Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-12-25

Col. Battcrsly, not having seen his
sister IN ten years, decided to spend
Christmas at her house. A desultory
correspondence had made him vaguely
aware Of the fact that her husband, Cal
vim Murdoch, had grown rich, and that
she had two children. a boy n a girl.
But he was not prepared for the luXurl-
ant conditions which he found upo en-
tering their splendid home. He was
never %estrangcd from his sister, but
when she married Murdoch the soldier
brother had made up his mind that his
sisters husband was not his kind.
In frontier barracks and foreign camps,
Col. Battersly's life had been lonely.
He was a silent, elemental. passionate
man, whose rigid habits gave a cold ana
eve hard exterior to a nature essential
~ tender. Murdoch was a man OF much
snug plety, who knew that a Sunday
school class does not hurt a mans credit
with the bank.
But the Murdocks gave Uncle Batter
sly a grand welcome. His sister kissed
him, the two children gave him their
hands with trained graciousncss, and the
head of the house said: welcome to
the warrior-see, the ~conquering hero
comes." This made the old campaigner
Ill at ease. He blushed like a girl. and
thereafter found restraint In the. to
him. artificial atmosphere OF the grand
house. When he went out for a walk
Mrs. Murdoch said:
poor fellow; how he's changed"
"Out OF his element with women and
children" growled Murdoch.
What makes his neck so red?" asked
the boy.
When the Christmas presents began
to arrive, and his sister showed them TO
him, the colonel suddenly realized that
be must buy something for the children.
lie said nothing about It. but spent half
Of the next day buying for his niece Il
French doll. with "A complete wardrobe.
and a fully equipped steam battlcShip
for his nephew. It n a soldiers
~choicc-loyc and Il child for the little
woman, power and war for the little
man. "lIe was very careful about the
address, Mrs. Murdoch. 2iii rcnrosc
street"
He wondered why his gifts did not
| soon appear in the grand array, but said
nothing to his sister. showing each day
| an increasing interest IN the acCumulat-
ing presents in the locked room, and
finally, on Christmas eve. late In tho
day, going Jack to the store where he
had made his purchases TO ask what
Il IT.. IL --I
ship. II took q long time to find out the
right man, but at last Il very polite
clerk who had been answering questions
as fast as n dozen people could AK them,
turned to him and said:
"MurdOck? What address? PeDrose
street or PenrOsc avenues
"Are there both?" asked the colonel,
az the possible bIunder dawned on him.
eyes: one on the West side, one on
the South side. Where did you wish
your goods to gO?"
or course. PenrOsc avenue is on the
South side and Penrose street Is on the
West side, and Col, Battersly had him
Bst2 made the mistake. The goods had
been receipted for. the clerk told him.
~ ""o BI'lNJ Ihi' W aNN'lhPl E'N'ihe
them back, but they would try. The
clerk made some notes. ratified off a few
words about the terrible rush. moved
off and left tho colonel standing dazed
In the crowd. lie went home, and as a
%precaution got out Of his trunk a
strangely carved bracelet. antique, ORR
ental-a noble present. he thought. fOr
his niece: and for his nephew an old.
bejewclcd war mash-it had been a
mandarin's. And he took them to Mrs.
Murdoch. saying nothing OF their great
value, and said they were for her girl
and her boy, But after dinner thai night
Mr.. Murdoch tapped at the %colonels
door, saying:
II hope you wcnt think OF giving
those rare curios to the children, colonel
They're worth their weight in mvney.'
"Didn't cost me a cent, Murdoch
blurted lac soldier. They're part ofthe
well. the lOot-that is, | picked EN- W
In China and-thcy-the children will
appreciate them more 40 they grow
older"
] 1urdosk walked svay without IN.