The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-11-18
tine GIFT
by BARRY PAIN

now fud so charming and civilized
1t was springtime. and the world was
Young. aud the sun was shining.
BY the footpath on the hillside sai
young shepherd Reside him wcrc
two young lambs wherewith he had
just started In the business Of PRO
fession of being shepherd The
lambs had nothing 20 do but eat, and
they were doing IL vigorously fQ'
the time the shepherd had nothing 70
do but think, and as IL was spring
time and he and the world were both
Young. you know as well as | IN hat
he was thinking about.
There came maiden that way
| fThese shepherds have All the luc6
Her hair was golden and somewhat
brief but curly She sat down and ho-
gan to play with one Of the lambs.
/ The shepherd joined in the game.
After he had caught her round the
waist and kissed her twice on the
ear. because that was all she allowed
him to get at, she said she must be
going on.
The shepherd caught up the lamb
she had been playing with and put
it In her arms.
"Whatl" she said, is that for me n
Eyes" he said, iii you win have
IT,"
"Ali of it?'
He nodded. laughing. She held up
the lamb and kissed it, looking ont aft
him with bright eyes as she aid 50.
He took a step nearer, and she ran
off, calling back her thanks.
So there was half the flock gone.
The shepherd sat down and went on
thinking much what he had BEEN
thinking before
Presently another maiden cane that
way. tReally. these shepherds are
too astouhshingl This maidon had
red hair that would have made i
painter mad for pure Ioy ana she
bad tied It up with a blue ribbon;
aud that blue aud that rcd went ID
gether much better than you suppose
So The shepherd began To talk 70 her
without previous Introduction surety
security or preliminary fees. She
did not mind 1t in the least. because
MS | have already explained, this was
in the had old DAYS. which. / am
thankful to say, now arc gone forever.
She had gray eyes, and looked far.
far more poeiicaI than she ever was
she sat still and listened TO the boy's
praise Of her, which made a pleasant
music that spring morning IN her
ears. Her wide sleeve fell hack and
showed how beautiful her white arm
was.
Il should like to kiss that said
the boy, rehectively
She neither moved nor answered.
So he did AS he liked. And then she
sprang u her feet, for she remember
ed that she had to 20 to neighhor-
ing farmhouse TO buy three pounds
OF bacon exactly like the last. It il
sin and a shame that girls made for
poetry should have to do these things.
But 1t occasionally happens.
Do take that lamb with YOU" said
the shepherd
You don't really mean it," said
the girl. But at the same time she
undid the blue ribbon from her hair
wherewith to lead n home, and as
she fastened II round the lambs neck
she said how sweet f. vas Of him.
IIcr red hair tumbled in a charming
disorder hate TO have to say that
she went on to buy the bacon; 1t IA.
unfortunately. true
So now the shepherd was left with
no flock at all. which is generally
believe, to be an irritat-
ing thing TO happen to a shepherd.
Then. walking quite slowly. there
came along another maiden. 90.
alas, poor shepherdD She looked
straight before her. with big brown
eyes that were fun Of wonder and Of
faith. Her midnight hair fell over
her Rhapely shoulders She was
dressed but in rags. and I doubt if
she really had received a superior
education To the boy these defects
meant nothing. He knew that his
true love had come at last. and there
was a pain in his heart. She passed /
by him in silence. Ito ran after her
and caught her by the hand.
Have found you at last?" he said
in low voice 20. my beloved"
This was little rapid. The girl /
turned and looked at him. and he
was good sort OF a boy to look at.
He persuaded her TO come and sit
by him on the grass. and told her that
he was a shepherd.
But you have no flock"
Il had one once" he said; y had
two lambs. 1t WIS hundred years
ago"
Where are they?"
"a maiden passed this way he
said. "and gave her one Of them
and the other?"
Well, a maiden happened to
Z See she said. did you kiss
them
1T was a hundred years ago" the
boy said dreamily.
She seized his hand and bit II.
Nov sou are punished enough che
said. "since IL seems to you ! hundred
years age"
mo" he said 1T was my punish