The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-28
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Arthur made several unsuccessful attempts at Speech
and then suddenly uncaspng his tiny hand thrust into
the smooth palm of the judge certain small coins.
why, what's this for?" asked the man.
Its to pay for Biy-what he STOLE" stammered the
boy
"Who is Billy? And what did he steal?"
Billys my bruvver. He stole a strap longside your
htchingpost don't bTeve he knew it blonged to you
We lives in the house back of your stable"
Oh-h," said the judge, beginning to understand
and did Billy give you the money to give to me?"
No; it is my money to buy Christmas presents wifi
Is there enough money!"
"Yes," said the judge, slowly; "rnore than enough
So you were going to buy Christmas presents, your
And whom were you going to buy them for?" ..
One for muvver wifi the ten cents; one for Billy wifi
the ve cents one for the twins wifi the two apiece
and one for Miss Simpson wifi the other one cent"
Much to Arthurs SURPRISE but not his consterna-
tionfor the touch of the great man had kindness in it
the judge stopped down. and gathering him up in his
arms sat down in the big chair with him. Then he rang
bell, and when a servant came in answer, said:
Ask Miss Corad to come here.
When the servant had gone the man turned his at
tention again to the boy in his lap.
But If you pay all this money for Billy maybe you
will not have any more to buy gifts wth?"
The little fellow shook his head and his lips trembled
All the bright dreams of the past months seemed to fash
before him and to so out in darkness.
i Which of them all would you rather give a
present to if you had money left?"
" my muvyer, because she works so hard and never
. has anything nice" ,,..s .. ... ~..--.
"And what would you get hera" ,-~. ..
"a nice pink handk'chf that looks like silk but YOU
buy for ten cents, cause she hasn't got anything
pretty at all"
just then Arthur conscious that beautiful young
woman was standing beside them Judge Corad es-
tO her in and sbm
smiled down at the little boy.
"Well said the judge, taking ten cents and handing
it back to Arthur The other money will be enough to
pay for the strap Billy took When you go home you
tell him it is all settled But there are FIVE days yet
before Christmas and shouldn't wonder if you might
be able to little money in that time have
been looking for little boy of about your size to sort
magazines and pile them up fer me- Now if
would like to work for about hour every day.
shouldn't wonder if you could earn as much money as
you had before, or maybe little more Will you
do it?"
ayes" said Arthur. His heart was very light now.
What beautiful room that library was He wondered
why it had seemed SO dark and gloomy when he first
came in. What pleasant man the Judge was He
wondered why he had ever been afraid of him. Miss
Corad too, certainly the most beautiful woman he
had ever seen.
We'll, tllen,' said the judge it's bargain Sup
pose you come up tomorrow, about o'clock won't
be home myself, but my little girl here will Arthur
wondered why he called her his little girl" and she
will show you what to do. And say he added as the
little fellow about to CO. lets make secret of
it. will you? Don't tell your folks that you are earning
money, and then my little girl and will 60 and help you
buy the presents and well surprise them ALL What do
you say? Will you do it? Z"
Yes" said Arthur. A surprise had been part of
his plan with Miss Simpson, too
The great department stores certainly very won
derfu Arthur had much of their wonder before
through the windows but he had been inside and
he had expected to buy his Christmas presents in
them. Miss Simpson had planned to buy from much
smaller and, far Arthurs experience went, better
known stores of the neghborhood The holiday goods
which these little stores displayed perhaps tawdry
and mean but they had seemed quite wonderful in his
eyes. Now, hustled and jostled by surgng crowd of
men, women, and other children clnging in desperation,
to Miss Corads hand and to her skirt, his little
mind was bewildered, and his sensations rather
those of who making martyr of himself for the
good Of those whom he loves, than of child sighsee
ing in fairyland of toys There many beau
tiful, beautiful things; many things that he would
have gone into ecsasies over could he have considered
them time so many things that he knew would
rejoice the heart Of Billy and of his mother and of the
twins that he lost all appreciation of them and could
not feel that they real
Miss Corad was buying great deal, and from time to
time she asked Arthur questions concerning this and
that, wondered if Billy would like certain mufier,
if his mother would like dress from certain piece of
cloth but the little boys had begun grow
vague that she at last contented herself with her
judgment Arthur knew that she buying his gifts for
him, and he had dull of being wronged for he
could tell in the number of other things which she
bought, just what had been purchased with the money
he had earned from Judge Corad could he tell for
whom the things intended
He was very tired and very bewildered when they
through last and glad to get out into the dusk
Of the Christmas eve 1t pleasantly cold out Of
doors, and the were beginning 10 shine up IN the
sky and to light up the snow in very Chrisnasy way
Besides, the numerous bundles which carried
and put ii the carriage had air of delightful mystery
about them; and once Miss Corad and he were out Of
the great hustle Of the STORE he could feel certain sense
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