Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1916-12-15

city on its account But The trip to
the gold fields had occurred when the
boy was too yOung to remember much
about It. and he was enabled to give
the gentleman very little information.
Billy took ont the pOeketbouk and
showed the certificate The moment
his interviewer saw the name Of the
mining company printed in large let
tiers at the top he opened bis eyes in
establishment. The certificate was for
thousand shares OF stock. and each
share was worth several hundred dol
lars. II was Tlain that this little or
phan boy. II be really owned that bit
OF paper, was very rich. Never before
had the gentleman seen such wealth
centered In a person so near to the
brute creation. The woman returned
and said
Little boy. you're going to sleep IN
this house tonight"
Reckon | couldn't do that. | never
slept in house"
"lt's time you did We're going to
show you what Christmas is Come"
zone moment her husband intei
posed. let me have that old pocke
book you showed me.
Billy gave him the pocketbook then
went with the lady to the room where
the children were. His attention first
fell on y row Of stockings dangling
from mantel.
This is Christmas eve" said IT,
lady. Tonight. so tie tradition Is
Santa Claus will come down the chiig
uey and Gil these stockings with gift
fsis ts your stocking Tomorrow
morning ycu will find 1t full OF uiee
things q"
This was all Greek to Billy. except
that something would be given him. II
was new sensation, for nothing ha
ever yet been bestowed upon him
Then he suffered himself to he led ug
TO bathroom and after be had been
soaked and the softened dirt rinsed on
him he was taken TO little room with
a white iron bedstead and snowy linen
on II and told to get between he
sheets. He obeyed. but when hall q,
hour later the lady looked into tie
room Billy was not to he seen. She
sought for him and found him curlrd
up like dog under the bed instead of
In 1t. She thought best to leave bin
where be was.
The next morning Billy was dressed
La some borrowed clothes and stood be
fore a mirror TO note the change In bis
appearance. 1t would be impossible to
say whether be was more astonished AT
bis clothes or his reflection Both were
4 wonder to him. Then he was takon
downstairs, where the children were
opening their stockings. and giYcn bis
own Santa Claus offering. lie had no
idea as 10 what most Of the thing
were. but demonstrated that possession
Is a human instinct by being mach de
lighted with everything lie took out
After breakfast the lady took Bin,
into the library and told him tile storJ
OF the birth Of the Christ Child IN g
manger; how the sins Of the world
bad been redeemed and how the event
had been celebrated once a year Then
Billy was takou back TO the childeu
who taught him games and told him
stories about what they did. how the}
went to school. an1 Billy absorbed
every word Of It. All day 1t seemed to
him that he had been translated to
heaven. His lair IN the forest began
to seem horrible to him. and he won.
dered If he would ever become sun
rlently polished to live among these
lovely persons.
And the Christmas dinner Billy
looked at the table. loaded with good
things, and seemed to be in a stupol
Of wonder He ate till he could cram
no more into him.
After dinner the gentleman who had
questioned him took Billy's pocketbool
and opening 1t drew forth the certifi
Gates Of stock that Billy was going to
San Francisco to sec about
my boy he said, "Christmas re
minds lis that we must d. for Others
Utclut OulFtlNESs VIZ AAtA Z EAhAA fNH
a pleasant Christmas, but 1t bahaoves
me to do something far more imror
tant for you. l do not doubt that yor
are heir to that which will buy every
thing you can wish for-far more than
you can enjoy. What was probably
worthless when your father made an
investment in 1t OF few hundred dol
lars is now worth hundreds Of thou
sands OF dollars Tomorrow will take
the matter up for you and hope to es
tablsh your claim to your property
This was lost on Billy, but Christ
mas Was not As II was his first Christ
mas. 1t was his happiest. And when #
was ended and they told him he must
wait whole year for another Il seem
ed to him very far away.
1t took some time to establish the
fact that Billy was the son and sole
heir Of the owner Of the certificates IN
the mining company. but it was finally
accomplished. Billy was permitted to
remain with the family with whom he
spent his first Christmas. and the court
appointed the head Of that family his
guardian. Billy went to school with
the children and came to look upon
them as his brothers and sisters.
But at last Billy became Of age, and
from wild boy he had become quite a
gentleman-lIke and intelligent young
man. The fortune he received On the
day of his majority he handled with
skill and discretion, enjoying the in
come of it with the girl who had re
aeived him when he knocked at the
door and asked what they were deco
tntinnr FOR