The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-21
grandfather might possibly object =,
what he had done.

l - - ~~--N'
1t was Christmas Eve. Dinner woe
! over, and Godfrey had said good
night to his grandfather and gone -
/ bed. The Squire sat on at his lonaI,
| dinner table, recalling, perhaps. tbs
bygone Christmas Ewes when the
! table had been full. He was awakened
| from his meditations by the entrance
| of Burton, who advanced noiselessI,,
but with evident hesitation, toward biS
| masters chair.
| II was to give you this card sir
and ask whether you would see ths
| gentleman on very important bust
| ness"
The Squire looked at the card. The
| name upon it was that of Sir Roger
| Vansittart. He started, hesitated but
| finally gave curt order for his adj
! mission.
! II do not know to what I am in
debted for the honor of this visit" he
said, in tones of freezing porteness
when Sir Roger appeared, "but since
you are here-Burton, give this gem
tleman a chair-I hope soon to under.
stand better than l do now"
81 am obliged to you," said Sir
Roger, seating himself, "for consenting
to. hear me speak. 1 do not think Won
| will ever regret doing so; 1 am sure
! you need not regret 1t unless Won
i choose. May 1 speak to you alone?"
You can go, Burton" said the
| Squire, who was still standing, with
the air of one who wishes to end an in
terview 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 proceeded
| to unloose the paper in which It was
! wrapped. Mr.. Tempest averted his
| eyes as if he did not wish to see what
| the visitor had brought; but he could
! not help a swift glance of amaze when
| it dawned upon him that there upon
the table stood Geoffrey's Christmas
| Cup.
II have brought it back to you" said
| Sir Roger, quietly, land 1 think il ia
a good thing that it came into nv
hands. You had not missed it, per-
| haps?"
That fool, Burton! what has he been
about?"
Burton is not to blame. dare saw
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
| believed that he had the right to do
what he chose with the Christmas Cup,
| which had been bestowed on him. He
mad heard in some way that had
once been anxious to possess it. and he
very naturally thought that / should
probably buy it if it were for sale.
) He brought it to me, therefore, and
gave him ten pounds for it, because he
said that he wanted money"
The little fool" cried the Squire
angrlly, as If he could not have had
| as much money as he wanted by ask
| ing for it,"
He told me that he had asked and
| been refused"
Mr.. Tempest turned on his interocu-
Tor as If he could have struck him in
| his rage.
He asked 1t for one purpose only
LOT the help and relief of-of a person
Wnom l did not choose to assist"
And whose child lies dying at your
very door! Excuse me, Godfrey, but
L must speak. By the memory of our
OLD friendship, 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. then sank
into the nearest chair, and blew his
nose vigorously. His evident perplex-
lty was almost laughable; he had not
expected Roger Vansittart to take this
tone with him.
Your grandson" said Sir Roger,
IN grave, clear accents. "has put ME
10 shame, Godfrey. What have we
oeen ABOUT for the last twenty or thir-
y years? We have kept up an old
ho
because Of it: we wouldn't acknowl-
eoge that we loved each other at heart
an the time. I would have given the
world sometimes, Godfrey, to come
up TO you and shake hands in the old
friendly way: but 1 held back-from
shame, from pride, from fear, perhaps,
ana now come to ask you to be smy
friend once more; because your little
Geonrey has shown me the way. This
cnrlstfnas Cup, as he calls it-this low
lms-cup-need no longer be a cause OF
olssension between us. 1 give it back
10 you, freely, willingly; and the price
OF 1t 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
MS own to meet it. Then he found
word to say.
l prayed you a mean trick, Roger
God bless you''
He blesses those who forgive" said
vansittart, quickly. Look here, Geof-
1rey, are you going to let Christmas
pass without repairing the wrong that
you have done ?"
What wrong?"
Another grandchild of yours lies
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 10
your heart! For you as well ms Tor
them a new life will open. a new hap
piness begin: and II we have been hurt
or Injured in the past, let ms remember
that we shall be forgiven for our tres
passes only as we forgive"
The Squire's face had fallen De-
tween his hands, and his breath came
fast.
"She will never forgive me-" he saia
NJ last. ~ that child dies"
And Roger Vansittart knew that DO
cause was won.
u was "a happy Christmas" orc,
A