Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-12-17

and returned the low salute with an
awkward little bow.
"AIer' Chrrissmus!'' cried Otoyasan.
The other children tried to echo the
strange words.
1T isn't Christmas here. Otoyasan'
Dayy stood up now and rammed his
small clinched fists deep into his tiny
pockets. 1T can't be Christmas for
muyver and me-
Otoyasan looked at him curiously,
rubbed his hands together and, for a
moment did not speak.
It's Chrissmus for ever one, Davy-
sam he said at last. It's Chrrissmus
for all the world Your father, Reverb
Brewster said it's Chrrissmus for ever
one
But not for muvver and me-" an
swered Davy. shaking his head again.
4" Cause we're all alone Christmas
couldn't come to us, cause fathers died
and we're all alone in Japan
Reverb Brewster said-' Otoyasan
stopped. 1t was hard to remember the
words, harder yet to repeat them. "ReV-
era Brewster said,'' he began again de-
terminedly. that Christ love all the
world. He said Christ love US ever
day We must love Christ ever day.
We must love everybody ever day; but
Chrrissmus day we show Christ we
love him by make everybody happy. We
say 'Mer' Chrrissmus ever'body!' we give
presents everybody" Otoyasan paused
and looked at Davy. He had not re-
membered all the words of Rev. David
Brewster. He had not repeated them
even as he remembered them. 1--WE
lig you, Davysan," he went on with sud
den desperation. 1--WE bring you pres
ent" He drew from his long scarlet
sleeve a tiny samisen and laid it on the
steps near Davy's feet. Near it he
placed a small gray fan. For her," he
murmured, nodding toward the door of
the house. 1--WE lig her, too, Davysan."
The orator of the day had spoken.
The presentation of his gifts was the
signal for which his followers had waited.
Now they crowded close about Davy,
each laying his or her gift for the boy on
the step near Otoyasans samisen, each
putting some small article near the fan
that was meant for Mrs. Brewster. To
Davy they had brought paper fish and
animals, wooden trays and boxes, thin
rice cakes and colored sugar waters; to
Mrs Brewster bits of silk and parch-
II1CUb JdIHlcu WITH Dlluo tiIiu llO"CAo anu
great white paper lotus blossom. For
a moment Davy stood and looked at the
little party -colored group of children.
Then he turned toward the house.
''Muvver, muvver!" he shouted
christmas has come to us after all!
See, we're not alone any more!" He
pointed not to the gifts but to the chill
dren. 'AIuvver, they are our Christ
mas!"
For only an instant did Mrs. Brewster
hold her hands close pressed against her
eyes, Then she knelt down on the
Veranda.
''Davy, Davyboy," she whispered. On
deed, it is our Christmas--the dearest
Christmas that could be, because-be-
cause He sent it to u.s.
A ray of sunlight slipped through a
rift in the temple roof and lay full on
the golden Buddha, on the folded hands,
on the downcast lids, on the lips that
| smiled in an eternal peace. In the same
sunlight knelt the American mother, one
arm about her own boy, the other hold
ing close a little japanese lad in his gay
scarlet Ilimono. peace on earth, good
will to men and love eternal,' she muir
INJURED. The lesson had been taught and
learned and taught again.-Kathryn jar
Doe in St. Nicholas.