Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-12-26

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~ father that she vas no
WbD longer able to care for
AnuslknaaS her baby and q few
months later she went TO join the IA
ther and baby jeffrey was left all
alone in the world.
Then friendly neighbors who had
too many babies of their own to find
room for this little fatherless and
motherless boy had him taken &c an
orphan asylum and he grew up with
so other boys and girls who had no
mother or father.
Little jeffrey remembered nothing
OF his parents, but some Of the older
children who came to the home had
memories Of dear mothers and IA
theirs and they had told jeffrey Of
them.
When Alice Lane came to the
home she was eight years old. Her
mother and father had died within
a few weeks Of one another and It
was a sad.eyed little girl who crept
about the big rooms Of the home.
Little jeffrey had a big heart ana he
felt very sorry for Alice.
On the third day after her ar
rival he walked up to her and plant
ing himself In front Of her he said:
alice Lane. why do you cry 30
much7 Why don't you play?"
He was such a funny. freckle-faced
little fellow that Alice smiled q faint
little smile. 1t was the first one since
her mothers death. Then the tears
came again and she sobbed.
Il want mamma, jeffrey. want
papa. too, and my own home. This 10
big and lonesome and they don't love
you like mamma and papa"
From that time on Alice and jeffrey
were the best of friends. He was
such a cheerful little fellow and often
30 droll that many times Alice
laughed In spite Of herself.
But when Alice began to talk much
Of her home and her and papa
he began to wish for one, too. Tho
wish grew and grew until at last he
felt that there was nothing In the
world that he wanted except q moth.
er and a father and a home. When
Christmas time came and the chill.
dren wrote their wishes on a piece Of
paper one Of the house mothers read
In Jefrey's: Piles, don't want
nothing but q father and a mother
and a home with flowers In the win.
dow"
From time to time children were
taken from the orphans home by peo-
pie who had no children of their own.
/ Tho hnuaa nathan haAxI ..
that little Jeffery would be chosen
and his wish granted. But the people
who came passed by the eager little
fellow who eyed each newcomer
hopefully. One had to know little
Jeffery to love him and his homely
freckled little face did not attract WIS.,
itors.
They chose the prettier children and
seemed not to notice hat Jefrery's
gray eyes were very honest and his
mouth very firm and his walk very
manly. They seemed only to see the
freckles, he pug nose and the sandy
hair.
Sc Christmas day passed and Jen.
rey received sweetmeats and warm
clothing and an iron engine, but not
the father and mother and home.
He cried himself TO sleep that night
AID Alice had to turn comforter for
the next few days.
Mamma always said New Years
was the lucky day and maybe you'll
get them then. And II you don't, then
o will some other time, cause Moth.
or Burns said she'd try"
On New Years morning. Jeffrey
was awake early. and his 6rst thought
was:
Maybe the mother'll come today
A few hours later Q very pretty
woman dressed In velvet and furs fol.
lowed by q tall man came to the homa
Little Jeffrey looked up hopefully. But
the woman seemed not to see the boys
for her eye were scanning the facss
OF the little girls. When she same to
Alice she started:
That's the one. Jerome" she said
eagerly. THE same gentle face and
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 tho
at,I more ,ntsras,aa "
"you wopId ma N 90 bou.
dear wouIdn't vo,7Y az S":
Alice.
"yos n.,ou
! couldn't &c without Jeffrey. cause
he's been my friend and he wants n
father and a mother 90 had
ooh but I don't want . u,,,a hox
- 'Is 49, u nue SRI =
""' soSih aS 'uousn my own Ahco