Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-12-14

N tude, "give me some
IN Christmas money, will
you? got to have
some, you know"
HIS father, the senior Boggs, looked
at him severely. How much aye
want?" he inquired.
"'Bout ten dollars" responded the
youth.
What" yelled the old man, ten
dollars? A boy like you? Never! Here,
take this and run along. That's all
you can have"
He handed out silver dollar.
Boggs, junior, bit 1t to see II 1t was
good, expectorated upon 1t slightly for
luck. and secreted 1t somewhere In his
clothes. Then, with vicious kick at
the legs of the table he made his exit.
Five minutes later he stood in Coop
ers Alley interviewing bosom friend
of his, whose euphonious name was
Mickey Flynn.
Mickey Flynn was clothed in rags
from head to foot, he was the real
thing In the rag line. Say, sport"
began Mr.. Boggs genially. I'm dom
a turn, understand. want yer clothes
How'll you trade"
Mickey surveyed the clothes worn BY
the youthful Boggs with a critical air,
and his face broadened into a smile.
Gee! Quince!" he returned. I'll
trade. Yours Is as good as new. Sure!
Here goes!"
It was a cold, bleak day. Half an
hour later ragged, shivering urchin
stood alone, with staring eyes and gap
ing mouth, drinking in all the glory
of new sleds as they were effectively
displayed In the windows Of depart
ment store.
Gee, it's rotten cold!" exclaimed
this youngster 10 himself. Wonder
how long got to keep this up?"
Not long, for at that moment car
rage drawn By pair Of richly capari'
soned horses drew up at the curb. Al
the window Of the carriage appeared
the face of q woman Of wealth. The
footman jumped down, and in response
to her signal approached the boy. The
boy, holding. his rags together, fol
lowed the footman to the carriage
He looked with wistful, soulful eyet
In the eyes Of the woman. tr .
"Gee!" he thought to himself as HI
looked at her. For he knew her. Shs
was Mrs. John Y. Pierson, q friend O
hts mothers and woman we'll knowE
for her charitable deeds. But she dit
not know him. She was saying some
thing about Santa Claus.
"Yes'm," he found himself replying
for he was. bit ratified; "yes'm, I've
heard Of him. In foreign countries,
he added, as though quoting from
book. hes called sometimes st. Nicho
las and sometimes Kriss Kringle. He'i
the patron saint of children"
And then he stopped, for he hat
oyerreached himself. "Why-why," in
Quired the woman, do you go tt
school"
"Well, ma'am," he returned, curing
his unfortunate slip, Il do when l hav'
clothes to wear and-and when w
had something to eat. l don't know
as / can now, though, fer the man wo'
owns our room is going to put us out
they's only my sister and myself" h
added, to round the thing out. TIT
woman looked at the angelic face ant
the ragged clothes, and then her hear
overfiowed-and her purse also, which
is more to the purpose.
81 can't be bothered going around t.
his home-a dirty place, likely. II
lust give the money to the boy him
self" she thought to herself. II guess
l can trust him." If she had said thli
aloud, Boggs Junior would have as
sured her that she could. AS it was
he took the money, thrust 1t deep II
his pocket, touched his hat, and strobe
shivering, toward-home? Oh, no
merely toward large shop around TIL
corner. Once there, he examined tn
bill which the woman had given him
Il was a ten-dollar one.
And so Boggs Junior went from stor
to store, always the same poor. SHY
ering, angelic specimen Of humanity
perfect Christmas carol, an idyll II
rags. so to speak. But there was on
thing he was careful about. He KEEP
a wary eye on the police.
Christmas morning at the Boggsea
Il All the family and several RELATIVES
congregated about huge tree In tn
library.
where's ouincyf" they all asked
They were soon answered, for lmmedl
ateiy there burst into the room a yer!
small boy graphing with q huge pyra
mid Of paper bundles, which h
dropped upon the floor.
Here, pop" he began, handing tina
gentleman one Of the packages, 'thi
| is for you, and this for nom, and here
something for the cook, and here's
ana 90 on, I'D inhmtum. In othe
words, he was the hero and benefacto
Of the occasion.
why. where ala you set the none
4 for all these thlngsf" they gaspsd
Boggs Junior smiled. Worked for H.