The Taney County republican., 1901-12-26

ne sara NJ Idst.
"lm Mr.. Gcnnister-this Is my house.
Say, can you dress yourself? Well.
then, get dressed aud III give you
some breakfast"
The boy jumped up and down. "Mi,-
ter Denni,ter. Mitier Dennitter, Santa
Claus bringed Willie all desc"
Yes, see. Hurry, now: get your
clothes on and come downstairs"
Bu, the child was too wildly excited
to be able to dress himself that day
and Mr.. Gennister actually had to pay
the nurse!
Afterward Mr.. Gennis,er played cook
and made the coffee. Then the two
breakfasted together with Noah and
his wife. for guests, standing between
them on the table.
But II was after breakfast that the
fun really began. Evidently Willie
had never seen tenpns before, so Mr..
Gcnnister set them up aud showed
him how to play with them. And VIII
lie enjoyed the companionship so
much that after that he would not
play a.onc with anything.
As long as Mr. Gennistcr sat on the
floor aud rolled the ba.!s, Willie would
fetch and carry and set up the pins
and chatter in perfect delight But
when Mr.. Gcnnisicr drew his chair mp
by the fire and tried to read, Willie In.
sisted upon climbing ON his knee and
putting his chubby face between the
readers eyes and the printed page.
Commands and pcrsuasions were of no
avail, and at last Mr.. Gennistcr gave ia
and went back To his place upon the
floor, and 80 IL was that Ellen found
them.
She was amazed. OF course. and
nghast that Mr.. Gcnnisicr should have
been so bothered 10y "thc bye" And
she Immediately carried the child away
| to her own domain-thc kitchen. But
Willie had no mind To give up his new.
found playmate, and watching his op.
porlunity hc slipped away from E'.cn
and rcappearcd at "Miticr Dennitt,r's"
side.
Mr.. Gcnnister put down his book
and looked with some amusement at
the persistent child. But Ellen had
missed him, and quickly arrived upon
the scene. whcreupon Willie set up a
howl and clung To Mr.. Gennistcr with
all his force.
There. thcre-.cave him v.'a me,
Ellen. He'll bc good in here, and you
go get the dinner" said the master
And the maid departed, mar,e!ing.
Oh. but Willie had q royal time that
day. and Mr.. Gennistcr had some good
eXcrcisr-a and some new sensations,
too. They diucd iugc her as they had
breakia,ird, with Noah and his iami' y
And then. after Ellen had everything
washed up and put away, she appeared
all cloakrd and ready to take Master
Willie home.
1t was difficult TO persuade him tc
"bc good bye" and go; he eyidentl,
was well content to stay where he was
But finally the idea Of showing al. tn,
beautiful toys which Santa Claus hat
brought him, to ''mommer, pepper an
the chiller" prevailed, and Willie con
sented reluctantly TO have them packcC
up and go.
"Goo-by, Miiicr Dcnnitter; Will,
come soon adcn," was his shrill fare
well. Then silence settled on the bach
clor's home. and with a sigh of relic
Mr.. Gcnnis,er picked mp his book an,
settled himself before the fire.
But somehow he could not fix hi
mind on wha, he read. and his eye
would wander from the printed page.
"llcllo. there's poor old Noah .,
one Of his family! wonder II you fee
lonely. too? he said MS he picked NJ
the forlorn little figure and set 1t be
fore him on the mantelpiccc.
"Welcome back. Mr.. Gcnnister, an,
hope you've had merry Christmas.
was young Mortimcr's greeting to hi
employer upon Mr.. Gennister's re
turn.
Tom, the Office boy. laughed silcntl
, and looked up to see young Mortime
"annihi.atcd;" but to his amazemen
, Mr.. Gcnnistcr, after his first habitua
frown, smiled and actually SCENE
p amused.
"Well, most unexpectedly, ! di
4 have. rather!" was tie enigma tic'
p reply.
n Later in the day he said to youn
4 Mor;imer: "You have children In you
). family. | imagine?"
y Young Mortimer laughed.
"We.l. sir. there are nine OF us. an
I'm the eldest of the lott"
4 "Ah," Mr.. Gennister said, though
. fully, shat explains 1t. That make
tho difference see now WHY yn