The leader., 1902-12-24

UtdE llllle WOLudH she IL, tOo-oAo WV
little maidens of three and ten; her
only son killed in, railroad accident
six months ago. Nobody want them2
Dear me, that is too bad! Yes, know
you have every one of you taken your
share; but we mustn't let that family
go; I'll take it myself first, although
I've five booked against my naDe 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"
1t did not take Robert more than
five minutes to get directions as to
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" said the grocer, as he
packed the basket full of good things.
care there many of them?" "Only a
mother and two little girls" Robert
| answered with a blush, and yet with a
feeling of satisfaction.
"supposing I should not like them?"
he thought, as he knocked at the door
of tiny cottage on an unpretentious
street.
His first look into Mrs. Robbins
motherly, worried face settled that
question.
81 think there must be some mis-
take, SIR" said the little widow;
they're surely not for u.s." and her
voice trembied as she looked down at
the two little daughters who were
lowering expectantly over the bulky
basket. care you the grocer's young
man, and are you sure you have the
right number?"
YES" answered Robert, cts just
| the right number and description; a
dear l..tle mother and two little maid
ems OF three and ten"
For minute or two Mrs. Robbins
feared she was harboring an escaped
lunatie, but Robert, perceiving her
perplexity, FASTENED to explain.
AS lie graciously listened to Mrs.
Robbins words of gratitude, he took
| a mental inventory of the possibilities
of the Robbins household with a view
to a Christmas-day celebration. The
field was evidently undeveloped. Not
a doll, nor a picture-book; not a set
of dishes nor Noah's ark was to be
seen. cts all straight sailing on the
toy question:" thought Robert, land
by the appearance of their clothes, l
guess can't go far wrong if l lay in
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 Allerton
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 tender romances that
were to come into their lives, Robert
had longed only to satisfy the heart
hunger of many motherless, sisterless
years.
1t would be impossible to describe
the raptures of the next day, when
Robert Allerton let loose upon the IN
suspecting Robbins household a
pent-up Christmas enthusiasm of
years. "For "a hours I'm going to
abandon myself to the pleasant fancy
that I, like others, am the center of a
home circle; for one Christmas day
I'll have my Christmas rights"
1t was in the twilight of the Christ
mas day, as Robert sat holding Nam
ME in his arms, telling her for the
seventh time the wonderful story of
Saint Nick, that the child drew his
head down to her lips and whispered:
"Janie says you're only a Christmas
day brother, 1t isn't SO, is it? You're
an all-the-year-round brother. aren't
yau?"
He satisfied the little one with a
caress.
A little later when Mother Robbins
bsde him motherly,- good-by, she
said:
you've been so generous in your
gifts, dear boy, and made the little
ones so happy, and I've nothing to
give you in return but the love I've
been saving all these II years for my
own dear boy, who needs it no more.
1 thought to lavish it on him in his
young manhood, but the Lord knew
better. It's ready and waiting for such
another brave, true son."
Perhaps, after all, this is more a
universe of law and order than I had
imagined" said Robert, as he looked
up at the Christmas stars shining
steadily in their appointed places. TT
was surely something more than mere
chance that brought me with my long,
ing for mother to the one dear little
woman who most needed a son.
Union Signal.