THE - OREGON " - SUNDAY : . JOUIWAIv.PORTLAND, ; SUNDAY;-; HORNING, DECEMBER 20, 1908' ; ;'
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ND' that's , how 'I came to
' be born in i-njamer!".'
' Eobbert concluded.
.The baby nodded, her
' mouth-a comprehending
bud, her" eye bis' with
' interest.
' that'beautlful French puzzle! It'sawfully interesting..
I hope he'll like iO More candy"?' The ideal The child.,,
'would die! Where's Father, Robertson'.; btrd book, ,.' ;
''dear?; I shan't dare let hira-take. it alone; It's too, ex- f
quisl te. : Seel Frank, .there r are-' two- hundred and fifty ,v
colored plates.' Isn't it beautiful?' ''", Vi .. .'
'.Bobbert's uncle fell, upon the . book. ' "By George!
;'"Nuv''toryfTell Ba'3e;,aiaV'bt;t)uiVt'a''beaotxtl1r:wste4!oa. Bob-
nuv' 'teryi". she demand
-S!t hen., tbewise
men , came. ' They were
They-1 came'
. . flo'cks-by-"-
V shepherds.'
with, their
night';' -
"Huh?"'
V "Flocks -by'- night., I '
' say..'.ir was -.something--'
they had. !They brought
me , some Frank's in-'
cense-"- " ' I - 1 ;
" "UnkaF'ank! 'Goo-'ood-
Unka F'ank!" ' ' ' " '
"Will you keep skill? It v
wasn't that Frank." ' '
"Warum ntcht?" ' In
quired the baby, with a"
startling' intelligibility. '
: Her German tor some '
reason ' best ' known ' t
herself, ,'was ' aa' distinct
vbert, isn't it? . Doesn't know -an ostrich from a canary,
, does -he?", , ' , ,' --.,..'-,- . J
'.. "We'll,' that;, what" Father Robertson '.wanis-'b'rm' (
to learn!" they-crled'ln chorus'. ' ; ' . """ ' ,"
' . ' , He noddeddoubtfully.,' ."Pity .he cari;t- eome inland '
'help," Hesuggesled; ,he'd enjoy this rumpus."-.
They stared "at him. in. consternation, !,..' ,, , . ,:",,
' -";Why, Francis Itdbertsdni what areou-thinking f
of? Have 'Bobberf help 'an' his 'own r tree?-: Are you,",
crasy?". '''- '. l . :'.
"I ,suppose itjwouldii't'.daV:-h admitted;, "but. you- ,.
see' '.that's, just-what 'ai'llttle. 'fallow; 'lik'es-all , the ,-.
noise,'., and fuss, and running about 'and the smells,)' ; f
-he added rvaguely. .
IS..
as her English was. garbled. .
"Because it Isn't, silly. Uncle Frank isn't a wise
man-he's a p'fossor in college. And they brought
me"
"Look here, Bobbert, what on earth are you talk
ing about?" ' ...:
"I'm telling her all about Christmas, Uncle Frank."
Bobbert removed-rthe corner of the rug from, the
baby's mouth and handed her her silk rag doll. "Min
na said to amuse her, and I was. About the manger
I was telling " . - . ... .
"So I heard. But why do you cast it in that form
precisely? You -see, you werenlt born in one, ' and
and er you really oughtn't to' talk that way, don't
you know."
"Why wasn't IV :
"Because you weren't." ;
"Well, where was I, then?" '
"You were born in this house." . :
"Where in this houser
"Where? Why, upstairs. I suppose." '
"Are people always born upstairs?"
"Usually." . . . . ' . :
"Never born downstairs at all? Didn't' you -ever
know anybody that -was born down-r-" ' . . "
"Oh, stop, Bobbert! Go on amusing your sister.
You have a genius for pure- idiocy. ' Where's- your
mother?" . 1
Bobbert's face fell. The baby . tore oft - a bit of. her
doll and swallowed It unrebuked it was one of her
swallowing days and began wetting-her. finger and
following in a smudgy outline the figures on the Kate
Greenaway wall paper, without one reprimand from
her brother. .. . , ,,
"'F I'm coin', to have , a tree., I . want to make it
myself. They're all up "in , the lib'r'y, and I have to
keep out. They've got a" ladder in there, too.' And
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"The smejls?". demanded Bobberl's' mother.'
. . ;'Tlie hemlock; and. the candy and the new. smelt of
f all the things,", he persisted. , . , : t . ?
"In short," .said -the; fat, one with the yellow mus
tache, loqk(ng up from a box of mapy rcolored baubles
with. which. he and Aunt Helena were. playing Inun
"disgulsed Joy, ;'Just what we like!"
"Precisely," remarked. Uncle Frank, '-,
. "Really," said Aunt -Kate; somewhat- stiffly, "if Bob-
they laugh all the time. I have'to stay here with herf; -.bejt. and Babe should help about the tree, I can't quite
What's the good o calling It my tree if!I can't help?' see-whomv we'd 'call in to see "it this evening! What
Aunt Helena says won t my. eyes pop out when I see; are we working so hard for to please ourselves?"
but they won't."
("Hadn't she better keep the doll to. play, with and
eat something else?")
"I think I tnight go in! Hare, stop eating that,'
baby! Let go! Somebody fell oft the ladder, too, and
there I was out in the hall! I don't believe they hod
the little backitblngs up "that keeps' it from 'doubling
up, sort or, tnat way It does, you know. Do you?
1 could 'a told them about that. What's the good of
a tree, anyway?"
("Do you think she Improves the wall-paper with
that border? Perhaps the color comes off') -
"Here, stop that! Dont suck ybur hand, baby I '
Oh, goodness! I wish Minna was; here! . I'm not a
nurse. I never made such a fuss when I was little, I
know. If I had a tree for anybody, I'd let them have
the fun of it. Wouldn't you?"
His audience looked uncertain. In his heart he
felt that his nephew was right, but prudence re
strained him, and he rose to go, with a temporizing
air. "Well, you know, it's usually done this way," he
suggested. "It's , supposed to be in the nature of a
surprise. If you arranged the ' whole thing, there
wouldn't be anybody to surprise, -would there?" -.
Bobbert sniffed. J'Oh, if you stay out, we could
'prise you, I s'pose," he atd, somewhat cynically.
"But I've seen so many trees" The defense was
very feeble, and he knew it.
"Oh, all right," said Bobbert. testily, Jerking the
baby away from the high fender. "And they're pop
ping corn over the Are In there; I heard it pop. And
Aunt Helena said that it was so good sugared, and
the fat one the one with the yellow mustache said
that he mould think all that she ate would taste " 11
"How do you know what they, said?"
- "I heard." . .
"How?" . ' .
"I heard." . -' ...
"How did you hear?" ' ..
"Through the keyhole!" Bobbert. set' his Jafw. and
twisted a piece of the baby's dress nervously.
"And since when have you adopted that method of
obtaining Information, Robertson?"- ; . .
"I don't care! I only -did a moment! I don't care ,
if it is sneaky I might just as well be sneaky it
I'm not going to Annapolis! If I do anything 'at all,
everybody says: 'Oh, dear! I'm afraid you'll never be
a lieutenant, after all. --They never do so!' And If I
say I'm going to be one. they say, 'I wouldn't count
on it, Bobbert till I'm just sick and tired! Am I
going to Annapolis? Am 1? .1 don't care about the old
tree If I know that." . .
"My dear boy, how do I know? ' It will' depend on--.,
on on circumstances," he concluded,, weakly. : : t
Bobbert stamped his foot. His uncle slipped out-of
the room. !...-..-..' ' .
In the library the tree was towering to completion.
A gilt angel held ropes of popcorn that straggled
artistically downward; snowy, ribbon-bound packets
dangled from the boughs; candles dotted . the ends.
Aunts and uncles chattered and .laughed and quar- 1
reled amicably, while Bobbert's; father and - mother. -hiihhlina;
over with deliKht-and. busyness and vaeue . -
Christmas good feeling. -ran about holding the same
parcels, straightening the same red candle, pulling at
the same rope of cranberries." : t -v ; - - ' ,
"isn't It grand, Frank? This Is really the , best
We've ever had. ttow are .tne cniiaren 7 ; jJo tney ..sus
pect anytningf . . . . -
"Nothinsr nothing. ' whatever', 'he .1 assures
"Bobbert thinks the odor of hemlock . and popcorn
to be attributed to me winaow . boxes, .and .i-b&y
doubt that he supposes you re conducting a", funeral
down here. It s so stui ana toiemn,
"Oh, Frank, -how absurd
begin to suspect
.. , "Oh, no! great heavens, no!" cried Uncle Frank. -Bobbert's
father appeared with an armful of steel
rails and cross-pieces. "What do you say to this, Rob- "
ertson?" he called, delightedly. "Jove! these are)
heavy. Three switches to the thing, and you ought'
to see the engine! There's a parlor-car, a smoker and
! two passengers. See the tender? Jovel I call that
pretty good. Ring the bell, Kate. Look at that piston-rod,
Frank!"
They clustered about him excitedly.
"Father sent it round Just now. Wouldn't tell
what he paid for the thing. You clamp It down to ths
carpet-right through it goes. There are forty-two
feet of railing how's that? Four curves and threo
switches regular thing, you know. We'll put it right
through the library, across the hall and loop it back
In front of the conservatory. What do you say?"
"Won't he be delighted!';
sighed the aunts.
"Can we get It down be
fore evening?" said Bob
bert's mother, nervously.
"Well, I .should say so!"
The fat one with the yel
low mustache seized an
armful of rails and began
to study the , J o I n i n g s;
Qbbert's father and Uncle '
Christopher explained the
witch workings eagerly to '
each other; and Bobbert's
another flew about wondering
how the rugs could stand It, .
and picturing Bobbert's Joy i
as the train puffed out from '
the base of the tree. '
"This is great!". Uncle
Christopher cried, as the
rails went down with wpn-
derful celerity. "Haven't had'
' such fun in , an age! Half the,
' fun'a in getting Jt ready!",,
' The-' fat one with.,the.I
mustache '.glanced up and'
caught Uncle ' Frank's , eye. ,
"Perhaps he'd rather'. . "
, Bobbert's mother shook;
her head at them. - ."Now stop
right there,' she 'said. mer-.
rily. "if you're going to ug;
gest that- he., should , come
and help! You don't seem to -see.
my plan' at all,' Frank. . I
"want . this thing to be "per-fcct-Iiwant
it all to burst
'on him at once: , How'oan we"
put "it '.down -in the evening -.'
whenjWe'reVall dressed? And '
. ' th ere wouldn't -be 'time.- any- rs-.
way. Oh "Chris, j you .didn't
..get,., him ' that, . too? See.
tnat loveiyr dog. cellar! ; And
the t chain, J too!; Now' Don
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'OA .ore? Gooc?yyewef
it ioff.'" and nervously waved their -hands at. the engine
as it hove down upon-the unfinished curve at the
hearth rug,, while Aunt Helena waved a-red flag wild
ly, i and Aunt Ka te began to pass round a hat for a
purae for "the bravi girl-who , risked her life so- gal
lantly to save the train." . - .
He-left them with a chuckle,-and-began' to mount
the stairs . two ? steps at.-a. time; .Just .saving himself
from falling, upon a huddled, group at the top of the
flight. ' .1 ., ,
" "What 1 are they doing in the 'hall?" Bobbert'de
manded, abruptly, cluttihmsf tlie baby's skirts with "one
hand and-supporting hlmaell in a peering attitude
with the other. "What makes 'env scream that way?
Why do- they say, 'Down brakes'?; Is ib -a-- gaTne?
.W'hen Aunt Helena-laughs anil': laughs-that way.t she
us'ally. cries ia-fter ward.'.' .. .!,, .. , -.. . , ,.
- -Uncle. Frank towed . them . back - into ' the nursery,
and Med the- conversation story ward; but Bobbert .was
. not to be beguiled. . i . ? -, . ,. , t . x .
. "i-p.. tired-of ; stories-. - I'd rather.be d9wnstairs,"'he.
yawned. "I. know, one thing Jf I get another old car
penter.'s ' set, ' I'll sell , it tomorrow 'for five i cents..- I.:
hate -'em. All - I want's' a boat,; and I can't have that.
I don't, see why I can't go-out. .if it .'Is .snowing. I
never, can do a single thing' I want,' any way.'-' w-" ' .
' '"You1 are' a little ' cross." observed . his' une'e, sur-
vying him' critically: ".but I don'tt know, that-1 blame
, "When, did She. swearr ' , .
"Day, before yesterday , night. She said she was ,
going to be bad when she got up, and they kept at her
t'o say she , wouldn't, and she said she would. She can
be the worst you ever saw."
"Worse ever saw!" echoed the baby.
."And all day they were afraid she would be, and
she wasn't, and she wasn't, and she wasn't. Not till
she went to bed. And she said her prayers that one
she says, Mlerr Jesus, mild und something Du' and
then she Just looked right up at the ceiling and swore
as hard as she could."
"What In the time did she say?"
"yhe said: 'O Lord! Good heavens! Darn!'"
"Oh!" '
"And she got her little hands mighty well slapped,
too. She must never say it again, must you, baby?"
The baby laughed impishly. There was no telling
what more she knew.
At exactly half-past 6 the library doors flew open
with a bang, the piano struck up a brilliant march,
and Minna escorted her charges pompously down the
stairs, the baby in white, with a bewildering number
of pink bows. Bobbert in a blue sailor suit.
Around the gleaming tree stood a ring of aunts,
uncles and grandparents, flushed and happy.
"Merry Christmas, Bobbert! Merry Christmas.
Babe! How do you like it?- Isn't It grand? ,See the
angel?. See the popcorn? Don't look at the floor yet!
No, it isn't time so soon. Chris will start It.) Well,
was it loVelv. bless her little heart? Wunderschon,
liebchen, nlcht wahr?"
Bobbert smiled perfunctorily at the tree, blinked a
little, leaped through the ring of brlght-frocked rela
tives, and fell upon a red-faced, apologetic man stand
ing with the group of delighted servants near the
door.
T-"Hello, David!" he cried. "When did you come
back? Are you going to stay? Did you know I could
swim? Will you tell me a story tonight?"
David, whose only fault was too great an attach
ment to the cup that cheered him too frequently, and
who had been devoted to Bobbert, coughed deprecat
' ingly and explained: "Only dropped in for the tree,
Mr Bob. your papa havin' asked me in with the rest.
And a rlne tree It Is, I'm sure. I expect most o' them
'presents will he for you, Mr. Hob?v
David prefixed the title of respect In public, but his
private relations with Bobbert had been anything but
formal. , ,
Aunt Kate,' dancing with impatience, had begun to
detach the presents from the lower boughs, and soon
they were piling up around him.
"Master Robertson Wheeler. Master Robertson
Wheeler oh. Bobbert, that's a whopping fine present.
Miss Dorothea Wheeler. Slehst du, nieln susses Kind?.
Master Robertson Wheeler. See what Uncle Rltch
sent you, Bob! He forgot how you had grown!"
' They were laugning, explaining, manning; cauns,
all at once. ... .
"And the candy" mother '11 keep till tomorrow.
Now, Bob. see! Under the tree!"
The engine rattled proudly-forth. The uncles and
aunta fell upon It. . .. . , .
"There! I tqld you it wasn t oiled enough! See,
T rnf vaii T'a n 1 ft A Bfnhif a xot YAS l f Art
Mr. Robertson, we had more-run than a little getting
this ready, I assure you. Quite complete, isn't It?"
Uncle Christopher began to Juggle with the Japa
nese outfit, to the Intense delight of the servants. The
aunties - and Mr. Ferris . played . with the engine. . ex
plaining its mechanism to the wondering grand
fathers. Grandma, Wheeler marveled at the French
dissecting puzzle. Bobbert's mother, happily guard
ing the candy, laughed at the baby. Who, harnessed
into the dog collar, pranced along before her father,,
waving the colored balls in.; the air, a woolly lamb
under her free arm. The merry moments passed,;-...v.:
Suddenly Grandfather Wheeler looked up from the
bird-book, which he was sharing with Uncle Frank.
"But where is Robertson. Jr?" he inquired, mildly.
They stared. "Why, right here." they said. But
he was not right there. :
Uncle Frank looked about comprehensively at the
relatives and smiled a superior smile. , Then his eya
fell on the bird-book in his lap, and the smile changed
Its quality. , . . . - .
He glanced at the ring of servants. "And wher
Is David?" he added. Suddenly he sprang to his feet,
"Come on!" he said. "We'll find him. Don't make
noise walk softly, now." . .. , .t . ..
And still holding the presents, they trooped aiterf
him through the hall, Bobbert's mother close to the)
leader, the aunties and Mr. Ferris at' the end of thai
line. Through the dining room, ; through - the wld
pantry, through the hall and up to the.kitchea dooif
they tiptoed.
Uncle Frank paused a moment, nodded -and mad
room for Bobbert's father, while the grandfather
crowded up and the aunties peeped under and over.
On the floor before the well-swept kitchen hearth,
sat David; beside him, a little space away, squatted
Bobbert, a long- black: hockey stick In his hand. Be
tween them were arranged large pieces of coal from
the hod arranged in what appeared to be nine-pin
patterns. -
"I shall attack from the right at daybreak. You'll
see what the mosquito fleet can do. Mr. David! Your
clumsy old Spanish ships can't move quick enoughl
Can they?"' ' ....
"Wait and Bee, Bob, my boy!", '
"This coal makes dandy ships don't it? A lot of
coal would be a fine present wouldn't it? They use
wood upstairs, and I don't believe I could get hold of
any. Are you enjoying yourself. David?" , . ":.
"You bet I am. Bob. Put your flagship in line."
"Well, I will. She was out for for repairs. When
I go skating, David, I'll neven use any other hockey.,
etick. I wanted a- black one next to a boat. You
were lovely to give it to me. I'll be big enough for
a boat next year. I hope."
"Well, now? it's daybreak. Lieutenant, are yo
ready?" . " - .
"Ay, ay, sir." . . .t' -"r
"Begin the fight!"
"Ay, ay, sir." ' .
- J JMg MINI Vlll SV l J U JL IVIIU T VUUb ISAM.
wa ,V1P,pwtttW.Bt'D.'UBtah'ai"ntya, 7-o. ' MWna'.;conin up soon.".. . , - -
ernal' it b:tbVl .H? ! BhorUy'' " ' " ' V "
f, w ,,n ' t. ' 1 ' candy, you'll certainly be sick ' No '.1 ioXmni Itti- i
l!, Well.I( suppose he. does... 1,mean'platn sick." . ' ' 1 a'men H 1
,'enet'ratton-does-vou cr'V ' -v.0'?.0 lJ" M'tf pjA'gofcti to'let -thkt-
Bobbert ta only nine-, and; he has only seerl this per ' JtheVe'U be no manag 11" B 'd,?KU'tea
formance nine times, so .it- would be.oddif He sh6ud r .Bobbert -mother ' looked pjaintlve. ' "f 'wish 'to
he probably hay a aim - . r - .';' r -; ; ;x -?,.o. your own .Perhaps -you - wouldn't be an-ridlculoBii
,- "Now, Frank, you 'at' tirMomv. Of coui!se,.1 he . then. . How on earth,! Hgolng ' to hurt Bohbert "
knows, but how can, he -know the: sse of lt?,'He night.bfall' nlehta. to stav nM.rl
never saw one so Dig. Ana we never nad so -many
candles there are three boxes' here.' And look-at this.
What do you think Uncle Hitch has sent him?" i . J
One of the aunts waved at him a set- of .red.', blue
and yellow balls attached by elastic cords to a bright-
ly colored stick. "I suppose the dear old man thinks,
Bobbert is about two years old! Where have .you
put that Japanese. Juggler's outfit, Kate? See, Frank,
Just so that we may all- toll for- his own particular,
amusement?; Tell him a .story, . , or something. . We'll
barely have. time -,.. .... . ,
: A. huts't lof laughter-Interrupted her. ' Uncle Chris
topher had wound up 'the tra4n and started it on what
extent of. rail waa already laid, to his own great com
fort and the disgust of. Bobbert's father and the fat '
on with the raustache,.who hrleke4 jxt hUiL-lo- "top
.. it "Oh., nein.". she. smiled.
. "ph, Ja," he scowled. "You're always, chewing the
: wrong thing. -Look at your, shoe, all .wet! t Whafll
Minna sav?'.' : i . w ,
- . She.crewedher face into wrinkles. and shook'her
head, wringing her hands with Minna's gesture, "Pfuit
piui" aocn.' 's let absrneuitcn!" sne scoiaea. -. ' -
i "I don't believe you'll get a,present-at;all,"; he-continued.
... ... , : . ,
, - "Babe get p'es't! ' Babe get big p'es'tr" 1 1? i 1
' i"Not a one!' "Not- aone!" -he' persisted. '- !
i ' Her eyes -filled; she. Implored him earnestly.,. "P'ease,
.Babe- get .big. p'es't!" i. . , . '.
"Not a-" ' ' " -..... ...J...
f i'"8top teasing !your sister. Bobbert.' Ofcourse sht 11
.get a. present, f.. Why. not 7" . ; , - - '
H . "Because she swore." - . .- i
' 'What. on earth-do you ,rncan77 r.-i.
..-. mean' what-1 say." ' , ;
e-where-' the-smokestack .Joins. on! -.Will rshe
' . nee.' bODDeru . now inn
take the.
switches
--i, i ' di .witnhca! Father! Here, this way. Fa
'thei- Robertson! Mt. Ferris - is ' (totng towork the
( 'witch.- Ijm'f it . wonderful,. Bobbert? Its- from
v .Grandpa Wheeler. ..Thank him. It goes through the
" hall 'Oh.'- Kate, v.ou can't work-that switch, can you?
" See 'Aunt-Kate, work the switch, dear."
Bobber.t. watched. it curiously. He ran: forward 9
the third swucn. , . . ,
i i "Want to see how-lt goes.' Boh?
Here, I'll -worte-
The coal flew about thick aad fast the romir.an.l
ers shuCTed the lumps in place, therin un l u. ..ur.
aging their omcers and crews, hhtp atvor unw
to riSe nl more. In a clutter of coal on tl.e h -r. .
Under cover of the noise, Uncle J:ri.-k !- i J
away, silent, through the emptv rooms , t w.-ro (
deserted Christmas tree- ehein-red nnlv .1 urn, ' ;
German cradle songs to her s.:iirig l.l.y.
"Now look here,- he satd. "U't be "' .
'people. We'll go on enjovlng "ur pr-M. afnt ; . I
and let Bobbert enjoy his. Why not, .hr