The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-23
THE BEST GIFT
CHRISTMAS
| STORY

gaunt and still in the early twilight,
seemed to shape themselves into nunSer.
ais and mock at him, and when he en-.
tered his own door at last, his face
looked worn and his entire aspect was
| one of weariness.
Mrs. Stanton was removing her wraps
as the door opened
Jacob! Is 1t you so early? A lit
tie more and You d have beaten me
home.
Her face was very attractive as she
held up her mouth TO befkissed. The
wind had roughened her hair and
flushed her cheeks, and whatever her
| failings might be, they were not es-
| peclally visible on the surface.
So You We been out, too? / walked
home to get the kinks out of my grey
matter. How's the boy?'
"Why. do you know, he isn't well.
He went TO schol this morning appar-
! emily well-took his lunch-but when
, came in just now he was lying on
the sittngroom couch. Said he came
home early and that his throat was
sore. -
"What! You shouldn It have left
him alone. Poor little kid,-coming
home sick to a cold empty housed"
Eyes, I know, it seems dreadful, but
he WASH Z sick this morning, and I we
] get my dress changed I II doctor him,
and then we II have supper,
She started upstairs briskly, but
Jacob detained her.
''Where We you been7 You look like
a rose!N
''Now, that is sweet of you, Jacob.
| went to Mrs. Eaton IS bridge party
She came and fingered near him on the
stairs. ''What do you think. I won
seventeen dollars''
Not really, Margaret7''
- dldl Fair play, too. / won from
Mrs. Morris and she wrote me check
for 1T without murmur. / didn t
mind so long as it was she-because she
has more money than is good for her,
anyway
But, Margaret, that's gambling.
Don t you see?
Pooh! No. don Il see To me ii s
Christmas money when there seemed
small chance of getting any. I shall
spend il at once. See how Dick IS
while l change my dress.
She hurried up the stairs with the
light step of girl. Jacob looked after
her frown,ng little, then went into
, the sittingroom.
What's the matter, boy;-:sick'''
The child was DOING on big couch
by the ireplace,-his breath coming
rather short, and there was considerable
color in his face.
g IS that you, dad7' he asked, stir
ring uneasily and reaching out a small,
not overly clean fist TO be shaken.
''I m glad you We come Read to me,
won t you? Read about RickyTicky~
| Tavi.' Ny heads got noise in it,
and if you II read that. I II forget
Jacob smiled at him tenderlv. His
| little boy! OF course he'd read to him.
| 1t was shame if he was sick.
He got out small brown book of
Kipling's short stories, and turned
without difficulty to the wellworn
pages where the heroic exploits of the
| small mongoose were related with thrill
| ling interest.
This was Dick s favorite story-not
only his favorite Kipling tale-but the
tremely fond of Mowgli and his most
interesting experiences-in fact, Now
| gil came next-but there was something
about the little Mongoose that quite
satisfied his ideal. IT was his pride
and delight TO imagine that he owned
| mongoose, and the big fat puppy
Bijou " had often been thrust uncere.
moniously head first into hole. with
the excited command thrilling IN his
ears TO $50 after 'em, Ricky-get
'em' If one matches there II he an
other cobra. Get 'em, sir, get 'em! .
Bijou was never quite equal to these
occasions. There ism I much 'Jekyll
Hyde' in the disposition of n young
pug, and Biiou generally SUNK Oft with
his tail between his legs and reposed
for a while out Of his imaginative
young master s sight Jacob was think
ing of this as he bent forward on his
knees with the book between his fin
ger and thumb, and smiled mt his boy
"Are you pretty sick, Richard, oil
notg"
"Why, no, daddy,-not so awful,
ies feel kind Of hot and tired, and my
throat hurts. ! guess I've got cold
Teacher said 7 had an for me to 60
home. Aren't you going to read'''
"Yes, yes, son; certainly. But le
me look AT your throat bit first
"Oh, no, daddy, it hurts: II be al
right in the morning and L don t like al
old spoon handle.
Margaret entered in time TO hear thl'
remonstrance.
"But, Dick, dear. let papa see YOU
throat. Here's a spoon. Jacob. Wal
until ] turn on the light. There! Now
open your mouth, dear; that S a sweet
heart
The coaxing Of his mother, Joine'
with that of his beloved daddy" a