The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-12-18

"Christmas trees! Bless my soull
It is almost Christmas. isn't it."
eyes, and l never had a Christmas
tree" Bobbinel could not suppress
the longing in her tones.
"Never did," There was genuine
$50 you came to talk it over with me?"
eyes, please. You have so many
trees right neyt to my house. They
are just like the trees in my picture
books and like the II at Sunday
school last year. Mother says I might
have one, only probably Santa Claus
knows we're quite poor and that he
thinks he has done very well to fill
my stocking. But a tree would look
80 lovely in our parlor!!"
"And you would like to have one Of
my trees?' asked the judge kindly.
"Well, I thought maybe If you didn't
mind perhaps l could write to Santa
Claus and tell him if he didn't have
a tree to spare for me you wouldn't
care If he took one from all those
pretty one next door to my house."
"That's a splendid idea! Shall we
go and look at them now?"
"Oh, goody! Let's!" cried Bobbinel,
thrusting a warm red mittened hand
In the judges gloved palm.
"What is your name-your real
name?" asked the judge as they walk
ed toward the spruce covered hill.
"Bobbinel Loring."
"Bobbinel! What an odd name for 4
little girl"
at is two names," sighed Bobbinel.
II had a little brother Bobby, but he
died, and father said that l must be
son and daughter now, so they called
me Bobbine,. My Owl name is Nellie.
Father is with Bobby now, and so
there's only mother and me-"
"Oh,' said the judge, and his hand
closed tighter on Bobbinels. "You
live in the little cottage?"
Eyes, and mother teaches music"
They had reached the spruce grove
now and could look down upon the lit
tie gray cottage with Il friendly wreath
of smoke curling from the chimney.
"That's where I live,' said Bobbinel
proudly.
"Suppose we pick out a tree now, and
you can tie a ribbon upon it so that
Santa Claus will know what one to
bring to you, eh|'
ooh, that will be perfectly lovelyw
squealed Bobbinel.
Without a qualm Judge Moore select
ed his finest spruce for BobbineFs
Christmas tree. Gravely he united n
of the little girls red hair ribbons and
tied it to the tree.
"Now, he won't make any mistaken
she cried as they went back.
That evening Bobbinel told her moth
er the story Of her adventure in the
Moore place and how the kind judge
had marked a "beeutiful' tree for San
ia Claus to bring to them.
So Mrs. Loring wrote the letter to
Santa Claus and the very next morn
ing went over to the Moore place to
apologize for Bobbinel's intrusion and
to assure the judge that she could not
permit him to sacrifice his handsome
spruce for one little girls Christmas.
But Judge Moore had a will of his
own and a most winning manner, and
1t did not take him long to convince
Mrs. Loring that the pleasure was all
on his side of the stone wall.
perhaps you will permit me to call
on Christmas morning and see the
tree? That will be the greatest re-
ward" He smiled down at her, and
Edith Loring found herself telling him
they would be very glad to see him.
The Judge walked to the gate with
the lovely young widow, and Bobbinel
was delighted when she found that
her mother would put no objection in
the way of Santa Claus bringing the
coveted tree.
1t was a wonderful Christmas for
Bobbinel Loring. When Judge Moore
called on Christmas morning to see
the tree he discovered several large
and interesting packages behind the
tree, where Bobbinel had supposed she
had searched before.
Perhaps the following Christmas
was the most wonderful for all three
of them, for Bobbinel found herself
living at the Moore house next door,
with a whole grove of trees to choose
from, while people called her mamma
"Mrs. Moore and called the Judge "a
lucky fellow"