The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-12-26
"TEDDY'S GIFTS"

ed them from the snow. There were
| tWenty-one in all, so dainty that they
would make gifts for a queen-so
| many that she could hardly know
| each one when she saw it or miss it
when she didn't. ''She's got enough
to have a store with, amt she?" Ted
dy said again. Suddenly, as hS,
watched, something came to him. Hi 5
heart beat fast and his eyes were
eager. Ma" he said, "Who's going
to take the clothes back?"
II guess you'll have to-" She an
swered. "Your pa is likely to be
home before I finish"
BY half-past five his mother car
ried the clothes basket into the par
lor, just before his father stamped
the snow from his feet at the door.
After supper, when his father was
leaving to go down town, Teddy fol-
lowed him out in the hall and with
great show in secrecy intrusSed to
him his penny for Christmas seal.
what nonsence is that for?' ask
ed Mr.. Robbins kindly.
@"For Christmas" answered Teddy
proudly. "You give it to me when
nobody's looking, pop" he added.
That night Teddy carried the
clothes home, and because he didn't
know the difference between the
front door and the back door, except
that you wiped your feet little long
err at one than at the other, he walk
ed up to the front door and rang the
bell. The maid opened the door and
ushered him and his basket right in
to the drawing room, where uncles
and aunts were falling over each
other trying to trim the tree
Teddy was standing in the middle
of the floor, with his basket on his
arm, when Mrs. Marten saw him.
"Mercy" she said, another bas-
ket. 1 don't know what we shall do
with all of these things. What nave
you got there. Teddy"
"Please, Ma'am, it's your clean
Clothes" answered Teddy.
"Now, 1 din't know whether-be-
gan Mrs. Marten, Herbert, dear,
will you give Teddy the dollar? II
don't know whether to put the angel
on the tiptop or halfway down in the
branches. Which would your"
Teddy put the money in his poe
ket, and stood watching Mrs. Marten
until she had the angel fixed, then hel
said, "Please, Mrs. Marten-you had
twenty-one handkerchiefs in the
wash this week."
Mrs. Marten looked over her
shoulder. did II" she asked alb
sent mindedly, "your mother keeps
count"
please" said Teddy, could
could 1 have one of 'em, Mrs. Mar |
ten. to remember you by?"
"To remember me by!" she ex-
claimed. "Are you going away, Ted
dy?"
"No'm," replied Teddy solemnly.
ito remember you by for staying
here"
"Why 4 never heard of such a
thing!" she cried. "Did your
mother tell you to ask me? OF
course, if your mother"
"She didn't tell me-" said Teddy
quickly, "she don't know. but
thought maybe-if you had more'n
you needed" Il
Little Mrs. Marten came and knelt
beside Teddy, putting her arm
around him. "Tell me, Teddy" she
asked gently, as If at last she I'M
derstood, what do you want it for?"
81 want it" said Teddy very low
"for q Christmas present for-some-
body. IT you've got more'n you
need"
She turned to the basket, and from
the pile of handkerchiefs she took
the finest and laciest of them all.
Will you have this one for the pres
net, Teddy" she asked him. will
this one do?"
ooh, yes. ma'am," he said, eff you
are sure you don't need it,"
When he had thanked her some
how and had gotten out of the room,
Mrs. Marten turned to the uncles and
aunts. "Stop trimming that tree"
she said, and tears sounded in her