The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-07
HIS FIRST
WATCH%<
Bv W. l.. WAT SON

T. ,I Mt come from his mother. Oh,
| no Mummy was not u present
giv"r except on birthday. and AZ
ChriAtn4. time. In Fact Mummy was
Mt associated IN hi mind with preeen tA
at all He rather thought Of Mummy
as tho person who very often did not
give him the thing. he wanted. But
Ahe wa. Mummy, just Mummy, and n
hundred presents could not alter that
fact hs little life was made up Of
Mummy aud hiA meals, with his father
~ u very irregular. but on the whole
rather nice, II not very understand.
able, person. thrown in. Sunday was
DADDY. day He had vague idea
shat Daddy had made Sunday to rest
IT., aud although nurse and Mummy
said II WAS another Person. day. he
considered that his father had had
good deal to 60 with the arranging Of
It. As for Auntie, she who gave him
til. presents and never found fault
with him. he figured her forth ne
lady bnuntiful. who, fortunately, did
not know how bad he could be AZ
timca II wns clear To him that
M"thcr never told her about hia pun.
ismrnts Mothers own boy, the boy
81 the t"arS, and the pcntcnce. and
the promises e. hc good in the future,
and the kiss and the cnddlc on the
pillow. and the last goodnight, ten
tiInes repeated when the light went
out md he was left alone Mothers
own boy reck"ncd on secrecy. OF
course. Daddy was told occasionally;
and \" far he mad observed without any
of the threatened OWL consequences;
md Daddy took strange views Of
things which Mummy md her boy INV
very we'll only showed how little he
know Of their world.
When Mother went away on q visit,
she took homo with her, and thc
house seemed empty. Hi. voice echoed
when Mummy'a cars were not there
60 catch IL; tho doors crcaked Gtrangc.
ly. and Mt night the stars stared IN
upon him threat"ningly, saying:
wow I've got you alone" No one else
VIA ~ usc against these stars He
felt II would hc wiA. really to pray o.
God Till Mother came back. It was al
one ~ these times that Auntic got her.
self put inHo his prayer Shcleft to his
own wit what he should say. and as she
had promised him something special
soon, he added 20 his nightly list:
Keep Auntle gEpd." She kissed him
punched the pillow Nil wrong, and left
him to the long night No toy that he
could think Of would save him from the
silence, and the stars. mud tho echne.
~ the house. When Mother came
back, and home returned, then he be-
gan to reckon the days till Auntic's
present was due. It was Ia be given
to him after tea on Friday. On Tues
day he plunged deep into knowledge
aud philosophy. There were "a hours
in each day, out Of which he slept ten
IN I am good boy, Mummy. and
60 to bed always Mt nine, and never
call you back. the time will pass, quick,
won't it7-
And II sleep nm hour longer in the
morning and don't make a noise to
woken Daddy. there will be lcss time,
won't theret"
Gould ! sleep n whole day III kay
stiil and Just forgot7"
There Is no fear Of the clock stop.
ping. In there, Mummy"
On the Wednesday, he Isld: II hope
Aunus la quite we'll, II sho wae Ill |
suppose nhs wonld send tho present.
II would be very awkward II she hasn't
bought it, Could we not take tea be
fore we GOT l am sure shant be
hungry"
On Thursday, Auntie called and told
him tho present was bought. and that
che had 70 attend % Il every night. A
GOLD fear broke over him. Was II n
dog? He did not want dog. Was IL
. cGt? He hated cats.
Couldn't go with you, Auntie. and
stay with you Till Tomorrow. just "
make arre7"
well, couldn't l have q peep Mt Il.
% that shall not be so very much sur.
priced when zee IL? Susan says when