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2 2 ] PR it” Tom jumped In his ing within him speak these words He looked find every foghorn as look v ng- istmas gervice, and d out of him- mas dinner th satisfying and beautiful ving letters was which 1l the service c seemed was glad when told of th Jests who came to earth on @sy. “Immanuel” was the nam to him bef us” was earth t As the for the first t! that was bo that grew of what t heve be Tom u Jess grace o to the t er in wou lived the & boy as Guess r boys nee Jesus © n the cush- »ut thought vas roused, e words, “I'll do 1t!” f Tom's nobler and the will of Christ. angel. That was about the only n the average and sturdy and had hich could look you e and never waver. leader, too. Whether mis- chief or play was on deck, Tom was sure to be in it. When Madam Crosby, whe had 2 special spite against boys, scolded the milkman roundly for the quart of chalk and water which she found one morning at her door, per- baps Tom could have told where a part, at least, of the stolen milk had gone. When old Maid Munsey's pet pug came tearing home insane with the torture of & couple of dozen extra fleas under his close-fitting blanket, maybe it wasn't Tom who had engineered the capture of those frisky torments. No; Tom was no angel. The next-door cat He was @ could have told you so while ghe kept her weather eye open for her persecu- But while Tom loved fun he wag also fearless when truth was concerned. For his principles he would go through fire and water. He had the hero stuff in him, aithough it was not often over- worked. it was a very quiet boy that walked home with mother that night from ser- vice. Perhaps mother understood. Cer- tainly when he bade her good night and whispered, “I'm going to try, mother,” her tactful answer was = sympathetic kiss and one of those mother looks which every boy under- stands. A funny thing happened that night. At the foot of Tom'’s bed hung a fine copy of Bouguereau's picture, ' “Our Lady of the Angels.’”” The last thing that Tom saw as he dropped to sleep was the appealing eyes and, outstretch- ed hands of the boy Jesus in his mother's arms. During the night the little fellow in the picture stepped soft- ly down from the frame and out upon the bed. He held out his hands to Tom, who, with full heart and over- flowing love, took him up and held him close to his own bosom. Again with all the earnestness of his youthful ar- dor and this time to the Christ child himself, Tom said, “T'll do it.” It may have been only a dream, but it was very real to Tom as he opened his eyes upon the picture in the morn- ing and repeated his resolve to try te live ageedesus would. “Immanuel” should be his motto, and the Httle “Im- manuel” ghould be his helper. That was the happtest morning of Tom's life. Love to everybody was shining out of those deep, brown eyes. Wings were there instead of feet as the boy took his way to school, where all the morning hours were joy. Af- ter lunch Tom again started for school. Half way down the block he overtook Sam Mack. ' Now Bam was not just the kind of boy that Tom liked, but 2s they only lived three doors apart they were thrown much together, al- though they were not In the same grades at school. Sam had a new story to tell which he had heard upon the street the evening before. As Tom lis- tened his heart stood still, for Sam, whose home knew no religion, was link- ing an evil story with the sacred name. A swift vision of the pure eyes of the little “Immanuel” came before Tom's mind. As S8am ended the vile tale with &a impure suggestion the rising Indig- nation in Tom's breast flamed forth and something hit Sam squarely be- tween the eyes and over he went upon the grass. choking with rage. It was no light blow and Bam was no light entagonist. There was a lively two minutes before one of the teachers could be summoned and the bout end- ed. But the effects were awful. Sam's nose and scratched cheek were leaking gore, and Tom, with torn coat and THE (BAPTIST blackened eye, gave eloguent testimony of the fray. Sam was raging mad jartly because be recognized his own meanness. Upon Tom there flashed the thought of his pledge and he fought in an agony of distress and shame. The black eye and the torn coat were nothing to the re- morse which filled his mind as the face of the little Lord came back to him with eyes of sorrow. He was pledged to peace and the very first day had brought a fight, even though it was in defense of the right. ‘The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle toward all.” To the teacher’s questions he had ne reply, as he could not tell her the reas- on for his onslaught. 8o he was sent to the principal and received his pun- {shment for beginning a fight upon the school grounds. And Bam was taunt- ingly happy over the outcome. After school Tom rushed home and up to his room. He turned the plcture with its face to the wall, threw himself upon his bed and the tears burst forth. Mother had seen the flushed face with the sable eye as if came up the steps, but wisely said nothing till the supper wisJ. Saww areB tist b S himself. What was the right course to ‘take with Bam? BShould he apologize for striking him? If he &id Sam might continue his evil storfes. Tom could see but one right way and, although & very disagreeable ome, he resolved to take it. Seeing Sam in the midst of a group of boys he walked up with out- stretched hand and said: “T am sorry 1 struck you yesterday, Sam, but I don't want you ever to tell me any more dirty stories.”” One of the other boys said, with a laugh: “Well, there's no danger, Tom, if you are golng to listen to them with your fists.” Saturday was the great football game between thé Bryants and the Broder- fcks. All the boys went and the cars ‘were crowded with friends and parents. Sam and Tom happened to be on the same car. In the crowd the conductor d1d not see them and Bam with a wink put his nickel back into his pocket. For the second time he saw the lightning in Tom's eye and scorn and contempt ‘were with it. With some difficulty Tom cofn, & &tme, and seid "Two.” Sam's ‘wonder knew no bounds as he said: “What's the matter with you? He nev- or would have seen us.” “Perhaps not,” sald Tom, “but I'm not & thief mywelf, and I don't travel with one when I can help 1. get & complete set of the forty-mine different kinds issued by the city lines One Friday afternoon John Selden was triumphant with the whole set. The last and most difficult one to secure was the Rallroad-avenue transfer, Few people traveled over that short termi- nal line away down beyond “Butcher- town” and thosé who did so required their transfors to get to the city. Tom had all but this one. He was bound to have them all. On Saturday he was sent downtown on an errand and given two nickels for car fare. Instead of riding he ‘walked down, did his errand and board- ed & Valencla-street car, transferred to Bixteenth street and again to Eighth and Eighteenth streets, still again to the Kentucky-street line and last of all to the Rallroad avenue terminal. In pure daylight he rode all the way te e county lne, exulting in the theunght of bz Monday's triumph. Om the re- tarn trip he received the covetad trane- fer, Dut instead of using it on the Kan- tucky-street line he tucked it away in his inside pocket, tuned up his whistle and set out on the five-mile walk homs. His forty-nine transfers were complete. snd so what mattered a little legache He would keep his secret till Monday, and then hs would do a little bragging himasilf. Tom was a trifle late on Monday and the last bell rang just as he entersd the schoolyard All the boys were in bafore him John Selden was the last to enter. He had been showing his transfers to the boym and &s the bell rang be threw off his mackintosh, hung it upon & hoek in the cloakroom, thrust- ing the transfers carelessly inte the outsife peckst. Tom hastened in and Bung up his cap as John closed the door behind him, theu entered the sobeolroom just in season to avold & bad mark. Bam was passing through the halls to his own room as the two boys em- tered. He saw the transfers put inte the coat pocket, although Tom was the enly one whe saw him. Fere was Sam’s chance—a chance to complete his own set of transfers and to get Tom into trouble. It took just a second after Tom had gone into his room to secure the transfers and get to his own roem. John was uneasy about his treasure and regretted leaving them in the hall Asking permission as soon as possidle, he went out to get them. They were gone. No other person besides Tom had gone out or in. Thers could be no mistake. It was a clear case. Go- fng to the teacher, he told of his loss and sccused Tom of the theft. The teacher called Tom, and he, of course, denfed all knowledgs of the mhtter. “Search Mm,” sald John. “Are yeu willing that we should 7" said the teach- they came—forty-nine of them, Railroad avenue one om top. tell. pride and foolishly sealed his lips. He ocould not utter a had he been asked. Many sympathetio. looks, for Tom a favorite in. the reem, but the evidence was se clear that ne one doubted his guilt. His own actions confirmed their opiniom. By and by the principal sent for the transfers and the boys. Tom could by this time think and he told his story, especially hew he had acquired the last transfer. It was all so improbable that the prinei- pal was reluctantly compelled to act on the plain evidence which Tom could not deny. He was the only person who had seen the transfers put into the pocket. He was the only boy who was alone with them. They were found upon him. That Rafiroad avenue trams- fer was the convincing link in the chain o Bcmadhon sl ez, e