Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-11-28
How the Governor Helped Bobby Thanks
give.

morning mail had all been distributed,
I'd the clerks were chatting sociably
or reading the morning papers.
The girl at the general delivery win
dow was startled by the sudden in
quiry: Say, is they anything for the
Jenners?"
Looking through the window she
saw boy with big, brown eyes, just
on level with the shelf outside.
She took down the package of let
ters remaining in the general delivery
box, looked all through them, then
shook her head, and the boy turned
away with disappointed look.
In the afternoon, after the crowd
had left the office, he came again and
called up to the girl: "Is there any
thing for the Jenners YETI"
The girl shook her head, but he was
not convinced. "Look for Bobby
Jenner," he said. Maybe you did
not look for that name.
She knew there was no such name
in the package of letters, but to hu-
NOR the little fellow, she looked care
fully through them, and answered
kindly: "NOt yet; perhaps it will
come tomorrow"
In the days that followed the boy
came twice day, and the question
us there anything for the Jenners?'
came to be familiar sound in the
postofice, and the clerks listened for
it with much amusement, but the girl
at the window came to dread it.
She was haunted by the mournful
look that came into his eyes every
time she shook her head, and tried to
console him one day by saying;
Your letter will surely come soon !;
you have been expecting it so long.
Letter." he said scornfully, 81
never said wanted a letter; l want
a bundle, and want it pretty soon,
too. I've been 'specting it long
time, and-and-I'm just tired Of you
shaking your head, I am" The def
ant little voice ended with something
very like a sob.
The girl at the Office window was
accustomed to hearing complaints
from people larger than Bobby, who
wanted it pretty soon, too; but none
of them had ever affected her as this
one did.
She came through the door into the
outer office, and taking Bobby's hand
asked kindly Had you written to
some one to send you something?"
Seeing the look Of sympathy on her
face, he told her all about it. "You
see, it's this way; Mamma used to let
me write to Santa Claus and tell him
what l wanted at Christmas time, and
I always got somethiDg-that was
when l was little feller (straighten-
ing back his shoulders). My teacher
has been telling about the man that
runs Thanksgiving, and she read a
letter he had in the papers telling
the people when to thanksgive and all
that, and l asked her was he real
sure-enough man or if he was just a
put.up job like Santa Claus. She
just laughed and laughed, and then
she showed me his picture in the pa
per, and he was just man thout no
white beard like Santas, and she said
they call him Guv'nOr. He looked so
kind and good out Of his eyes, l just
thought maybe he would help us lit
tie if he knew how hard up We was
this fall. Mamma cant wash as much
as she used to, and | can't help much
yet; so l wrote letter to the Guv
nor one day when mamma had gone
to the Judges to help clean house. l
made my en-v'lup out of paper ike l
wrote my letter on; the teacher in the
first room showed me how, but it did
not stick good, and I'm afraid it lost
my letter out and the Guv' nor didn't
get it, and it's only one more week till
Thanksgiving.
His voice trembled, and the girl
turned her head for moment to give
him chance to choke back the tears.
Where did you mail your letter.
she asked.
He pointed to tiny crack under
the shelf of the general delivery win
dow. Right here" he said. al
couldn't reach the holes where the big
folks put their letters"
The girl told him to run along home
and try to be patient, and maybe the
answer would come yet before Thanks
giving.
She fastened back to her window,
and pulling out the stamp drawer