Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-25
The Light in
the C1ea7.jno
By IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917 The Bobbs-NeFrin Co.

OF them-said it was aIr,,.
he had. He and his bo ne
ing them with soma 80, a's
they had In their pockei sp -
/ remember how INV r,.,
the man laughed as tbe nc ~.
His wealth costs too r, ,
gether. 'Tain't worth ~ -ua
which my uncle often No.,
Thus early I got a no'ioH
curious extravaganza an ~
Worshiper. How differept =
uncle, who cared too Ii,,,.
money ''''A
At Christmas I got a pictu,,
and forty raisins and fb-"-
Of candy with red stripes !,
and a Jew's-harp. Thai
Christmas we went down ;.
Liza's TO spend the dav ana <
ed myself to two pieces -
when the plate was passs5
cried because they ali laugs,
my greatness. It was tbs
when Aunt Liza's boy, Trum,,
a silver watch and chain ~
daughter Mary a gold rim,
when all the relatives vera 4.
to come and be convinced an.
for all, of Uncle RoseWelI'-
perity and be filled with ~
reconciled with jelly and nr.',
and roast turkey with saga \
ing and mince and chiek~ (
What an amount Of preparsH.,!
had for the journey, and hov
we had talked about it, WIS
had shut the door and were
to get into the sleigh our dor
came whining around us. III
reyer forget how Uncls 81
talked to him.
60 back, Shep-go back a
house an stay on the plaz'b
gan. GO back I tell We. It's n
mas day an we're goin' am
oil Aunt Lfza's. We can't "a L
down there. No. sir, We cant
back an lay down on the pls
Shep was fawning at ny uI
foot and rubbing his neck or
boot and looking up at him.
whats that We say?" Uncle
body went on, looking down
turning his ear as if he had n
the dog speak and were IN
doubt of his meaning. ? "Eh? VA
that? An empty house makas'
terrible sad on a Christmas
What's that? Ye love US an
like TO go along down to /
Liza's an play with the chlldsi
1t was a clever ruse Of "a
Peabody, for Aunt Deel was I
ened by his Interpretation Of
dogs heart and she proposed. |
Les take him along with l
poor dog! ayes,"
Then Uncle Peabody shouted
Jump right into the sleigh
OIL skeeZucksi an I'll cover y
with a boss blanket. Git in
We amt gotn' to leave nobody
on Christmas day that loves [
rot by a jug full-no, SD /
wouldn't wonder If Jesus died
dogs an bosses as we'll as !
men,"
Shep had jumped in the bad
The sleigh at the first invitation
lay quietly under his blanket al
hurried along in the well-trod 1
and the bells jiugled. 1t was O
aul day and old Shep was as n
and well fed as the rest Of u.s.
How cold and sad and still
louse seemed when we got bad
t in the evening" We had to Il
% a neighbor's and borrow fire |
bring it home with us in a pll
ashes as we were out Of tinde-I
leld the lantern for my uncle VI
re did the chores and when We
gone to bed I fell asleep heul
lim tell Of Joseph and Mary g
o pay their taxes.
In the spring my uncle hii'
nan to work for us-a M
,rawn, sharp-featured fellow \
Ieen gray eyes. Of the name OH
Draper. Aunt Deel hated hin
cared him but regarded him 4
sreat hope because he had 0 fll
way of winking az me with one
cross the table and, further
.ause he could sing and did 1
While he worked-sougs that i
led from his lips in a way 4
unused me greatly. Then, TOO
ould rip out words that had
nd wonderful sound in them
nade up my mind that he was
y to become a valuableasset VI
heard Aunt Dael say to my Z;
'eabody:
FT-.s---r ~ II