The Cairo bulletin., 1910-12-02
HIS CHRISTMAS
PRESENT
BY MARK WHlTTEMORE
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

thirty-two. They had reached the age
where childless married people begin
to try to supply the deficiency by pets.
Henry Trayne, who was profess
sional chemist and mining engineer,
was offered every inducement to go to
the Pacific coast and direct the opera
tons OF mine Besides his salary,
he was offered some stock Of the com
pany. For a long time he declined,
not caring to break up his home on an
uncertainty for the mine might prove
worthless or to leave his wife while
the experiment was being made, but
1.-THE WOLF was proving about the
door, and at last the couple made up
their minds TO bear the separation.
Henry was obliged to make a pre-
liminary trip to a distant city where
the capitalists who were to employ
him lived In order to talk matters over
and become posted as to his work.
During this absence, which lasted a
month, Laura had taste or what she
was to endure during the longer sepa-
ration. When her husband returned
Iii
the couple were enraptured at the re-
union. being like n young couple In
their honeymoon, except that the long
er separation stared them in the face.
When the March winds were blow
Ing Henry babe his wife n sorrowful
adieu and went to the field OF his OPP
erations. During the first month or
absence Laura wrote him every day
! "Chimmy" the dog) dear boy, misses
you very much. The day you left he
whined and fretted and ran about pin
ing for his dear papa. Toddle' (the
parrot "said yesterday. oh, Henry,
how can live without you? wonder
II the dear girl got that from me"
Had the letters fallen into the hands
of strangers they would have supposed
the writer TO be referring to beloved
children, However, after a few weeks
possibly Laura was becoming more
accustomed to her husbands absence
and did not need to lavish so much
love on CHIMNEY and Toddle-the let
ters assumed a more practical tone.
Laura hoped the venture would be
successful They were getting on
toward old age and nothing laid up.
1t would be nice If In addition to
Henry's salary the shares that had
been given him would become valn-
able. Then they would not have to
worry about the future. In one Of her
Intt oh,
good schools In the district where the
mines We're located Henry wrote back
that he hadn't taken any interest In
the schools, for If they made the place
n permanent home, not having any
children of their own. 1t wouldn't
make any difference. TO which Laura
! replied that she thought Todde could
be taught to read, and she wouldn't
like TO take her where such thing
would be impossible II desired. Henry,
who had got used to being separated
from his pets, thought this absurd.
Six months passed, and no immedi.
ate prospect Of Henry's getting home
( October came, and there was rich
strike in the mine. The success Of the
/ enterprise was secured, but still Henry
could not get away, In December be
left everything to go home and spend
Christmas with his wife and CHIMNEY
and Toddle.
He arrived on Christmas morning
As he ran up the steps Of his house
he noticed an auto standing before the
door and in the hall met the family
I physician, who was giving some In
structions to trained nurse Henry
in terror, begged to be informed as t.
the reason for their being there.
THE crisis IL passed." said the doc
tor Don't worry. Nurse, 20 up and
prepare Mrs Trayne to meet her hus
band. We don't want to startle her"
The nurse went upstairs and In Q
few minutes called out that Mr.
Trayne might come up, Henry was
50 anxious that he had not responded
to Chimmy's greetings and when the
dog got In his way as he was hurryinl
upstairs gave him push that sem
him away yelping. When the eager
husband reached his wife's door h,
was astonished to see placard on Il
bearing the words
Merry Christmas from Harry"
Too anxious to give way to wonder
as to what 1t meant, he open9 thu
door softly and entered the IN
There lay Laura, with the tin bl
Of u baby on her arm, and the ie
had happy smile Of welcome on he
face
"A Christmas present for you, Hen
ry" said Laura.
The nurse, who took position to Sc
the husbands face at the moment o
his surprise, told the doctor that "h
looked as If he had had pitcher o
Joy poured over him" He stood for
moment enraptured at what he saw
then took his wife and their child 4
one embrace
"Now / know" he said, why yoI
were inquiring about the schools AM
were giving me that nonsense abou
teaching Toddle to read, But VIII.
didn't you let me known
II wanted to surprise you. Ant
when / learned that you were to com
at this time | hoped my Christina
gift would be here ready for you. Th
doctor delivered 1t without wrappe
or address this morning at 9 o'clock"