne came 10 the window with the tree in u
Here he stopped
How much for the traeq., he. as,,.as
"A dollar" returned the shopkeener
ana the ornaments-there are orna-
hents that so with them air't there9.t
Six bits"
ana hyde invested in both. LAYING out
an extra dollar on trihe or two-a aoIl
d Noah ark, and woolly lamb with one
gone Ihen. loaded with his bum
ules, ne plodded through the street and
back 10 "Hogan's Rest One of tba h[,.-
opened the door for him. Then togatbar
they look the things back The man wirb
the feVolvers had a box filled with coal
ana IN this they stuck the three roots NJ
the tree. Hogan, himself, contributed a
"hlie cloth to cover the fuel and "tn
-naNe t IL look Ike schnow. because the
all 7'' "l dr. at
finally all of them pitched in and load
eu the branches with the gilt balls and
trlnkets made for them. taking care NOT
70 70 wake the child. who was sleeping with
She same pleased smile on her face and a
I I9rk clenched tight in her hand. At last
iSue auoed MS little treasures and then
one of the boys volunteered to e,o e. ~ -
mother She came after time as hanny
as she mad ever been, and thanked them
all-all but Hyde 'i'ei'i
for. having completed his little task
anu aIi LVed out of himself for a brief time
ilYoe was upstairs unmindfuI of the han.
Py cries or the child below, with the LIQUOR
Dousht 4sT with his last few cents before him
still Hyde, but Hyde with a. La I'm IA
hum Alu u