The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-19

cake IN: p.iAn Pudding. Sh,. p!aAnei
ftr %t.",sc.r ami ftr chicken pie. ana
her husband a.%',l Lcr III glo,:ny retro
sptttinn OF the @.1i Old times. gro%l-
Ing O;;t t. her that he >|crA4etl t. b,
preparing II" an army. and she flash
ed out thHt this wasn't the time to be
stin-y and pcrllii, there would be
some poor t. feed there always had
been So .lr.
Then came the 24th day OF I'ecenI-
Der. Il heavy SilrW>tolIM and much
Embarrassment tor the Old c%oUl,l4.
Each had secretly sent all the children
presents and a iett"r. neither MENTION
Ing tl" other. ana the lawyer had call
El on them ami Told them that il was
lime to drop The divorce business and
lake UP nr push it II have it over
with. They almost drove him from thr
house. and he laughed as he went down
the street.
About noon John came in. Grutf and
shy. and put Il great armful of holly
Oh the white kitchen table. She locke!
ut him ill H." explained.
MAY Carr give it to ne. They had
too much Il, the church. and she give NE
you know Mays way. She said the
Christmas tree was the biggest the
church ever had and there were more
children needing things. She asked il
you had anything pretty or useful YOU
didn't want. ana | said ! would ask
you"
They had missed h church woeful-
" and had always helped out with ev-
erytiIiny. They had always been cheer
full and charitable. This appeal touch
ed them both.
Mary rulnluaged about and sent I'LL
Offering that reioiccd the hearts OF
those who We're trimming the tree.
John took it to the church, and every
, body shook hands with him and in t.r
general glldness seemed to have for
gotten that anything was wrong.
About !. while Mary was alone rest
ing after putting up all the holly. a
telegram came for John. She did not
know where he WAS. and she suffered
the usual agony of simple people I'M
accustomed to receiving kilograms. She
dared not open it and imagined the
death and burial Of all her children
and grandchildren. one after the other.
While she was in this frame Of mind
another message camc. and the boy
had scarcely gone when Il third ar
rived. Then she sent Il neighbours boy
for her husband and received him al
most fainting. He was as frightened
as she. but the first read: Meet q
O'clock train tonight. Mary" The see
Ond said: Meet 6 o'clock train tonight.
Paul" The third babe him meet the 6
o'clock train and was signed "Eliza-
beth" While they stood staring mt each
other Il boy brought another. This was
. different.
"Meet 8 O'Clock train from west for
little Christine. Alice died suddenly
yesterday. Mother, give her a home
till l can get to YOU. Letter later" 1t
ment, and then Mary fell to piling
wood on the fire and spoke briefly to
John.
"Father. you'll have to hurry to get
to that train" He went out to the barn
and hitCllcd the team to the double cut
ter. When he came back he lifted
down to their g~randlnother's arms her
daughter Mary'S three children. three
Of I'aul's and one Of E~liZabeth's. They
We're all laughing and shouting and
each was ticketed Merry christmas.
l am a gift to grandpa and grandma"
I They We're barely fed and warmed
when John went to the later train and
returned with the motherless three
year-Old Christine in his arms. She
had heen put in the conductors care
and was sound asleep, with tears on
her cheeks and her yellow curls tousled,
on her ylanifathcr'S shoulder. Her
grandmother reached up for her.
"John," She said. she is ours. We
must keep things together for the chill
dren. John, I'm awfuIly ashamed of
how hard I've been, and I amt asham-
ed to say so. Will you forgive me-
He stopped suddenly and kissed her
as he put the child in her arms.
"Ma." H." said. eve beer an Old fool
and I'm the II to blaine. I'll go and
s%traight"n things at church and if you'll
have me for Il Christmas present al
right" And she smiled happily up at
him.
'HrSsN.l - 6RuS1.n md,