Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20

ness Of ef Rogers voice. He remembered
that Sir Roger had not yet said that hs
would buy the cup. however. and It wal
with great relief that he heard him speak
again.
| land you can leave your Christmas cur
/ with me- Will that be enough?"
Godfrey positively gasped with delight
II shall be able to get lovely things" he
said. lever SO many more than I expected
Oh, thank you very much. Sir Roger. How
| very kind you are!
And, as Sir Roger reflected, 1t did not
| seem to occur to the boy that his grand
| father might possibly object to what he had
| done.
| 1t was Christmas eve. Dinner was over,
| and Godfrey had said goodnight to his
! grandfather and gone to bed The squire
| sat on at his lonely dinner table, recalling.
perhaps the bygone Christmas ewes when
| the table had been full. He was awakened
| from his meditations by the entrance OF
| Burton. who advanced noiselessly but with
| chair.
II was to give you this card, sir, and ask
| whether you would see the gentleman on
very important business"
| The squire looked at the card. The name
upon 1t was that of Sir Roger vansittart.
| He started hesitated, but finally gave a
curt order for his admission.
I do not know to what am indebted for
| the honor of this visit" he said. in tones of
| peared. ''but since you are here-Burton,
| give this gentleman a chair-I hope soon to
| understand better than do now"
| II am Obliged to you.' said Sir Roger.
seating himself. for consenting to hear me
| speak. do not think you will ever regret
| doing so; am sure you need not regret it
| unless You choose. May I speak to you
| alone?"
"You can go BIrrton said the 'so,,ira
who was still standing, with the air of one
who wishes to end an interview as soon as
possible. He was secretly surprised to see
| that Sir Roger had placed an oddly shaped
| parcel on the table. and that he now pro-
ceeded to unloose the paper in which it was
wrapped. Mr.. Tempest averted his eyes as
II ne did not wish to see what the visitor
| had brought; but he could not help swift
glance of amaze when it dawned upon him
| that there upon the table stood Godfrey 8
Christmas cup
Roger, quietly, 'and l think it is a good
thing that it came into my hands. You had
| not missed it, perhaps?"
THAT fool Burton! what has he been
about?'
Burton is not to blame. I dare say he
has not yet discovered the loss. The cup
was brought to me by your little grandson,
Godfrey
"Geoffrey!"
The 'squire's tone was inexplicable, but
his old friend saw that he changed color.
DO not blame the boy. He firmly be-
ieved that he had the right to do what he
chose with the Christmas cup which had
been bestowed on him. He had heard in
some way that l had once been anxious to
possess 1t, and he very naturally thought
that l should probably buy 1t if it were for
sale. He brought it to me, therefore, and
1 gave him flo for It, because he said that
he wanted the money!
The little fool" cried the squire angrily
''as if he could not have had as much money
a he wanted Dy asking for il ~
He told me that he had asked and been
refused.
Mr.. Tempest turned on his interlocutor as
If ne could have struck him in his rage.
He asked for it for one purpose only
for the help and relief of-of person whom
| did not choose to assist"
And whose child lies dying at your very
door! Excuse me, Godfrey but 1 must
speak. BY the memory of old friend
ship, let me say just one word"
The sound of his own Christian name, so
long disused, seemed to petrify the squire
with establishment He opened his lips,
shut them again, and then sank into the
nearest chair, and blew his nose vigorously
His evident prepleXity was almost laugh
able; he had not expected Roger Vansittart
to take this tone with him.
Your grandson" said Sir Roger, In
grave, clear accents, ''has put me to shame
Godfrey. What have we been about for
the last twenty or thirty years? We have
kept up an old grudge; we have avoided
each other because of It.; we wouldn't ac-
knowledge that we loved each other at
heart all the time. I would have given the
world sometimes, Godfrey, to come up to
you and shake hands in the old friendly
way; but I held back-from shame from
pride, from fear, perhaps. And now come
to ask You to be my friend once more; be-
cause your little Godfrey has shown me
the way. This Christmas cup, as he calls
it-this loving cup-need no longer be a
back to you. freely, willingly: and the price
of it shall be-your friendship, my old
friend"
He held out his hand. and the squire,
with an emotion which he did not know
how to conceal, extended his own to meet
1t. Then he found word to say.
II played you mean trick Roger. God
bless you"
"He blesses those who forgive" said Van
sttart, quickly. Look here, Godfrey, are
you going to let Christmas pass without
repairing the wrong that you have done?"
What wrong?"
another grandchild of yours Hes sick for
want of proper care and food: your sons
widow watches her with a broken heart;
your little grandson labors to make them
happy, and begs that he may give them
even one good Christmas day! Godfrey,
be your own kindly, generous self, and for
the sake of the Christ who came down from
heaven at this season to save us ALL take
that woman and that child to your heart
For you as well as for them new life vii,
open, new happiness begin; and If we
have been hurt or injured in the past, let
us remember that we shall be forgiven for
our trespasses only as we forgive"
The squire's face had fallen between his
hands, and his breath came fast.
"She will never forgive me-" he said at
last, eff that child dies
And Roger Vansittart knew that his cause
was won.
1t was "a happy Christmas after all, and
the herald Of many happy days to come
For Winnie did not die, and Winnie's
mother was taken as daughter to the old
mans heart, and the Christmas cup became
in very deed loving cup. the sign and seal
of new love and a happiness in Geoffrey's
home.
Fresh Daily.
From the Philadelphia Press
"And do you understand" asked the Sun
day school teacher. why you pray for your
daily bread?'"