The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1905-12-22

/ Ca please give 'hcm to mo" h.
nan h'SE'd You know | wouId rIy,
YOU ".'rythIng | have. Annabcl #
you love me, you VIII give them TO
me-"
But 1t was sweet 10 hear him plead,
and the little maiden was desirous OF
prolonging tho pleasure
IF ever love you again, will give
them to you" was all she would say
Just then neighbors boy had hurried
up breathless with importance
John, John. Your mother has sent
lor you to go home right away. She's
got q telegram from your grandfather
He's dead"
scth Ybhn nth& " dRSlln tiPW lfRih hsif fSGf
he was speeding on the train TO the
home that death had entered so sud
denly. Then there had been sickness
and unexpected removal In her own
family II John had written to her,
she had never received the letter. Her
own childish, misdirected epistle to
him had come back to her months aft.
erward from the dead letter Office.
John had passed completely out OF her
life. But put away among her most
precious treasures were the little red
mttens waiting to be given to him.
What had an old maid TO do with
such mementoes? How Juanita would
laugh II she knew her foolishness!
She would get out the mittens this
very Christmas and send them to her
brother Bob's boy-Dob's boy who was
always losing mittens.
1t was hard day. Juanita's heed
less words seemed to tinge everything
with bitterness. They sounded In her
Imagination again as she sat wrapping
up the Christmas presents. A foolish
mist was In her eyes as she did the
stubby mittens up into neat parcel,
wrapped them In white tissue paper
and tied them with red ribbon. Just
then she was called away. The pres
'nts lay out on her table as carefully
arranged as the specimens in scien.
tihc cabinet, hers on one side and
Juanits's on the other. So they would
have remained had careless little
Susettc kept out Of the room But
Susette wanted baby ribbon for her
own small concerns, and nobody but
Aunt Annabel kept II on hand In
helping herself to II, she knocked two
small packages from the table. They
hn a, o,
and tied up with red ribbon and tho
envelopes TO hold each had laid, al
ready directed. beside. Susette, hastily
picking them up and trying to put
hem back. exchanged the packages.
The stubby red mittens In their dainty
wrappings laid beside the envelope ad.
dressed Mr.. Walter Taylor" to whom
Juanita had meant 70 send an EN-.
broidered handkerchief.
Who Is Mr.. Walter Taylor" Aun,
Annabel had asked, and Juanita hnd
replied, lightly:
oh. he's Jacks uncle" Jack was
the boy who carried the skates for
herr He's lonely old gentleman and
thought II would please him to have
me send him something, He's a wild.
over. and he has lots OF money and
Jack Is his only nephew" And world
ly-wise little Juanita smiled meaning.
iy at the unworldly little aunt who
would never. at her age or at any age,
have thought OF future prospects in
this way
And so. by Susettes mistake. Mr.,
Walter Taylor received the stubby red
mittens instead OF the handkerchief
TINT was designed for him. II was a
lonely man who opened the little red
ribboned package. though no one but
a girl like Juanita would have thought
of calling him an old gentleman
When he unwrapped the package and
read the card that said In the small
dainty, old.fashioned 'ladys hand:
with a great deal Of love for Christ.
mas from Annabei Wilder" his face
suddenly changed into the face Of q
boy. He whistled Then he laughed.
Then he scrutinized the postmark.
snatched his hat and was OF like q
shot to find directory. But Miss An
nabel's name was not In the directory,
as she lived with her sister and sisters
husband. II was Christmas evening
before he traced her.
It had been lonely day for Anna
bel Juanitss words had taken all the
pleasure out Of It. Sister Agnes and