The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-12-26

six months ago Nobody want thens
Dear me. that is too bzci Yes. know
YOU have every one OF you taken your
share. but we mustn't let that family
so: III take u myself first. although
I've i've booked against my name al
ready What's that. youHg man?
You'll lake them? Bless your heart.
you'll never regret II. One shake of
the dear old mothers hand will pay
you-
IL did not take Robert more than
five minutes 10 get directions as TO
street and number. and al the tine
be was doing some close calculating
= 20 the Investment Of the ten-doilar
gold piece.
"A f-- dinner you're getting for
Your family. laid the grocer. as he
packed the basket full Of good things
Are there many of them - only .
mother and two little girls Robert
answered with a blush. and yet with
feeling of satisfaction
'-supposing ! should not Ike them
he thought. as he knocked a. the door
Of tiny cottage or an unpretenfinus
street
His FIRST look into Mrs Robbing
moiherly. worried face settled that
question
II shink there must be some mis-
take. sir said the little widow:
they're surely not for u.s. and her
voice srembled as she looked down at
the two little daughters who were
lowering expeetantly over the bulky
basket Are you the groeer's young
man. and are you sure you have the
right NUMBER?
Yes answered Robert. its just
the right number and description: .
dear little mother and two little maid
ems Of three and ten"
For . minute or two Mrs Robbins
feared she Was harboring an escaped
iunatic. but Robert, perceiving her
perplexity. FASTENED TO explain
As he graciously listened 10 Mrs
Robbins words Of gratitude. he took
= mental inventory Of the possibilities
Of the Robbins household with view
to a Christmas-cay celebration The
field was evidently undrveloped- Not
q doll. nor q picturebook; no. . set
of dishes nor . NOzh's ark was to be
seen -Ii's all straight sailing on the
tor question thought Robert. land
by the appearance Of their clothes,
guess can't 60 far wrong II lay in
q complete wardrobe for the girls
o sons and brothers who grumble
over Christmas shopping for mothers
and sisters, You can never experience
the res: with which Robert Alierton
started upon his first Christmas shop
ming tour. II was the realization az
the accumulated dreams Of Dozen
years. When other boys had dreamed
81 fame and tender romauces that
were 10 come into their lives Robert
had longed only to satisfy the heart
hunger Of many mother'~s<. sisterless
years
II would be impossible 10 describe
the raptures Of the next day. when
Robert AIierton let loose upon the un-
suspecting Robbins household >
pent-up Christmas enthusiasm Of
Years. FOR "a hours I'm going to
abandon myself 10 the pleasant fancy
that /. like others. am the center Of
home circle, for one Christmas day
III have nv Christmas rights
II was in the twilight of the Christ
mas DAY. as Robert sat holding Nan
ME in his arms. telling her for the
4 seventh tine the wonderful story Of
Sain. Nick. that the child drew his
head down TO her lips and whispered:
jamie SAYS you're only Christmas
dsv brother. Ii isn't so. l. IT,? You're
an ail-fhe-year-rourd brother. arsn't
you?-
He satisfied the little one with .
caress-
little later when Mother Robbins
hade him . motherly gocd-by- she
said.
You've been 80 generous in your
rifts. dear boy. and made the little
ones so happy. aaG I've nothing 70
give YOU in return but the love I've
been saving gil these II years for my
own dear boy. Who needs 1t no more
thought 10 lavish it on him in his
xaunv rarhssd. but the Lard knew
better. It's xsdy ard waiting for such
another hxsys. true son
-Perhxxs. after all this j. more .
universe OF law and order than had
iuarsset.- said Eoberi. ss be looked
m "a IN. Christmas stars shining
! stsadaiy in their appointed places ~
rzs surely something more than mere
| ,harce that brought me with my long-
- sor 4 mother 10 the one GEAR little
; woman who most Eeecsd
/ Union signal