The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-12-27

HGRs mother had been pErsed al
5gN&Ss SO Ill by the III sahF
~ j so death of little Je.,T -
Z ~ father that she Vas scUeH
4 W longer able to can
asEsEEEz5 her baby and \. Body
months later she went to Join II, | ntieurs
Their and baby Jeffrey was lss il Of
alone in the world.
Then friendly neighbOrs WIN H., little
too many babies of their own IA Il Aree y
room for this little fatherlesS iii Sore
motherless boy had him taken II 10 bot
orphan asylum and he grew IN IL and G
80 other boys and girls who haE. He
mother or father. E,Vght
When Alice Lane came n mad G
home she was eight years old ~, him,
mother and father had died WI sufert
few weeks of one another an IA aid
was a sad-eyed little girl who Nc /
about the big rooms of the homsX Ia
Little Jeffrey had big heart and tura
felt very sorry for Alice. Sea
Id GU
On the thlrd day after her htnent
rival he walked up to her and MI, a. an
ing himself in front of her he said { |, tim
Alice Lane, why do you CRY 40 an
much? Why don't you play" m {
He was such funny, freckletsyE I co
little fellow that Alice smiled t r,odie
little smile. 1t was the first one sim \ ire
nei nlo'ner . ueaVn' linen Inc uast b
oaiiIe again anu SHE SOODed: hav
Il want mamma, Jeffrey. uIrinc
papa, too, and my own home. This L. r
oie anu ioneSoiiie anu 'hey uont h't lars.
you like mamma and papa" H n
From that time on Alice and JeHrk ,oO
were the best Of friends. He VI
such cheerful little fellow and off,
so droll that many times As m q
laughed in spite of herself
But when Alice began to talk nV,E on
OF her home and her mamma and pad ape,
he began to wish for one, too. n ~
wish grew and grew until at last Eov
felt that there was nothing in n INC
world that he wanted except a mott lam
er and a father and a home WhsN mar
Christmas time came and the CHI
dren wrote their wishes on a piece
paper one of tue house mothers red
in Jefrey's: Piles, | don't wa &
nothing but father and a MOTIF Y
and a home with flowers in the vi,
dow"
From time to time children wen /,
taken from the orphans home by Del Ia,
pie who had no children of their owl or
The house mother hoped so mud 4
that little Jeffrey would be chose
and his wish granted. But the peopAS /
who came passed by the eager litA ~
fellow who eyed each newcOms II
hopefully. III
So Christmas day passed and JET
rey received sweetmeats and wSu Il
clothing and an iron engine, but nd
the father and mother and home "a
He cried himself to sleep that Nigh
and Alice had to turn comforter ID 4
the next few days. Rl
Mamma always said New YeaiF
was the lucky day and maybe you'll j
get them then. And if you don't, tha
you will some other time, cause MoA 4
er Burns said she'd try"
On New Years morning Jetfrs
was awake early, and his first though
was:
Maybe the mother'll come to-day
A few hours later a very pretu IS
woman dressed in velvet and furs FOL
lowed by tall man came to the home
Little Jeffrey looked up hopefully. But
the woman seemed not to see the boys
for her eyes were scanning the faces
OF the little girls. When she same to
Alice she started:
That's the one, Jerome" she said
eagerly. 1.-THE same gentle face and s
blue eyes and golden hair. We must
have her. 1t will seem like having our
little Alice back again."
When she learned the name of the
little girl she had chosen she was
still more interested
You would like to go home with me,
dear, wouldn't you?" she asked
Alice.
Yes, ma'am," answered Alice, but
l couldn't go without Jeffrey, cause
he's been my friend and he wants
father and mother so bad"
oh, but l don't want little boy
dear. l just want one little girl to
make 1t seem as though my own Alice
were living" answered the lady.
Then l can't come" said Alice, ''uD
less they make me CO."
For a few moments the man and
woman talked together and the man
seemed to see in little Jeffrey all the
things that other people had missed.
lie saw the honest blue eyes, the firn
mouth and the manly walk, and he
saw years ahead when the same little
boy might be his partner in business
Then he said to Jeffrey:
I'VE want a son, as well as daugh'
tetr. So We will take you home Ind
give you happy New Year"
New Years is the lucky day, isn't