Show brist mas cb not fors olten MARTHA PAN DANN N THOMAS 1 viroil OIL mercy sakes do come along j tj and dont drag so sol I 1 mrs casey Q jerked tit at the arm of her deluc alj tant son who was craning ills neck to look into three shop windows at once we have hare only halt hall an hour before the boat leaves and ive got a lot ot of errands to do yet t 11 theres a man waving at you mamma ma said the small boy lies hos comin down the street lie ile wants to speak to you dont pay any attention to him joel joe I 1 time to bo be bothered with him just some one who wants roe me to take a message over to his folks across the bay probably cut but the man was coming rapidly nearer ills his face was alight with smiles sailles ills his hand band was out before he was wa within five yards of mrs casey mammal joe hissed have to stop slop and indeed the man had bad no intention of letting her pass him how do you do dol I 1 he called 1 I recognized you three blocks away lie ile was quite close now and his hand was still out my it does my heart good to see you again mrs casey cagey the woman frowned who was this man why did he be bother her when she was in such a hurry there would be no other chance for christmas christinas shopping after today she lind come across the bay in a small motor boat it would be leaving forthe forthe return trl trip in awen ty 17 five minutes P you dont remember 1 j me smiled the man lie ile looked down eagerly at the puzzled woman it was twenty years ago age on christmas that I 1 first saw you and ill never forget it as long as I 1 live M mrs r s casey cahey clutched her shopping bag bopa more closely to her breast and stared 1 1 I had bad a broth pr er said the man his bis face ablo a ion with memory he was younger thane than I 1 a little shaver when you saw him you ton gave us ui our first real realm christmas and ill never forget it ii as long as I 1 live mrs casey blinked rapidly several times part of a smile began to flick er cr around her lips she peered up into the mans face you sou sent your husband down to the little shack where wo we lived continued the man and he wrapped us up lip warm in mufflers and coats he had brought lie ile drove us in it a sleigh to your h house qu se our mother had bad died a few months before and we were lonely and miserable W WA had moved to the village just that week and knew no one our father had no work and wo we were terribly neglected ind and unhappy yes yest yes laughed the woman 1 I know you now my ily land how big youve grown and you gave us a fine big din dinner fier turkey cranberry sauce mince pie said the man ills his voice was softened and his eyes misty with tears it was the greatest day of my life I 1 have never forgotten it you gave us a memory of happiness that has lasted all these years and will go on forever it was the true spirit J of christmas cheer and my brother and I 1 have tried to spread it around as far as we can ever since you see what you yon started god bless you he bent swiftly and kissed her cheek ile he tweaked joes ear car with a smile he be strode olf off again and was lost in the crowd gracious gasped mrs casey well if that dont beat alit all my ray my my I 1 those two little boys men grown bowl with beaming face she tugged at toes joes sleeve hurry up bowl we must catch that boat aw mamma let me just peek into that window but mrs casey was thinking of that long ago christmas and the man who had reminded her ot of it 4 1121 1928 western newspaper unto union ai M kass |