The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-12-23


six months ago.o Nobody want themf
Dear me, that is too bad! Yes. know
you have every one of you taken your
share; sbutlwe mustn't let that family
go; I'll take it myself first, although
I've five booked against my name al
ready. What's that, young man?
You'll take them? Bless your heart,
you'll never regret it. One shake Of
the dear old mothers hand will pay
YOU" .n,s:a .,;.,sg. us rs1-
1t did not take Robert more than
five minutes to get directions assto
street and number, and all the time
he was doing some close calculating
as to the investment of the ten-dollar
gold piece.
"A fine, dinner you're getting for
your family;1 said the grocer as he
packed the basket full of good things
Are there many of them?" "Only a
mother and two little girls,"dRobert
answered with blush, and yet:with a
feeling of satisfaction. p A-lia :
"Supposing should not like them ?"
he thought, as he knocked at the door
Of tiny cottage on an unpretentious
street, ,,..c. .s.4ol-r .4-ir, -
His first hook into Mrs. Robbins
motherly, rworriedi face settledithat
question. tiau sc aH ;.
81 think there must be some mis-.
take, sir" said the little widow;
they're, surely, not for us" and her
voice trembled as she looked down at
the two little daughters who were
lowering expectantly over the bulky
basket. rAre you the grocer'S young
man., and are you sure you have the
right number AZ a75 20 jaee sd.
- YES" answered Robert, s.'it's Just
the right number and descriptions; o
dear little mother and two little maid
ems of three and ten" s.,
For a minute or two Mrs. Robbins
feared she was: harboring an. escaped
lunatic, but Robert, perceiving her
perplexity, FASTENED to explain
AS he graciously listened to Mrs.
Robbins words of gratitude, he took
a mental inventory of the possibilities
of the Robbins househ old with view
to a Christmas-day celebration. The
field was evidently undeveloped. Not
doll, nor picture-book; not set
of dishes nor a Noah'S ark was to be
seen. "It's all straight sailing on the
toy question, thought Robert, land
by the appearance of their clothes, i
guess can't go far wrong if L lay in
a complete wardrobe for the girls"
o sons and brothers who grumble
over Christmas shopping for mothers
and sisters, you can never experience
the zest with which Robert Ailerton
started upon his first Christmas Shop
ping tour 1t was the realization OF
the accumulated dreams of, a dozen
years. When other boys had dreamed
of fame and 'tendergroma that
were to come into their lives, Robert
had longed only ITO asatiSfysthe heart
hunger of many 1dotherIessg sistefiess
years, ''''..-| .l'' -ysh g" foE 3ua
,oIIt., would be impossible TO describe
the raptures .pf,tbes next, day, when
Robert Allerton let loose upon the un..
,suspecting Robbins household a
spentsnp. Christmas Enthusiasm of
years. For "a hours I'm going to
abandon myself -te4tl4e- please n ncy
that /, like others, am the center of a
home circle ;fo or one Christmas. day
I'll have my Christmas rights. "~esS y
twas in the twilightof the Christ.
mas day, as Robert sat nottingham.
ME in his arms, telling her for the
seventh time the wonderfuIstofy Of
Saint Nick, that the child drew his
head down to her lips and WHISPERED:
jamie says you're only a C6ristmas.
day brother. 1t isn't so. is it ?v~4sou're
an MISREPRESENTATION, --aren,t.
your" .iI13 - M @%s
He'satisfed the4little one With
caress. SO
A little later when Mother Rsbbins
babe him a motherly good.by@ she,
said: 49,
you've been so generous. in yours
gifts, dear boy, and made the.ssiitt1e
ones SO. happy, and I've nothing 70
give you in return but the Iaxs I'VE
been saving all these II years-fsr;; nv IS
own dear boy, who needs it no%5TnoTe
I thought to lavish it on hirfs3n his.
young manhood, bat the Lord-.knew,
better: rs ready and vsaiting foF such
anpther Draws true SON." sua
s : PeFhs psS after. all, this is--nsore
universe zofslaw and order thaR-i hac
imagined" said Robert, as he-eokeo
up at the Christmas stars -shinine
steadily in their appointed places. III;
was surely something more than mere
chance that brought me with my long
ing for a mother TO the che dear.littlt
woman who most needed 3 soa."~-
Union sigma