The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-12-15
That An Apple Bin
r, Ruth Havstad, Eighth Grade
Rickkand

Rnhland
/ rha day before Christmas dawned
!, last. cold and gray, but that mat
,.Aed little to Bob Burton, for he was
: leave for Finlay today where he
i steuded to spend Christmas with his
cousin Jack.
He had hardly slept that night, and
,ov he was up and dressed before
.vn. Running down stairs, he en-
,sred the dining room where his
hther was seated reading the morn
ng paper.
M. Burton looked up with smile
and said: Bob as you are going to
q today, l have decided to give you
your present before hand" Bob's
ayes sparkled with anticipation, be-
eause his father-well he always
Knew just what would please a boy
His father left the room and pres
antly returned with small package
wrapped up In tissue paper, which he
q ave to Bob.
D THANK you father" he said and
3 leaving the room, he bounded up the
d stairs, intent on examining his pres
ant what ever it might be. He enter
q ID his room, locked the door. and
j With trembling fingers opened the
g package and brought to view an
8 apple! For a moment he stood still
With establishment, the apple in his
hands,. Then his establishment deep
8 ened into disgust, and putting the
apple in his pocket, he flung himself
on the bed, where he remained until
his father called him telling him it
was time for him to start if he did
not wish to miss the train.
Bob made no reply but rising slow
" he bathed his face and started
down stairs, the apple still in his
pocket.
On reaching the dining room he
babe his father an abrupt farewell
and started for the station. But Bob
could think of nothing but that mis-
cradle apple. 1t would be impossible
for him to eat it, for it seemed as
though he would be swallowing his
pride with 1t, and if he took it with
him, Oh how his friends would laugh!
Just then he spied newsboy looking
wistfully at him. Bob walked up to
him and taking the apple out of his
pocket and offering it to the boy, he
said in low hurried tones, Here boy
don't you want it," Then he turned
and walked away before the aston:
ished and delighted boy had a chance
to offer his thanks.
Here we shall leave Bob and follow
the progress of the apple.
After Tom, for that was the name
Of the newsboy, had received the ap
pie he did not think for a moment
of eating it. No, he intended to
drop it in the Christmas bushel for
that was what he called the box in
which the apples were put until
Christmas, where they were all taken
out and given to the children.
He walked rapidly down the street
until he reached a little church
where several men were busily en-
gagged in decorating large Christmas
tree Stealing in unseen he wen,
behind several curtains, and dropped
the apple into the box, filled with
other apples all round and red, and
left before anyone saw him.
Had Bob and Tom examined the
apple more closely they might have
observed something unusual about it
but they didn't and ii they had
would have been unable to write thi,
story.
It was Christmas Eve. the tim,
when all the world for once forget
ting their enmeties. trials and strue
giles meet and treat each other a
brothers, and rejoice together a
they look back to the time of tn
first Christmas.
Tonight the little village of Blacl
moon seemed to reflect the glory 9
the full moon, as she shOne in spleI
dor an unrivaled green in all he
glory.
Far down the streets the light
twinkled from the windows and n
Elected on the white snow below. TIL
business streets were crowded wit
busy happy people. as they hurrie
to and fro, purchasing some extr
gift or hurrying towards home, thei
brains filling with happy anticip;
llOuS OI tuc COullH6 luu. All va
hurry and hustle, noise and Joy. TIL
newsboys hastily disposed of thel
Extras" and scampered home wit
rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes.
But one solitary watcher did ne
seem to take part in this Joy. Hi
eyes filled with tears as he murmu
ed to himself, ooh Poppy, l don
mind myself but you-you have neve
had a Christmas yet, an most likel
you never WILL"
The speaker was Dave of the tel
ament block" Poor little Dave. H
was an orphan, his mother havin
died when he was but seven year
Old and leaving his sister, Poppy,
depend on him for support. But Dav
had done we'll in the newspaper bu
mess and had managed to live som
way though certainly not in the mos
luxurious manner.
He had always been happy DO.
but tonight, as he looked far down II
to the street below, and saw the 10
and merriment of others feelln
glanced into the heavens above. Tn
of sadness and restitution crept owe
him. feeling that he could M
Sh,1~o 1ff opd DC no Glanced abOI