The Bottineau courant., 1912-12-20


went on tiptoe to the open door and
recognized the child had seen leaving
the house that same afternoon.
He looked mighty pretty lying
asleep. one arm under his cheek and
his chubby little fists doubled up. At
the other end Of the room was bed. in
which, supposed, his nurse was Sleep
ing. One Christmas present had been
given him. and he had taken it to bed
with him. 1t was a tin horn. 1t made
me vince. for If he should wake up
and catch sight of me it would be
fine medium with which to arouse the
house.
Suddenly a clock without began to
strike. and bells all over the city were
ringing in Christmas day. l should
have thought of my critical position.
but instead was impressed with the
ringing of the bells. The most solemn
thing in the world is tolling bell, and
the most gladsome is the sound of
bells ringing for some joyful event.
I was standing listening to the merry
jangle when the boy began to stir in
his crib. opened his eyes and listened
intently. He had evidently been arous-
ed by the bells. Then he sat up and.
selling his horn, began to blow blast
that should have caused me to beat
hasty retreat. But it didn't The bells
without and the horn within were so
typical Of Christmas that in my ap-
probation of the ushering In Of the
day forgot that stood, as it were.
at the door Of prison cell. I heard a
chuckle in one of the rooms and a
mans voice call out:
Merry Christmas, Benny! Now. go
TO sleep again and give Santa Claus a
chance to come down the chimney
and fiji your stocking"
But the boys mother couldn't keep
away from him, and the first thing
knew woman in her nightdress
came through the hall. I started down
stairs. but was too late. She gave the
alarm. A man sprang into the hall and
) before had reached the lower story
seized me. He was big and strong.
while I. weak from want of food. was
unable to resist. 5., e. ,t..'t
The horror Of my situation did not
Affect me as one would suppose it
would. A Jail hasn't the terror for
one who cannot feed himself that it
has for one who doesn't know depriva
ton. l resigned myself to my fate
The man, seeing that there was little
to fear from me. took me into his
library and turned on the lights. Then
he stood looking at me. The Christ
mas bells were still ringing without.
and it seemed to me that they were
a deterring influence upon my captor
to turning fellow being on this bless
ed morning over to the police. How
ever, he mastered his repugnance and
started to telephone when in walked
Benny in his nightie. He stood look
ing at me for moment. then said:
"Oh, thought you was Santa Claus!'
"Run back upstairs. sonny" said the
man.
"Who is he papa?"
Zone who stole into the house to take
your Christmas gifts from you
The little fellow looked very sober.
What are you going to do with him ?"
he asked of his father.
'Send him to jail3'
"And he won't have any Chrstmas?"
mo. Wicked persons don't deserve to
have any Christmas"
"I've never had q Christmas" l said
despairingly, "but thus far I've never
spent one in Jail. l am starving and
came in here to get something could
sell so that l might buy meal"
The man looked at me inQuiringly,
Perhaps there was sincerity in my face
that moved him.
"Your first burglary?" he asked.
4s''I have never stolen q penny In my
life.'
No great time had thus far passed
since l was discovered. and the bells
were still ringing. They were beating
against this mans heart. ...
"You can co. he said presently.
"And, papa" put in Benny. cant
give him some of my Christmas gifts? ?"
"Time enough for that tomorrow"
replied the father. then to me, If
you'll come here about noon III have
a talk with you and see If can do
anything to help YOU
Cant he have part Of our Christ
mas dinner?' asked Benny.
To this the father paid no attention.
but, opening the front door. told me to
go forth, saying to me as passed out {:
IF you're sincere you'll come back to-
morrow: If you're a hardened criminal
shall probably never see you again.
Go before those bells stop ringing"
"GOodbyv' cried Benny. "COme to
dinner"
l did return to dinner. and found u
friend. He dared not at once trust me
in his house. but he gave me position
as porter in his place of business, 1t
was not long before he discovered that
II possessed gift more enduring than
any that could be given at Christmas
my artistic faculty-and he sent me to
an art school to study That was years
ago. and | am now prominent in my
profession. Benny is young man and
%nr a ON